RHEA COUNTY REPUBLICAN
ADVANCING THE CONSERVATIVE CAUSE
Vol. 4 – No. 6 August 2020
DEDICATION
This edition of The Rhea County Republican is dedicated to Arkady Polishchuk – March 2, 1930 – July 2, 2020.
Arkady was born in Moscow and graduated from the University of Moscow with a degree in Philosophy.
Upon graduation, he became a correspondent for regional and metropolitan newspapers; his works were published in Pravda, Izvestia, and Yunost. For two decades, Arkady was a staff member at the magazine “Asia and Africa Today.”
During his years serving as a media correspondent, Arkady witnessed the mistreatment of thousands of Soviet citizens.
In the early 1970s, in the months following a persecution trial of a Jewish doctor, Arkady became a dissident and walked away from his lucrative profession. He joined the human rights movement, and often spoke in defense of Evangelical Christians, Pentecostals, Baptists, and Jews. During these years, he enabled thousands of persecuted souls to emigrate from the Soviet Union. Eventually, Arkady and his loved ones immigrated to the United States, where he became a voice for freedom, broadcasting a message of hope on Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty.
Following his tenure in broadcasting, Arkady, traveled the free world to advance the cause of freedom for oppressed Russians. While in his eighties, he authored two memoirs: Dancing on Thin Ice – The Travails of a Russian Dissident” (Doppel House), and its prequel “As I was burying Comrade Stalin – My Life Becoming a Jewish Dissident” (McFarland Press).
Most recently, Arkady and his wife Lena returned to their homeland to spend time with their aging loved ones in St. Petersburg. While there, he was stricken with the Wuhan virus and, after waging a fierce battle, succumbed to the disease.
By any standard Arkady Polishchuk was a hero, but there is so much more one might say about him. Arkady was a loving husband and father, a brilliant thinker, a gentle and caring soul, a source of encouragement and inspiration to all those around him, and most of all a friend to so many who had no friends. I am among the thousands of people who shall always remember him.
My life is better for having known you Arkady Polishchuk. Thank you for being my friend.
RHEA COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY NEWS
Rhea County Republican Party Executive Committee
Bitsy Grinder – Chairman Gary Drinkard – Vice Chairman
Judy Bancroft – Secretary Larry Pendergrass – Treasurer
Linda Pendergrass – Vice Treasurer
The Rhea County Republican Party Monthly Meeting
The next meeting of the Rhea County Republican Party is scheduled for Thursday, August 13th, at 7:00 PM, at the Rhea County Sheriff’s Training Center, located at 711 Eagle Drive, in Evensville, TN. Bring a friend!
Minutes from the Previous Meeting
Chairman Bitsy Gryder called the July meeting to order at 6:58 PM.
Marvin Keener offered prayer and Joe Gryder led the Pledge of Allegiance.
The June Minutes were read by Judy Bancroft. Motion by Ron Travis and second by Joe Gryder to accept the minutes as read. Motion carried.
The Treasurer’s Report, prepared by Larry Pendergrass, who is absent due to illness, was read by Tom Taylor. Beginning and ending balances were reported. Motion by Laura Travis and second by Joe Gryder to approve the report as read. Motion carried.
The PAC Report was given by Jim Murphy. The beginning balance was $5694. After funds were provided to political candidates, as voted on at the last meeting, the ending balance was $5294. The 2nd Quarter Campaign Financial Disclosure Statement has been submitted to the Rhea County Election Commission and a copy sent to the State Commission in Nashville. Motion by Keith Flatness and second by Ron Travis to accept the report as read. Motion carried.
It was decided that the PAC Executive Committee will meet to review how we determine the amounts given to political candidates in the future.
The Legislative Report was given by Kris Bancroft. He stressed the vital importance of regaining the House of Representatives, strengthening the Senate and maintaining the White House. Members were encouraged to contact their representatives and voice their thoughts and desires for America.
OLD BUSINESS –
- Reagan Day Dinner: Joe Gryder reported that planning is continuing but that a decision will need to be made whether to proceed with the Dinner, in view of the coronavirus situation. After lengthy discussion, members voted to go ahead with the Dinner.
