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7/30/2008

1:35 AM

The House "apologizes to African-Americans on behalf of the people of the United States, for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow."

The Rat- More proof of the morons elected to Congress. Jim Crow laws were state laws. So Congress is apologizing for something they didn't do !!!

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6/20/2008

9:55 AM

Hidden deep in Senator Christopher Dodd's 630-page Senate housing legislation is a sweeping provision that affects the privacy and operation of nearly all of America’s small businesses. The provision, which was added by the bill's managers without debate this week, would require the nation's payment systems to track, aggregate, and report information on nearly every electronic transaction to the federal government.

From -  www.freedomworks.org/newsroom/press_template.php?press_id=2571

The Rat- I guess for Congressmen's sake, they won't consider "escort" services as a small business

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6/20/2008

1:00 AM

Hodes amendment (No. 10 printed in H. Rept. 110-707) that was debated on June 12th that seeks to establish a scholarship program in honor of Christa McAuliffe, a teacher from Concord, New D766Hampshire who died in the 1986 Challenger Space Shuttle disaster. 
[Page: D766]   GPO's PDF
The scholarship would go to women pursuing degrees in mathematics, science, and engineering (by a recorded vote of 423 ayes to 3 noes, Roll No. 419).

The Rat- Once again, the Federal government practicing discrimination

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6/20/2008

12:50 AM

Food, Conservation, and Energy Act--Veto Message: By 80 yeas to 14 nays (Vote No. 151), two-thirds of the Senators voting, a quorum being present, having voted in the affirmative, H.R. 6124, to provide for the continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2012, upon reconsideration was passed, the objections of the President of the United States to the contrary notwithstanding

The Rat- You don't touch a Senator's pork either !!!

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6/20/2008

12:44 AM

H.R.5781 : To provide that 8 of the 12 weeks of parental leave made available to a Federal employee shall be paid leave, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] (introduced 4/14/2008 )      Cosponsors (21)
Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; House Administration
House Reports: 110-624 Part 1, 110-624 Part 2
Latest Major Action: 6/19/2008 House floor actions. Status: The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.

The Rat- Only in the Federal government ...

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6/11/2008

5:34 AM

H.RES.1258 : Impeaching George W. Bush, President of the United States, of high crimes and misdemeanors.
Sponsor: Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] (introduced 6/10/2008 )      Cosponsors (1)
Latest Major Action: 6/10/2008 Introduced in House

The Rat- There he goes again.

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5/23/2008

12:05 AM

Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology held a hearing entitled ``Implications of Cyber Vulnerabilities on the Resiliency and Security of the Electric Grid.'' Testimony was heard from Joseph T. Kelliher, Chairman, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy; Greg Wilshusen, Director, Information Security Issues, GAO; William R. McCollum, Jr., Chief Operating Office, TVA; and a public witness.



The Rat- No need for "cyber" vulnerabilities. The software that controls the South
          Eastern grid was written in India - and Congress allowed it to happen. Easy
          for a programmer to insert a backdoor in that coding.
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5/22/2008

11:55 PM

Presidential Veto Message--Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008: Read a message from the President wherein he announced his veto of H.R. 2419, to provide for the continuation of agricultural programs through fiscal year 2012, and explained his D645reasons therefor--ordered printed (H. Doc. 110-115).


---------->

Subsequently, the House voted to override the President's veto of H.R. 2419, to provide for the continuation of agricultural programs through fiscal year 2012, by a yea-and-nay vote of 316 yeas to 108 nays, Roll No. 346 (two-thirds of those present voting to override).



The Rat- Never lay a finger on a Congressman's pork !!!! ( There's a joke in there 
         somewhere )
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5/22/2008

11:34 PM

H.R. 4791, to amend title 44, United States Code, to strengthen requirements for ensuring the effectiveness of information security controls over information resources that support Federal operations and assets, with an amendment (H. Rept. 110-664);

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

    The purpose of this Act is to protect personally identifiable information of individuals that is maintained in or transmitted by Federal agency information systems.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    (a) Personally Identifiable Information and Mobile Digital Device Definitions- Section 3542(b) of title 44, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
      `(4) The term `personally identifiable information', with respect to an individual, means any information about the individual maintained by an agency, including information--
        `(A) about the individual's education, finances, or medical, criminal, or employment history;
        `(B) that can be used to distinguish or trace the individual's identity, including name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother's maiden name, or biometric records; or
        `(C) that is otherwise linked or linkable to the individual.



The Rat-   Meanwhile, all that same information is on record with insurance
           companies whose records are maintained and processed in India -
           a place with no security controls at all.
          
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5/07/2008

1:55 AM

H.R.362 : To authorize science scholarships for educating mathematics and science teachers, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Gordon, Bart [TN-6] (introduced 1/10/2007)      Cosponsors (32)
Committees: House Science and Technology; Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
House Reports: 110-85
Latest Major Action: 4/25/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

The Rat-   The sad part is that in most states a person with a Mathematics, Physics,
           or Chemistry degree is "not qualified" to teach in the public schools.
           You need to be an education major in order to be "certified" or go
           through a long process to get one  ( which most people with a scientific
           degree laugh at )  So because of the teachers unions, an expert in the
           field is not qualified while an education major that has taken the
           watered-down courses is qualified. Exempt state certification for the
           experts in the field and you will have more than enough available teachers          
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5/01/2008

9:22 PM

The Rat- With the high cost of gas, you think that would be one of Congress's  
         priorities. It makes sense now that it isn't, since FREE GAS is one of
         the perks Congress has voted itself.

