Obviously, there is one thing about the deal that I don’t like. It does not extend protection for the DREAMers. I have no doubt that the deal will pass the Senate, because Bought Bitch Mitch (R-KY) appears to be keeping his word and has scheduled Immigration for next week. I believe he will, so I have no problem with Senators who vote for it. Paul Lyin’ Ryan (R-WI) has also committed that he will put a bill on the House floor to extend protection for DREAMers, and there’s the rub. We don’t call him Lyin’ Ryan for nothing.
…The vote on Thursday will not complete the budget process — rather, will set the budgetary caps for the next two years and extend the current level of funding through March 23.
That will give congressional appropriators enough time to hash out the exact details of where the money will go.
With that in mind, here’s what’s in the legislation that Congress will vote on Thursday:
- Extends of current federal funding through March 23.
- Lifts the statutory budget caps for defense and non-defense spending by a combined $296 billion over the next two years.
- The defense cap would be increased to $629 billion for fiscal year 2018 and $647 billion for fiscal year 2019 — an increase of $165 over the current caps over the two years.
- The nondefense cap would increased to $579 billion for fiscal year 2018 and $597 billion for fiscal year 2019 — an increase of $131 billion billion over the current caps during the two years.
- Suspends the debt ceiling until March 1, 2019.
- Offers $89.3 billion in additional funding for areas hit by natural disasters in 2017.
- $23.5 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund.
- $17.39 billion for the US Army Corps of Engineers for projects to prevent future damage.
- $28 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development to help rebuild homes and infrastructure.
- The rest would go toward funds within the Small Business Administration, the Department of Defense, Veteran’s Administration, and other agencies to help repair damages.
- Extends of certain Medicare provisions, including funding for community health centers, removing a cap on therapy services, funding for rural and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and more.
- Extends certain tax provisions and edits to some parts of the tax code — including provisions from the recently passed GOP tax law.
- Adds four years of funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The previous funding bill signed in January extended CHIP for six years, so funding will now last 10 years.
- Adds funds for agencies above current levels to mitigate the effects of the short-term funding bill. That includes increased funding for the upcoming 2020 Census, Southeastern Power Administration, the F-35A fighter jet program, and more.
It’s seems likely, though not completely clear, that the bill will pass….
Inserted from <Business Insider>
There it is. There is a lot I like, such as dumping the sequester system. It does preserve a deadline of 3/23, if Republicans welch on their promise to DREAMers. But I have not made up my mind let. So I laid it out for you to make up your own minds.
RESIST THE REPUBLICAN REICH!!
18 Responses to “The Deal”
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I think we are seeing some theater and some gambling.
I have to gasp in admiration at Nancy Pelosi, who at 77, and in four inch heels, just gave THE LONGEST speech ever heard in the House in support of Dreamers. I am 72 and can’r even stand up in 2″ heels without falling, and could never stand for 8 hours even in flat shoes or no shoes. I think she knows that Lyin’ Ryan is in a position to, and will, make sure that no legislation favoring Dreamers even sees a vote (unless he also knows it will be overwhelmingly defeated), and she wants to call attention to the fact that IT IS NOT THE DEMOCRATS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE. I think this is magnificent theater (and I do NOT mean by that to iply she is insincere, just that it’s a theatrical presentation of the truth).
Meanwhile, back in the Senate, Schumer’s agreement to “The Deal” gives away a lot of potential Democratic leverage for just about two years. I think he is gambling on Democrats gaining seats in both houses to give that leverage back again.
Really, as screwed as we are by the balance of power in Congress, I don’t see what chances there are for us except through theater and through gambling. While not crazy about the deal, I think both minority leaders are doing the best they can.
I would be happier if Pelosi’s amazing feat were to get more attention, though.
So, Joanne, did you really mean Pelosi’s feat, or feet?
Mitch, I’d say it was her “feat on her feet”.
Squatch beat me too my comment!
Kudos and Respect!! to Ms. Pelosi, to which I tuned in to, every now and then yesterday. She spoke over 8 hours for OUR Dreamers!! WOW!!!
Thanks, Tom for getting this out here, I’ll read later.
What we really need is a lot less “defense” spending!
Cut Military Spending – Don’t Increase It!
Unless I missed it, I didn’t see any funding for The Wall. The Dems stepped over their red line concerning the Dreamers. Let’s see if Trump caves too.
This is the first I heard of Pelosi’s speech, and she has just moved up, a bit, in my estimation. I still recall her giving G.W.Bus**t “carte blanche,” in Iraq!
Real live theater is interesting, but e will have to just be patient, and see how things play out. Grab ’em by the midterms!!!!!!!!!!
Man. I can’t even understand what I’m reading. Sorry, dude. I tried.
Later, TC!
I agree with Freya, more room for spending on the military than for anything else (as I read it) is not the way to go, not with a Commander-in-Chief dead set on creating the largest nuclear arsenal in the world for the USA. But there are no provisions for The Wall, and immigration isn’t mentioned at all (DREAMers yet to be debated), so now both Senate and House have passed this bill the question remains what Drumpf is going to do.
Drumpf has now got his military spending, which comes at a very convenient time now the war in Iraq is blowing up again, and provisions for the Republican new Tax Law which he will sell as his own to his buddy billionaires, but he hasn’t got anything on immigration to satisfy his hard core. Let’s see what he does.
On debating the DREAMers in the House, this is what the New Your Time had to say on the reopening of the government:
All on-man-blockade Ryan did was voice support for bringing a debate to the floor, and the Democrats believed him and helped to pass the bill. Trust Ryan on something he’s not even committed himself to?! Let’s hope it’ll not come back to haunt the Democrats right until November.
Update from NYT:
Oh oh,
Ruh Roe. Indeed.
It’s not that Democrats trusted Ryan. They pretend to trust him, because they know they can’t get what the want and will lose all the concessions that they did get. Having no power sucks!
Thanks, JD!
Thanks all. Hugs!
I read this article yesterday but really needed to think on it. I don’t trust McTurtle or Lyin’ Ryan to bring the DACA up, so we wait another 6 weeks. Neither can be trusted and they have proven this true in the past. I do like that CHIP has funding for another 10 years, but I do not like the bloated military budget.
I guess we will have to wait and see just what happens.