NEW BUSINESS –
- Dayton Chamber of Commerce: All Meet & Greet Luncheons have been cancelled due to coronavirus issues, including our luncheon, which was scheduled for July 23rd.
- Bitsy Gryder stated that membership in the Chamber of Commerce is $75 a year. A motion was made by Marvin Keener and seconded by Ron Travis to approve membership and payment of the fee. Motion carried.
- Tables For Other Reagan Day Dinners: Motion by Gary Drinkard and second by Ron Travis to buy a table for six for $250 at the Roane County Dinner to be held July 23rd. Motion carried. Motion by Laura Travis and second by Ron Travis to buy a table for six for $120 at the Bledsoe County Dinner to be held July 30th. Motion carried.
- Tom Davis won a drawing for a Rhea County Republican Party/Reagan Day Dinner cup provided by Ted Doss.
Keith Flatness provided the Joke of the Month.
Announcements: A golf tournament, sponsored by the Dayton Chamber of Commerce, will be held October 7th. The tournament will benefit the Rhea County Distinguished Young Woman scholarship program.
The meeting adjourned at 8:15 PM.
Judy Bancroft
Secretary
The Annual Reagan Day Event Was a Huge Success.
The Rhea County Republican Party held its annual “Reagan Day” event at the Rhea County Fairgrounds, in Evensville, on July 17th. Approximately 220 people attended the event and among those were several candidates for local, State, and Federal elected offices.
The event opened in its customary fashion with the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Nolan Purser, followed by a truly remarkable rendition of our National Anthem, performed a’ cappella by Beth Harris.
Evelyn Hawkins and her crew catered the affair – BBQ chicken or pork, with a choice of side dishes – no one left hungry!
The crowd was welcomed by State Representative Ron Travis and State Senator Ken Yager, and both, who are seeking reelection this year, solicited the crowd’s support.
The “Republican of the Year” was awarded to Ms. Laura Travis (Rep. Ron Travis’ wife), for her efforts in supporting the local Republican Party and for providing and leading tours of the State Capitol to hundreds of visitors.
Dr. Scott DesJarlais, Representative for Tennessee’s 4th Congressional District, provided an update on his work in the House Freedom Caucus, House Committee on Agriculture, and the House Committee on Armed Services. [Scott DesJarlais is ranked as the 4th Most Conservative Member of the House. More information is available at https://desjarlais.house.gov/ – Editor]
Candidates vying for the retiring Lamar Alexander’s seat were provided an opportunity to address the Rhea County Republican Party. Those present included Natisha Brooks, Byron Bush, Roy Dale Cope, Bill Hagerty, Jon Henry, and Dr. Manny Sethi.
Cameron Sexton, Tennessee’s Speaker of the House gave the keynote address.
The decision to hold an outdoor event this year, in lieu of the usual venue at the Rhea County High School auditorium, was owed to the Wuhan virus pandemic – the requirement for Social Distancing has disrupted so many aspects of American life. The change in venue presented a different type of challenges to those who worked to make the Reagan Day event possible and it required the attendees to endure the heat and humidity expected here in Tennessee that is so typical of a July afternoon. The Rhea County Republican Party is, therefore, especially thankful for all those who graced us with their presence.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
Posted on a sign in Maine (not copyrighted):
You came here from there because you didn’t like there, and now you want to change here to be like there. We are not racist, phobic, or anti whatever you are, we simply like here the way it is and most of us actually came here because it’s not like there, wherever there was. You are welcome here but please stop trying to make here like there. If you want here to be like there, you should not have left there to come here, and you are invited to leave here and go back there at your earliest convenience.
WHO ARE THE CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR U.S. SENATE IN TENNESSEE?
In response to a recent flurry of questions on the topic, following is an alphabetized list of qualified candidates who are running to replace Lamar Alexander. This list is accurate as of 5 July 2020. For the latest information please visit the following link:
https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_election_in_Tennessee,_2020
REPUBLICAN DEMOCRAT
Clifford Adkins Marquita Bradshaw
Natisha Brooks Gary G. Davis
Byron Bush Robin Kimbrough
Roy Dale Cope Gary G. Davis
Terry Dicus James Mackler
Tom Emmerson Jr. Mark Pickrell
George Flinn Jr.