Congressional Perks

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4/27/2008

6:18 AM

From the IRS FAQ section on the Tax Stimulus Payments:


Q. Is my Stimulus Payment taxable?

 A. No. You will not owe tax on your payment when you file your 2008 federal income tax return. But you should keep a copy of the IRS letter you receive later this year listing the amount of your payment.


The Rat- Now why would  they have you keep the letter listing the amount you received
         if they are not planning to tax it ? Well, they did say it won't be taxable
         on the 2008 return. Nothing mentioned about 2009 return though.
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4/25/2008

6:00 AM

H.R.5909 : To amend the Aviation and Transportation Security Act to prohibit advance notice to certain individuals, including security screeners, of covert testing of security screening procedures for the purpose of enhancing transportation security at airports, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] (introduced 4/24/2008 )      Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Homeland Security
Latest Major Action: 4/24/2008 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.

The Rat- Does this mean we are currently giving advanced notice to screeners when a
         test is to be conducted ?  Only in the government ....
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4/25/2008

5:50 AM

H.R.5900 : To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require, as a condition of receipt of certain State homeland security grants, that a State include a representative of the State department of education in homeland security decision-making bodies of the State.
Sponsor: Rep Brown-Waite, Ginny [FL-5] (introduced 4/24/2008 )      Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Homeland Security
Latest Major Action: 4/24/2008 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Homeland Security.


The Rat- The State Departments of Education are going to be in on decision making
         regarding security ? Look at what they did to public education. We are
         doomed ....
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4/23/2008

8:17 PM

S.RES.511 : A resolution recognizing that John Sidney McCain, III, is a natural born citizen.
Sponsor: Sen McCaskill, Claire [MO] (introduced 4/10/2008 )      Cosponsors (5)
Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 4/24/2008 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on the Judiciary. Date of scheduled consideration. SD-226. 10:00 a.m.

The Rat- Interesting to look at the co-sponsors
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4/22/2008

9:48 PM

Committee Hearings - Senate

 Judiciary  
    April 23, 2008   10:00 am
    Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
         Hearings to examine challenges and opportunities of Europe's Black population, focusing on hate crimes and discrimination, anti-immigration and national identity debates, and growing security concerns.



The Rat- The Senate has time to be holding hearings on the well being of Europe's population ?
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4/22/2008

9:45 AM

H.R.5690 : To exempt the African National Congress from treatment as a terrorist organization for certain acts or events, provide relief for certain members of the African National Congress regarding admissibility, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28] (introduced 4/3/2008 )      Cosponsors (4)
Committees: House Judiciary; House Foreign Affairs
Latest Major Action: 4/3/2008 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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4/22/2008

9:44 AM

H.J.RES.80 : Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States prohibiting the penalty of death.
Sponsor: Rep McCollum, Betty [MN-4] (introduced 4/16/2008 )      Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 4/16/2008 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
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4/22/2008

9:41 AM

H.AMDT.993 to H.R.2634 An amendment numbered 3 printed in House Report 110-586 to add a Sense of the Congress that, due to the current humanitarian and political instability in Haiti, including food shortages and political turmoil, the Secretary of the Treasury should use his influence to expedite the complete and immediate cancellation of Haiti's debts to all international financial institutions, or if such debt cancellation cannot be provided, to urge the institutions to immediately suspend the requirement that Haiti make further debt service payments on debts owed to the institutions.
Sponsor: Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23] (introduced 4/16/2008 )      Cosponsors (None)
Latest Major Action: 4/16/2008 House amendment agreed to. Status: On agreeing to the Hastings (FL) amendment (A003) Agreed to by voice vote.
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4/22/2008

9:36 AM

H.R.5817 : To establish a new nonimmigrant category for Korean aliens seeking to enter the United States temporarily to perform services in a specialty occupation, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Faleomavaega, Eni F.H. [AS] (introduced 4/16/2008 )      Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 4/16/2008 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
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4/22/2008

9:33 AM

H.CON.RES.328 : Supporting the goals and ideals of the National Day of Silence with respect to anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender name-calling, bullying, and harassment faced by individuals in schools.
Sponsor: Rep Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17] (introduced 4/15/2008 )      Cosponsors (32)
Committees: House Education and Labor; House Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 4/15/2008 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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4/22/2008

9:19 AM

H.R.5718 : To provide that 8 of the 12 weeks of parental leave made available to a Federal employee shall be paid leave, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14]  (introduced 4/8/2008 )      Cosponsors (21)
Committees: House Oversight and Government Reform; House Administration; House Education and Labor
Latest Major Action: 4/10/2008 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Post Office, and the District of Columbia.
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4/22/2008

9:10 AM

H.RES.1117 : Declaring the support of the House of Representatives for the goals and ideals of Earth Day and for developing the scientific and technological capabilities to achieve those goals.
Sponsor: Rep McNerney, Jerry [CA-11] (introduced 4/17/2008 )      Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Science and Technology
Latest Major Action: 4/17/2008 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Science and Technology.
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4/22/2008

9:08 AM

H.RES.1105 : Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives supporting Earth Hour 2008, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] (introduced 4/14/2008 )      Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Energy and Commerce
Latest Major Action: 4/14/2008 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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