Nancy Pelosi should know "a total failure" when she sees one.

[P562045]

If this is the most open congress ever why are we getting hearings about the bail-scue after the president has signed into law and not before?

[P562045]

110. "H.R. 2095, the which authorizes appropriations for the Department of Transportation's railroad safety and passenger rail activities and for Amtrak for Fiscal Years 2009-2013; and revises statutory provisions related to railroad safety and passenger rail activities[.]"
111. "H.R. 6296, which extends Federal Election Commission's authority to assess certain civil monetary penalties through December 31, 2013[.]"
112. "H.R. 6531, the "Vessel Hull Design Protection Amendments of 2008," which provides separate copyright protection for the design of a hull and the design of a deck; and that the Defense Department's rights in a registered original design will be determined by specified Defense regulations or the instrument under which the design was developed for the Federal Government[.]"
113. "H.R. 7084, the 'Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008,' which authorizes webcasters to negotiate royalty rates with copyright holders that differ from the rates set by the Library of Congress's Copyright Royalty Board."
114. "H.R. 7222, the Andean Trade Preference Act Extension...The bill will extend the Generalized Systems of Preferences (GSP), designed to help developing countries expand their market presence and strengthen their economies, and the Andean Trade Pact, which waives duties on imports from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru in accordance with a 1991 law."

[P562045]

115. "H.R. 5159, the "Capitol Visitor Center Act of 2008," which establishes the Office of the Capitol Visitor Center; and the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services[.]"
116. "S. 3197, the "National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Act of 2008," which temporarily exempts members of the Armed Forces reserves and the National Guard from a means test in determining eligibility for Chapter 7 bankruptcy relief, if, after September 11, 2001, they were on active duty or performing a homeland defense activity for at least 90 days."
117-125. Eight post offices need a name; and also a portion of California States Route 91 as well need a name.
126. A post office in Tennessee so needs a name as well.

[spoc22]

All I can say is if, God forbid, BO wins the election, I hope this list is the template for what the next Congress accomplishes.

[P562045]

Originally Posted by spoc22

All I can say is if, God forbid, BO wins the election, I hope this list is the template for what the next Congress accomplishes.

I think that the part that Obama will take from this congress will be spend, spend, spend.

There is so many things Obama wants to spend money on he does not tell people everything he wants to spend money on which is smart on his part. But I have a real problem with this as well.

The president did not tell us many of the things he wanted to do until well after he became president. October of 2002 comes to mind now.

I think what any politician does not tell voters about when it comes to the matter of the way they envision the country looking down the road and what direction we will be taking as a country is far more important than what they would ever say during the campaign. Any presidential candidate wants to paint their plans for the country as "rosy" as possible while they are actually running for president.

This campaign has been so filled with empty rhetoric that is very meaningless to me that I don't feel I could completely or even partly tell a person what direction either presidential would want to take the country for that matter. There is a very important reason for this though. I am so disengaged with this election, and this election is by far the least I have paid to a presidential election and before I could even vote and what I have just described is not even come close with regards to past elections, partly for the reasons I just described. The several things I have just described is my greatest fear about this upcoming election.

And as I have been frank about this before I could really care less who the next president is with the matter I was just discussing.

And don't think for a second that the very people that have been giving the country all of these wonderful "gifts" I have been describing throughout this thread about what the priorities of this particular congress has been since early January of last year have no desires at all of what direction the country should be going in is just not true.

What I have just described is just part of the reason I put this list together in the first place. I want people to see the types of things this congress has been doing for a little less than two years now.

[P562045]

I wish I knew when this particular congress will be getting done playing Santa. I would like to put about 25 things or so in consecutive posts in a row so a person can see what this particular congress has been actually doing because I feel what I have done throughout this post is very constructive for several reasons.

Has this particular congress for the most part been doing things for themselves partly to get reelected or for the benefit of the people as a whole? When a person reads what I have been describing in my own way how many times has a person said that is a very good and necessary idea?

I am very fearful we will getting another stimulus package before January of next year. I think Bernanke [sp?] even said another one is so necessary. I guess I will just find time and add a few more when necessary.

[P562045]

I so wish I could just shrug off what this particular congress has been doing but I can not for one important reason.

The congress is the real place that the ideas are going to be coming from that tells us what direction the country will be going in the next few years in the first place.