Bill Hagerty
Jon Henry
Kent Morrell
Glen Neal
John Osborne
Aaron Pettigrew
David Schuster
Manny Sethi
SO, YOU THINK ONE PERSON CAN’T MAKE A DIFFERENCE? WRONG!
This is a brief story about an organization that deserves our praise and support – The 917 Society.
THE 917 SOCIETY MISSION IS SIMPLE – To empower every 8th grader with the knowledge of their individual freedoms and provide them with their very own lasting copy of the U.S. Constitution as a “rite of passage” into American Citizenship and educational materials to celebrate Constitution Day each September 17th.
In 2013, Joni Bryan was asked the question “When was the last time you read your Constitution?” Realizing she had never read the entire document, she came to realize she was no different than most Americans, so she decided to change that sad statistic.
Her research revealed a little-known Federal law that requires all schools to have a program on the Constitution, on or around September 17th of each year. However, she also learned that few school systems knew the law existed, and those that did had no funding for a program, and no guidelines for meeting the requirements thereof. https://www.congress.gov/108/plaws/publ447/PLAW-108publ447.pdf
Joni Bryan decided she would be the force for change that would enable schools to educate their students on our Constitution, so she founded The 917 Society, named for the date our Constitution became our country’s guiding document. She tells us her inspiration came from her realization that such a program was essential to help young people who were searching for their independence at a crucial age.
Soon after taking this task upon herself, Joni experienced a sentinel health event that would set her plans back for two years but, like the patriot she is, she refused to give up!
Joni filed paperwork to establish The 917 Society as a 501c3 organization; it would, therefore, receive no funding from State or Federal sources, but Joni Bryan had faith that her fellow citizens would step up to support this incredibly important cause, and she was right!
Since then, many patriotic citizens have joined forces to help fund this incredible effort, and hundreds of volunteers have stepped up to distribute copies of our Constitution to children who may otherwise never have their very own copy of our nation’s Founding Document!
In 2019, The 917 Society provided every 8th grade student in Tennessee (approximately 100,000) with a pocket Constitution (along with other educational resources), in time for Constitution Day, September 17th.
The goal for 2020 is to expand on last year’s accomplishments. Joni tells us, by this Constitution Day, the goal is to provide every 8th Grade student in Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Dakota with their very own copy of our Constitution. That’s 200,000 copies!
Even that’s not the ultimate goal of The 917 Society – that goal will be met when, on Constitution Day, every 8th Grade student in all 50 states will receive their copy of our Constitution. But that goal cannot be met without your generosity.
Here’s how you can help.
- You can volunteer to distribute copies of our Constitution to your local schools.
- You can join The 917 Society by donating $25 per year and be listed on the website.
- You can become a Founders Club Member by donating $1000 per year, or you can choose one of the many donor levels listed on the website.
All donations are tax deductible. You can donate online or you can mail a check. Here’s how to reach The 917 Society.
ONLINE: www.917society.org EMAIL: 917society@gmail.com ADDRESS: THE 917 SOCIETY OFFICE PHONE: 615-200-6106
P.O. BOX 50704 CELL PHONE: 256-668-5590
NASHVILLE, TN 37205
QUESTION OF THE MONTH
What is the probability that the Republicans will gain a majority in the House of Representatives and improve their majority in the Senate?
0-25%
26-50%
51-75%
76-100%
[Please email to pyrope84045@mypacks.net to share your response with your fellow conservatives. A score on each of the questions will be published in the next edition of The Rhea County Republican. THANKS! – Editor]
Results for last month’s question:
What is your confidence level that William Barr, Attorney General, will prosecute members of the 0bama regime for their criminal activities in attempting a coup against President Trump sometime in 2021?
0-25% 29
26-50% 19
51-75% 11
76%-100% 0
EDITORIAL
Malleable: mal·lea·ble | \ ˈma-lē-ə-bəl, ˈmal-yə-bəl, ˈma-lə-bəl. Webster defines the word as: a) capable of being altered or controlled by outside forces or influences or, b) having a capacity for adaptive change.
Chameleon: cha·me·leon | \ kə-ˈmēl-yən. When speaking of a human being, Webster defines the word as: a) a person who often changes his or her beliefs or behavior in order to please others or, b) one who is subject to quick or frequent change.
