FREEDOMWORKS 07/28/2015

1. McConnell and Senate Republicans Breathe New Life into the Expired Ex-Im Bank - by Josh Withrow This afternoon, the Senate voted 67 to 26 to attach a reauthorization of the U.S. Export-Import Bank to the "must-pass" highway bill, choosing to represent lobbyists over the voters who put them in office. If this amendment makes it into law, the corporations which have spent so many millions of dollars to lobby for Ex-Im's resurrection will have Mitch McConnell to thank for it. In spite of his repeated public insistence that he opposes Ex-Im, it was McConnell who introduced (for Senator Kirk) the amendment to revive the bank via the unrelated highway funding bill, knowing full well that it had the votes to pass. As Senator Cruz pointed out in his brilliantly scathing speech, the Senate Majority Leader has priority of precedence on the Senate floor - meaning that only McConnell could guarantee a vote on Ex-Im. Conversely, McConnell alone could have guaranteed Ex-Im stayed expired, by simply refusing to give it a chance on the floor. Read More here... 2. Michigan's forfeiture laws must change to protect the innocent  - by Jason Pye via Michigan Live Jaw-dropping is the only way to describe the testimony given by Ginnifer Hency, a mother of four children, delivered to the Michigan House Judiciary Committee in June. She recounted the nightmare her family experienced when her home was raided and looted by the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department in July 2014. Deputies took whatever they could, according to Hency. "They've had my stuff for 10 months now," Hency told the committee. "My ladders, my iPads, my children's iPads, my children's phones, my medicine for my patients. Why a ladder? Why my vibrator? I don't know, either. Why TVs?" Read more here...  3. Sticking to the Principles with Congressman Mark Sanford 4. Net Neutrality Rider Hitchhikes with Spending Bill - Erin Aitcheson Net neutrality supporters, along with many Democrats, were left woeful after the Senate Appropriations Committee passed a spending bill that affected the FCC (Federal Communications Commission). Contained within the spending bill was a rider that blocks the FCC from regulating broadband rates that Internet service providers charge their customers. According to the FY2016 Financial Services Appropriations Bill, “[t]he bill contains $320 million for operations at the FCC, a cut of $20 million below the FY2015 enacted level. The bill provides funding for FCC moving expenses that can only be utilized if the agency significantly reduces the size of its leased space. The legislation also prohibits the FCC from regulating rates under the net neutrality order, and grandfathers all joint sales agreements (JSAs) from recent FCC JSA rules changes.” Read more here... 5. Free-Market Health Care Solutions with Dr. C.L. Gray 6. Key Vote YES on the REINS Act, H.R. 427 - by Adam Brandon As one of our over 6.9 million FreedomWorks activists nationwide, I urge you to contact your representative and ask him or her to vote YES on the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, H.R. 427. This bill would require a vote from Congress to approve any major regulation from an executive branch agency. Every year, executive agencies issue thousands of new rules and regulations, often based upon little more than loose guidelines provided by Congress. Those rules that impose at least $100 million of annual compliance cost are considered “major rules.” In 2014 alone, federal agencies issued 200 major rules. The REINS Act would respect the checks and balances carefully established in the Constitution by requiring Congress to approve such rules. Agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) would no longer be allowed to pass economically devastating regulations without being put to a congressional vote. Read more here... Iris Somberg Press Secretary, FreedomWorks