Another very important reason I have been doing this indeed.

[P562045]

So as promised I am going to show in several consecutive posts what this particular congress has been doing since early last year.

There are actually several good ideas but to find them may be a little difficult.

Now please don't everyone comment about how much good this particular congress has been doing all at once.

The good will actually be coming in the next congress when we have a president that finally gets it after almost eight years of total and absolute failure.

The main reason I did this in the first place was to show what kinds of ideas the congress has been coming up with so far and have they been good or bad ideas or who cares? This is very relevant because Obama can run around all he wants and says he wants this that and the other thing that cost real money but the congress actually comes up with what the actual laws says.

I can't wait for more Bush is evil stories long after he leaves office which will just be cover for the democrats and their little desires are the real reasons we have all of these problems we face now in the first place and many more to come from their ideas actually becoming law for the first time in a very long time indeed. I would say the last time the democrats really had their ideas become law was back in the Carter days and as we all should know those were wonderful and great times.

During those days of Carter inflation is double what it is now and unemployment at its worst was quadruple what it is now. Don't worry though Obama is going to be giving everyone a $40 per hour job that needs or wants one. And the main stream media except for Fox News loves to run around and say this is the worst economy since the great depression. Well I just described part of the carter years and it only got worse as the years went along.

So in the next few posts I will be showing what this particular congress has actually been doing since very early last year.

1. Renaming of a ton of post offices.
2. Requiring that compact florescent light bulbs will be mandatory by a certain year.
3. Protection of telecommunications companies when it comes to there role which in many cases involve the war on terror.
4. The America Competes Act that funds programs that deal with science, technology, and research; and it also funds state education grants as well.
5. Did provide funds to rebuild a bridge in Minnesota.
6. The so called "stimulus package" bill.
7. Increasing the average mph to be at least 35.
8. I am sure there has been at least one supplemental expenditure bill so that they feds can hand out Social Security checks and keep our wonderful national parks open as well.
9. Led's story talks about the feds bailing out people that those evil predatory lenders made people sign mortgages that they had no business signing in the first place.
10. The president signed a reauthorization that help to fight around the world such things as HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
11. Ms Pelosi on her own decides what should and should not be discussed in the people's house.

Well I guess it is still the people's house anyway.
12. Well we have spending bill that is about $600,000,000,000 that I am sure has 0% pork in it.
13. A bailout, rescue or whatever a person wants to call it bill with a little pork added by the senate so that the bill would eventually pass in the house four days after the house rejected the bill.
14. Continue some sanctions against Burma, propose news restrictions [sanctions] against Burma, and extend import restrictions against Burma.
15-26. Renaming or naming something that does not have a name yet. These are a courthouse, a lock and dam, U.S. customs house, U.S. border patrol station, seven more post offices, and a port building.

[P562045]

27. Something to do with D.C. Water and Sewer Authority [WASA]
28. Amends the requirement for travel expenses with regards to Committee on Levee Safety.
29. Tougher air quality restrictions coming from ships.
30. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Board definitely needs some more directors.
31. Renaming part of road in Orchard Park, New York after former Meet the Press moderator Tim Russert.
32. Provide several new ways to provide 911 services.
33. Name a courthouse in Toledo Ohio.
34. Approve and ratify an agreement between Native Americans, the feds, and several California water districts about how water in a certain area should be used.
35. Congress wants to give a badge of bravery to a law enforcement officer.
36. Something about how a boat gets rid of its waste.
37. Extend programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965 for fifteen days.
38. "S. 3370, the 'Libyan Claims Resolution Act,' which facilitates the resolution of pending claims against Libya by United States nationals.
39. A bunch of changes are need with regards to Federal Aid Highway, Mass Transit, and Highway Safety Programs.
40. The Federal Acquisition Regulation be amended to provide that certain contracts includes language encouraging the donation of excess food.
41. Law enforcement can buy security related items from the feds.
42. A foreign government or international organization can not own certain property in the District of Columbia.
43. Amends which agencies can do what when it comes to the National Capitol Region.
44. All that is really need is a fingerprint when a person enlists in the U.S. Armed Forces when it comes to background and security checks when it comes to a person wanting to be naturalized which just means become a citizen of the U.S..
45. Funding our troops that are in harm's way.
46. A part of the Immigration and Nationality act talks about a person overseas can not enter the country if they are involved in terrorist or criminal activities but this part of the Act does not apply when it comes to activities associated with the African National Congress when it comes to activities in opposition to apartheid.
47. "S. 188, the 'Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006,' which further honors the service of Cesar E. Chavez, Barbara C. Jordan, William C. Velasquez, and Dr. Hector P. Garcia."
48. and 49. Constantino Brumidi and Edward William Brooke III both need a congressional gold medal.
50. The Clean Boating Act of 2008 exempts some waste discharge coming from a recreational boat to "count" towards the Clean Water Act.

