HouseWatch Alert for the week of December 5, 2017

Dear Friend,

The Republican majority is entirely focused on rushing through the outrageous tax bill that raises taxes on millions of middle class families, while providing massive permanent tax cuts to big corporations and the super-rich.  Last night, I was named as one of five House Democratic conferees to negotiate with Republicans on the final version of the GOP bill.  I will press for greater fairness so that the benefits do not go overwhelmingly to the top 1%.  Tax reform should boost wages and productivity, invest in modern infrastructure in America and not add over $1 Trillion to the national debt.  During my years representing the Tampa Bay area in Congress, I haven’t seen a bill that is more unfair and unwise.  The battle earlier this year over health care and narrow focus on the huge tax giveaway have crowded out action on other important legislation so the GOP must cram everything into the last few weeks of the year.

For example, Speaker Ryan must propose a bill to fund the government by Friday or face a government shutdown.  In a properly-functioning Congress, appropriations for the government are adopted prior to the start of the fiscal year in October.  Reliance on short-term “continuing resolutions” has become too common and damages the ability of agencies like the Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health and Department of Transportation to function.  Republicans likely will offer a two-week “CR” until December 22 and then hope to craft another bill to fund the government through September 30, 2018.  Republicans control the House, Senate and the White House so it is a bit mystifying why they cannot govern on a basic responsibility.

Other vital initiatives that hang in the balance are emergency funding to Florida, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Texas following the harshest hurricane season on record.  The GOP Congress also allowed the Children’s Health Insurance Program to expire as of September 30 and states are running out of money to continue to provide health services to kids who need it.  Flood insurance reform also must be dealt with before Congress adjourns.  Democrats and some Republicans are pressing to hold President Trump to his word that our Dream Act students would be allowed to apply for citizenship before the end of the year.

Last week, I filed a bill to end taxpayer-funded and campaign-funded settlements for workplace harassment and discrimination by members of Congress.  Fundamental changes are being considered to make workplace harassment reviews more timely and more transparent.  Congress must completely reform the process for complaints and timely resolution of cases as is contemplated in the “Me Too Act” by Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) that I have cosponsored.

Republicans in the House also have scheduled votes on the following bills:

H.R. 38 – In an effort to provide a holiday gift to the powerful gun lobby, the GOP is rushing the firearm “concealed carry reciprocity” bill to the House floor.  The bill would require all states to honor a permit to carry a concealed gun from any other state in America, regardless of the issuing state's procedures to ensure that the permit-holder can safely use a gun.  The bill will allow persons in one state to "shop around" and apply for a concealed carry permit in less restrictive states like Utah where persons can apply for a concealed carry permit simply by going online.  More than 15 million people already have permits to carry concealed guns in the U.S.  "This bill flouts state law and allows anyone to carry a gun at any time anywhere, regardless of existing state laws that establish procedures for how and when a concealed weapon can be obtained and carried," said Kris Brown, Co-President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.  "We already have an epidemic of gun violence in America, and adding more concealed weapons in more sensitive places, like … hospitals, airports, restaurants and schools creates a nationwide public safety disaster."  In committee, Democratic amendments were rejected that would have established a minimum age to carry concealed guns, protect state laws that prohibit carrying concealed guns in bars and require background checks for all gun sales.  The bill also comes up short on bump stocks and calls instead for an unnecessary study on the firearm accessory used in Las Vegas instead of acknowledging how the bump stocks turn certain guns into killing machines.  Meanwhile, I recommend that you read the letter to Congress from a number of America’s top military leaders, including the former U.S. Special Operations Commander Admiral Eric T. Olson (Ret.) who served many years in Tampa at MacDill AFB.

H.R. 3971 – This bill would allow larger bank servicers to avoid important consumer safeguards by stopping the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) from requiring escrow accounts for riskier, high-priced loans at institutions with less than $25 billion in assets.  This is a dramatic increase from the current $2 billion asset threshold.  Escrow accounts are an important consumer protection mechanism that reduces the risk of mortgage default and ensures homeowners have funds for recurring homeownership-related expenses that can result in losing the home – like property taxes – or an inability to rebuild or replace, like insurance.  The bill revives some of the abusive and fraudulent business practices involved with predatory lending that contributed to the financial and homeowner foreclosure crisis less than a decade ago.

H.R. 477 – This bill would exempt certain merger and acquisition brokers from registration as broker-dealers with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).  This legislation is not necessary, as the SEC has “no-action guidance” in place that already exempts certain mergers and acquisition brokers from SEC registration requirements.  That SEC guidance was well thought-out and has worked effectively since being issued in 2014.  While this bill includes some of the SEC “no-action guidance,” it excludes certain critical protections that could leave investors vulnerable.