THE DAILY WHIP: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2012

**Members are advised that the House is only expected to consider the Rule for H.R. 6213 today. The House will complete consideration of the bill tomorrow. 

H.Res. 779 – Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 6213 – No More Solyndras Act (Rep. Upton – Energy and Commerce/Science, Space and Technology) (One Hour of Debate). The Rules Committee has recommended a structured Rule that provides for 90 minutes of general debate equally divided between the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. The Rule allows 2 amendments debatable for 10 minutes equally divided between the offeror and an opponent. It allows one motion to recommit, with or without instructions. It also waives all points of order against the legislation.

Once again, the Republican Majority rejected a motion by Mr. Hastings of Florida to consider H.R. 6213 under an open Rule.

H.Res. 778 – Rule providing for consideration of both H.J. Res. 117 - Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 (Rep. Rogers (KY) – Appropriations) and H.R. 6365 – The National Security and Job Protection Act (Rep. West – Budget) (One Hour of Debate). The Rules committee has recommended one Rule which provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 117 and H.R. 6365.

For H.J. Res. 117, the Rules Committee has recommended a closed Rule that provides for one hour of general debate equally divided between the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Appropriations. The Rule allows one motion to recommit, and waives all points of order against the legislation.

For H.R. 6365, the Rules Committee has recommended a closed Rule that provides for one hour of general debate equally divided between the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Budget.  The Rule allows one motion to recommit, and waives all points of order against the legislation.

The Republican Majority rejected a motion by Mr. McGovern of Massachusetts to consider H.J. Res. 117 and H.R. 6365 under an open Rule. They also rejected a motion to make in order an amendment by Mr. Van Hollen of Maryland that would replace the entire sequester for fiscal year 2013 using revenues in a more balanced approach.

H.J. Res.117 - Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 (Rep. Rogers (KY) – Appropriations) H.J. Res. 117 provides funding authority for the first six months of FY 2013, through March 27, 2013.  The measure would allow all government agencies and programs to continue operating during that period under the $1.047 trillion discretionary spending cap for regular appropriations, the level set by last year's Budget Control Act. It generally increases current funding for most federal programs and agencies by 0.6%, provides higher specific funding levels for a number of programs and activities such as cybersecurity and wildfire suppression, and includes other provisions, including preventing the Pentagon from taking proposed action to retire or transfer certain aircraft and extends the pay freeze on members of Congress and federal workers.

In addition to the resolution's continuation of regular appropriations, it provides for almost $100 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations, matching the President’s request for FY 2013, and $6.4 billion in advance disaster relief funding. The measure also provides a straight extension of TANF.

Bill Text for H.J. Res. 117:
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H.R. 6365 – The National Security and Job Protection Act (Rep. West – Budget) H.R. 6365 is a disingenuous attempt by the Republicans to replace the automatic, across-the-board spending cuts in defense spending with even more spending cuts to important programs that have already been significantly slashed, while holding millionaires harmless in a deficit reduction deal.

The bill does not eliminate sequestration. Instead, it turns off most – but not all – sequestration cuts for FY 2013 only if a separate bill is enacted that conforms to Republican fiscal principles enshrined in the Romney/Ryan budget.  Congress would have to pass either the House Republican reconciliation bill, a bill required to be submitted by the President that cannot include one penny of revenues and instead must include only spending cuts like those in the Republican reconciliation bill, or any bill meeting these same requirements. Specifically, the bill lowers the existing discretionary budget authority cap of $1.047 billion for FY 2013 by $19 billion and removes the discretionary “firewall” capping defense at $546 billion and non-defense at $501 billion. House Republicans have proposed spending $8 billion above the defense cap, which would require the sequester cut to grow to $27 billion out of non-defense discretionary spending under this bill in order to pay for their increase in defense spending. House Republicans are allowing a show vote on lower budget levels on the same day that they are expected to approve a Continuing Resolution at the level approved in the Budget Control Act. Once again, Republicans are walking away from an agreed-upon deal and choosing politics over finding solutions.

This measure continues the pattern of Republicans choosing confrontation over cooperation. This bill does not allow revenues to even be considered as part of a bill to replace the sequester, and once again shows Republicans are pursuing a one-sided approach instead of the big, balanced plan needed to turn off the entire sequester. They are seeking to force the President to submit a proposal that is on their terms, not even allowing the President to re-submit his own deficit reduction plan, or submit a new, balanced approach. Members are urged to VOTE NO.

Bill Text for H.R. 6365:
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