[P562045]

51. Reauthorize the Consumer Product Safety Commission and give them more powers when it comes to products that are designed for children.
52. Reauthorize the "Higher Education Opportunity Act" and make some changes with regards to higher education programs.
53. "H.R. 6432, the which reauthorizes through FY 2013 the Animal Drug User Fee Act and authorizes a new user fee program for animal generic drugs."
54. An agreement between the countries of India and the United States called the "[T]he United States-India Nuclear Cooperation Approval and Nonproliferation Enhancement Act " which as the president said, "This legislation will enhance our cooperation in using nuclear energy to power our economies; it will help us work together even more closely to reduce the danger of nuclear proliferation across the world."
55. Gives a name to the new federal courthouse in Richmond Virginia.
56. "H.R. 6456, which extends and modifies certain authorities of the Department of State and the Broadcasting Board of Governors[.]"
57. "S. 2450, which limits the circumstances under which inadvertent disclosure of information results in waiver of the attorney-client privilege or work product protection."
58. An adjustment is needed when it comes to "pay, retirement benefits, and financial disclosure requirements for employees of the Government Accountability Office."
59. The American with Disabilities Act needs to be amended again. I am sure in order to generate more revenue in countless ways that can not be enforced. One of the ways more revenue will be generated is by broadening the definition of what a disability is in the first place.
60. "S. 2617, the "Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act on 2008," which provides a cost of living increase for the beneficiaries of veterans' disability compensation and dependency and indemnity compensation."
61. The vice president, their spouse, and children under the age of 16 will for the first time get protection from the secret service for up to six months after the vice president leaves office. The secret service will also expand their powers to criminal laws related to computer fraud and identity theft as well.
62. "H.R. 1777, the "Need-Based Educational Aid Act of 2008," which extends until September 30, 2015, the current exemption to antitrust law that permits two or more colleges or universities that admit all students on a need-blind basis to use common principles of analysis for determining the students' need for financial aid[.]"
63. An extension till late March of next year with regards to "collect taxes that fund the Airport and Airway Trust Fund; make expenditures from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund; and make grants to airports under the Airport Improvement Program."
64. A F.B.I. building that is under construction needs a name right?
65. "H.R. 2608, the "SSI Extension for Elderly and Disabled Refugees Act," which extends, for two years, the eligibility of certain qualified aliens, including refugees, asylees, and certain humanitarian immigrants, for Supplemental Security Income benefits; and authorizes the Department of the Treasury to withhold portions of a taxpayer's refund to collect certain unemployment compensation debt owed to States"
66-68 They are naming a post office in Commerce, Oklahoma after Mickey Mantle, a Veteran Administration Clinic in Alpena, Michigan needs a name, and they are giving the Post Office in Fort Pierce, Florida a name as well.
69. The lawyers for Poverty stricken, needy, poor, and the impoverished, in the District of Columbia need their pay increased.
70. "...Authorizes appropriations to the Library of Congress annually through FY 2016 for its sound recording and film preservation programs[.]"
71. "S. 996, which authorizes the use of passenger facility fees imposed at the Los Angeles International Airport to be used for noise mitigation projects for certain school buildings in the surrounding area that are adversely affected by airport noise."
72. The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts need more $.
73. "S. 1760, the "Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2007," which reauthorizes the Healthy Start program, which provides grants to communities with high infant mortality rates in an effort to improve prenatal care[.]"
74. Recruiting or using child soldiers is a federal crime now and person doing this activity can not be allowed into the country and may be deported as well under the Immigration and Nationality Act.
75. The Smithsonian Institution is authorized to support the VERITAS project and build a ground-based gamma ray observatory in Arizona.

