Senator Tom Coburn has introduced the Stop the Overprinting Act of 2011. It basically states that no printing shall be permitted and The Public Printer shall make bills and resolutions available for the use of offices of Members of Congress only in an electronic format which is accessible through the Internet. It was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. I could find no articles on cost savings.
The Senator also sponsored the Orphan Earmarks Act which rescinds any earmark of funds provided for any federal agency with more than 90% of the appropriated amount remaining available for obligation at the end of the 9th fiscal year after it was first made available. The agency head is authorized to delay any such rescission if an additional obligation of the earmark is likely to occur during the following 12-month period.
Each agency head is also required to identify and report every project that is an earmark with an unobligated balance at the end of each fiscal year to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), who shall report a listing and accounting for such earmarks to Congress and to the public via the OMB website.
Senator James Inhofe has introduced Honest Expenditure Limitation Program Act of 2011 or HELP Act which amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to make it out of order in the House of Representatives or the Senate to consider any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that includes any provision that would exceed specified non-security discretionary spending limits and limits non-security discretionary spending limits for FY2011-FY2016 to the levels provided in FY2008 and for FY2017-FY2021 to such amount adjusted annually for inflation.
This bill requires the President to issue a sequestration order, effective on issuance, if the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in its Final Discretionary Sequestration Report estimates that any sequestration is required.
Subjects to permanent cancellation any budgetary resources sequestered from any account, except those in special fund accounts or offsetting collections sequestered in appropriation accounts and apply the same percentage sequestration to all programs, projects, and activities within a budget account.
It also requires Discretionary Sequestration Preview Reports by OMB to the President and Congress and, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to Congress requiring the OMB report to explain the difference between OMB and CBO estimates for each item.
The Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011 sponsored by Mr. Inhofe states that the administrator may not, under this Act, enact any regulation concerning, take action relating to, or take into consideration the emission of a greenhouse gas to address climate change. The definition of the term `air pollutant' does not include a greenhouse gas.
Additionally, he following rules and actions (including any supplement or revision to such rules and actions) are repealed and shall have no legal effect:
(A) `Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases', published at 74 Fed. Reg. 56260 (October 30, 2009).
(B) `Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings for Greenhouse Gases under section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act' published at 74 Fed. Reg. 66496 (Dec. 15, 2009).
(C) `Reconsideration of the Interpretation of Regulations That Determine Pollutants Covered by Clean Air Act Permitting Programs' published at 75 Fed. Reg. 17004 (April 2, 2010) and the memorandum from Stephen L. Johnson, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator, to EPA Regional Administrators, concerning `EPA's Interpretation of Regulations that Determine Pollutants Covered by Federal Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) Permit Program' (Dec. 18, 2008).
(D) `Prevention of Significant Deterioration and Title V Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule', published at 75 Fed. Reg. 31514 (June 3, 2010).
(E) `Action To Ensure Authority To Issue Permits Under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration Program to Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Finding of Substantial Inadequacy and SIP Call', published at 75 Fed. Reg. 77698 (December 13, 2010).
(F) `Action To Ensure Authority To Issue Permits Under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration Program to Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Finding of Failure to Submit State Implementation Plan Revisions Required for Greenhouse Gases', published at 75 Fed. Reg. 81874 (December 29, 2010).
(G) `Action To Ensure Authority To Issue Permits Under the Prevention of Significant Deterioration Program to Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Federal Implementation Plan', published at 75 Fed. Reg. 82246 (December 30, 2010).
(H) `Action To Ensure Authority To Implement Title V Permitting Programs Under the Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule', published at 75 Fed. Reg. 82254 (December 30, 2010).
(I) `Determinations Concerning Need for Error Correction, Partial Approval and Partial Disapproval, and Federal Implementation Plan Regarding Texas Prevention of Significant Deterioration Program', published at 75 Fed. Reg. 82430 (December 30, 2010).
(J) `Limitation of Approval of Prevention of Significant Deterioration Provisions Concerning Greenhouse Gas Emitting-Sources in State Implementation Plans; Final Rule', published at 75 Fed. Reg. 82536 (December 30, 2010).
(K) `Determinations Concerning Need for Error Correction, Partial Approval and Partial Disapproval, and Federal Implementation Plan Regarding Texas Prevention of Significant Deterioration Program; Proposed Rule', published at 75 Fed. Reg. 82365 (December 30, 2010).
(L) Except for action listed in paragraph (2), any other Federal action under this Act occurring before the date of enactment of this section that applies a stationary source permitting requirement or an emissions standard for a greenhouse gas to address climate change.
In short this bill will amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency from promulgating any regulation concerning, taking action relating to, or taking into consideration the emission of a greenhouse gas to address climate change, and for other purposes.
Mr. Inhofe introduced English Language Unity Act of 2011 which amends USC Title 4 to read Section 161 states the official language of the United States is English. Section 162- Representatives of the Federal Government shall have an affirmative obligation to preserve and enhance the role of English as the official language of the Federal Government. Such obligation shall include encouraging greater opportunities for individuals to learn the English language. Section 163- Official functions of Government to be conducted in English. Section 164 states that all testing and ceremonies for naturalization will be in English.
Senator Inhofe’s Comprehensive Assessment of Regulations on the Economy Act of 2011 will establish a committee to perform an assessment of the cumulative energy and economic impacts of the Federal regulatory mandates in accordance with this subsection, including direct, indirect, quantifiable, and qualitative effects on employment, economic development, the electric power sector, State and local governments, small business and agriculture, as a partial list. It mandates the committee to identify potential adverse cumulative impacts of the Federal regulatory mandates that have unique or significant repercussions for each particular region of the United States and to investigate opportunities and strategies for mitigating the adverse impacts and repercussions identified.
Senate Resolution 23 makes consideration of a bill, joint resolution, conference report, or amendment that provides an earmark out of order. It permits waiver or suspension of such prohibition, or successful appeals from rulings of the Chair, only by an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the Senate.
No comments:
Post a Comment