[P562045]

76. "S.J.Res. 45, the "Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact," which provides approval for an interstate compact to protect the water resources of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin."
77. "H.R. 923, the "Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act of 2007," which requires the Attorney General to designate individuals in the Justice Department's Federal Bureau of Investigation and Civil Rights Division to investigate and prosecute violations of criminal civil rights statutes that occurred prior to January 1, 1970, and resulted in death[.]"
78. Giving aid to children living in a home that methamphetamine or other controlled substances were manufactured, distributed, dispensed or used.
79. "...reauthorize the North Korean Human Rights Authorization Act of 2004[.]"
80-82 Name three more post offices in Waterville, New York, Bremen, Georgia, and Odessa, Texas.
83. "H.R. 6889, which extends the authority of the Secretary of Education to carry out provisions of the Ensuring Continued Access to Student Loans Act of 2008 for one year, through June 30, 2010[.]"
84. A bill about foster care extending programs to help disabled children and older children get adopted, assist families when they first get a foster child, and allow funding for "child welfare systems" that are run Native Americans.
85 and 86. A post office in Lakeview, Oregon and Kansas City, Missouri need names also.[/quote]
87. "H.R. 2851, the 'Michelle's Law,' which requires that health plans continue to provide coverage for certain dependent children who take a medically necessary leave of absence from a post-secondary educational institution[.]
88. S 2840 A member of the armed forces has to have their naturalization application papers processed within six months of these papers being received; and an Office of the FBI Liaison needs to be established in order to hurry up background checks when it comes to these naturalization application papers.
89. S. 3550 A part of a river in Virginia needs to be named after John Warner. I wonder if this is for the current senator from Virginia or his father?
90. An outpatient V.A. Clinic in Hermitage, Pennsylvania definitely needs a name.
91. Reauthorize making it easier for some Native Americans to get affordable housing and also a new program for a guaranteed loans for community and economic activities by a tribe.
92. "H.R. 6098, the 'Personnel Reimbursement for Intelligence Cooperation and Enhancement of Homeland Security Act of 2008' or the "PRICE of Homeland Security Act," which prohibits the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from imposing a limit of more or less than 50 percent on the amount of funds received under specified DHS grant programs that can be used to pay salaries and benefits for State and local personnel; and removes the limitations on the period of time that intelligence analysts can serve under awarded grants[.]
93. A member of congress needs a gift of life award named after her. This is Stephanie Tubbs Jones from Ohio if I am remembering correctly.
94. It is really bad to transfer mercury and that is now not allowed by federal agencies. We also can't export mercury as well. We also need a place to dispose of mercury as well.
95. Signatures are needed when certain pharmaceuticals are sold that could be used in the production of a methamphetamine when the records are being kept electronically.
96. The Justice Department needs to treat the mentally ill in its system appropriately.[/quote]
97. The new session of congress will start on Tuesday January 6th of next year. The electoral votes in the presidential race will be counted on January 8 of next year.
98. "H.R. 1714, which replaces the Coastal Barrier Resource System map relating to the Clam Pass Unit FL-64P in Collier County, Florida[.]
99. Native American code will be getting a congressional gold medal.
100. Bullet proof vests are needed on an annual basis.

[P562045]

101. Some stuff about NASA. "H.R. 6063, the 'National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008,' which authorizes appropriations to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for Fiscal Year 2009; requires NASA to add to its baseline flight manifest two Space Shuttle missions to the International Space Station and take all necessary steps to fly a third additional Shuttle mission; requires NASA to take steps to ensure that the International Space Station remains viable through at least 2020; and affirms congressional support for U.S. space exploration policy[.]"
102. If a federal employee gets their salary by an electronic transfer they can get a pay stub electronically if they want one.
103. A national training program for State and local prosecutors.
104. "H.R. 6353, the "Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008," which amends the Controlled Substances Act to address online pharmacies[.]"
105. "H.R. 6469, the "Stephanie Tubbs Jones Organ Transplant Authorization Act of 2008," which authorizes an increase in funding for the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network[.]"
106. "H.R. 6524, which authorizes the General Services Administration to take certain actions with respect to parcels of real property located in Eastlake, Ohio, and Koochiching County, Minnesota[.]"
107. "H.R. 7082, the 'Inmate Tax Fraud Prevention Act of 2008,' which authorizes the Treasury Department to disclose certain prisoner tax return information to the Justice Department's Federal Bureau of Prisons; and restores certain judicial survivors' annuities"
108. "H.R. 7177, which amends the Arms Export Control Act for the Republic of Korea and Israel, authorizes military assistance for Israel, and authorizes the transfer of U.S. naval vessels to foreign governments[.]"
109. "S. 3641, which reauthorizes funding for certain Department of Justice crime victims programs."
110. "H.R. 2095, the which authorizes appropriations for the Department of Transportation's railroad safety and passenger rail activities and for Amtrak for Fiscal Years 2009-2013; and revises statutory provisions related to railroad safety and passenger rail activities[.]"
111. "H.R. 6296, which extends Federal Election Commission's authority to assess certain civil monetary penalties through December 31, 2013[.]"
112. "H.R. 6531, the "Vessel Hull Design Protection Amendments of 2008," which provides separate copyright protection for the design of a hull and the design of a deck; and that the Defense Department's rights in a registered original design will be determined by specified Defense regulations or the instrument under which the design was developed for the Federal Government[.]"
113. "H.R. 7084, the 'Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008,' which authorizes webcasters to negotiate royalty rates with copyright holders that differ from the rates set by the Library of Congress's Copyright Royalty Board."
114. "H.R. 7222, the Andean Trade Preference Act Extension...The bill will extend the Generalized Systems of Preferences (GSP), designed to help developing countries expand their market presence and strengthen their economies, and the Andean Trade Pact, which waives duties on imports from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru in accordance with a 1991 law."
115. "H.R. 5159, the "Capitol Visitor Center Act of 2008," which establishes the Office of the Capitol Visitor Center; and the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services[.]"
116. "S. 3197, the "National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Act of 2008," which temporarily exempts members of the Armed Forces reserves and the National Guard from a means test in determining eligibility for Chapter 7 bankruptcy relief, if, after September 11, 2001, they were on active duty or performing a homeland defense activity for at least 90 days."
117-125. Eight post offices need a name; and also a portion of California States Route 91 as well need a name.
126. A post office in Tennessee so needs a name as well.

[P562045]

So sorry I could not get all of the "wonderfullness" on the same page to see in all its glory what has this congress been doing for almost two years now.

And as a special bonus I am sure more is coming. This financial institution, or that industry needs a rescue as well.

I would hope most of this would come next year though so that the democrats can give themselves full credit for helping out the "little guy".

And you thought the congress playing Santa was over after the election. Oh please.

I am going to try to keep the gifts the congress is giving the people for the rest of this year all in this post and I will be editing this post from time to time. Well this is the congress so another post might be necessary I will just cross that bridge when I may have to come to it.

127. "H.R. 6867, the 'Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008,' which extends Emergency Unemployment Compensation to 20 weeks, and creates a second tier of 13 weeks of compensation for individuals in States with high unemployment rates."
128. The U.S. Army needs a coin.
129. The Rights Act of 1964 also needs a coin.
130. "S. 602, the "Child Safe Viewing Act of 2007," which requires the Federal Communications Commission to conduct an inquiry to examine the availability of, and methods of encouraging the use of, advanced blocking technologies that help parents protect their children from transmitted video and audio programming that the parents determine to be indecent or objectionable[.]
131. "S. 1193, which directs the Secretary of the Interior to take into trust two parcels of Federal land in Albuquerque, New Mexico, for the benefit of 19 Indian pueblos; make various technical changes to statutes concerning Native Americans; and extends the authorization for Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial through November 12, 2009."
132. Another post office needs a name.
133. The salary of the secretary of state needs to be reduced for some reason.

[Thunderbirds]

Most of this could be summed up in saying that Congress is a bunch of "DORKS".

[hork]

Originally Posted by P562045

During those days of Carter inflation is double what it is now and unemployment at its worst was quadruple what it is now. Don't worry though Obama is going to be giving everyone a $40 per hour job that needs or wants one. And the main stream media except for Fox News loves to run around and say this is the worst economy since the great depression. Well I just described part of the carter years and it only got worse as the years went along.

i'm curious, where did you get your numbers? according to the CEPR your source couldn't be much more incorrect in their comparison of the two administrations and the reality of the economic situations.