Please keep these definitions in mind as you continue reading.
Joe Biden is the presumptive nominee to head the Democrat ticket in the effort to defeat President Trump, but if President Trump should fail to be reelected, we must wonder who the next president will be. Who will really be the person making the decisions?
It will definitely not be Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr.
For one thing, anyone listening to Joe Biden speak off the cuff – that is, without a teleprompter – knows he is suffering from some sort of cognitive impairment. Some medical professionals suggest it could be dementia. Whatever the diagnosis, there is no cure for it. At age 78, Joe’s condition will never get better – only worse.
Can you imagine what would happen if Joe Biden were left alone to negotiate a treaty or a trade deal with the leader of Russia, China, Iran, or North Korea? (Can you imagine how ecstatic the leaders of these countries would be if such a gift fell into their hands?)
Remember the definition of the word malleable? Here’s where it comes into play:
Joe Biden promised early on his running mate will be a “woman of color.” Given the moment and the person asking the question, Joe shows us he’s also a chameleon. He walked back on his “promise” and restated it to tell us “his” choice for a running mate could very well be a woman of color.
We knew all along, didn’t we, that Joe would never be allowed to choose his running mate. That decision either has been or will be be made by the Democrat National Committee (DNC), and Joe will go along with whomever their choice happens to be – just hand him the talking points on why the choice is the best in the universe and he’ll be happy to speak the words – Joe, after all, is malleable.
As for Joe’s running mate, some say the DNC will pick a running mate who is most capable to take over on day one. Others think the DNC will select someone as malleable as Joe, himself (able to read a teleprompter of course), with the ability to speak the lines they’re given in a way to convince the sycophants that they came from the depths of their soul.
At this point – mid-July, 2020 – I believe the DNC will make the latter choice and the VP will, indeed, be a “woman of color.”
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter who is in the VP slot because, like Joe, that individual will make no policy decisions more important than whether to serve Coke or Pepsi at a gathering in the Rose Garden.
In a Biden administration, every policy decision will be dictated by the “unseen hand.” Once again, malleable Joe will be shaped by his handlers.
Now, a few details on “Chameleon Joe.”
Those who have followed Joe Biden’s career remember an individual who, although much too liberal for rational people, was nonetheless defined as a “moderate.” Bernie Sanders and his followers changed all that!
In short, Bernie Sanders’ socialist supporters refused to support Biden because he wasn’t far left enough to suit them. Sanders, realizing he would never be president, gave a wink and a nod to his supporters on the matter, and vowed to enact his scorched earth stance unless Biden drastically shifted his policy leftward. In Sanders’ mind, he took a blood oath that if he could never be President, then neither would Joe Biden!
Hence, the Biden-Sanders Unity Plan was . . . hatched.
The desperate Biden did as he has often done in the past; he showed the world that he is a chameleon as he abandoned the last vestiges of his long-held principles for political gain. Following are just a few of the 180 degree reversals Biden made to gain support from Sanders and his socialists:
- Grant mass amnesty for all illegal aliens currently within the United States; stop all deportations of illegal aliens; end prosecution of illegal border crossings which incentivizes human trafficking and child smuggling; provide taxpayer funded attorneys for illegal aliens; provide taxpayer funded food, clothing, housing, medical care, transportation and education for all illegal aliens, and; provide increased funding for, and expansion of, sanctuary cities who have sheltered illegal aliens. This leads to the expansion of cheap labor which especially harms American workers – especially minorities – working in low-skilled jobs.
- Immediately rejoin the Paris Climate Accord but with an even higher set of restrictions imposed on the United States. Immediately enact the “Green New Deal,” which would abruptly halt the mining and use of coal for fuel, and end the use of petroleum products by 2050. Replace the entire fleet of government vehicles – currently 3 million – with zero-emission vehicles by 2025. Power plants would be required to have zero carbon emissions by 2035. Incentives to expand the use of solar- and wind energy would be granted to municipalities in the form of payments for the enactment of policies that would require the incorporation of “sustainable” energy initiatives. The Government Accounting Office informs us the full cost would be $93 Trillion. https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/aoc-green-new-deal-cost-american-household
- Under Biden’s capitulation to the Socialists, law enforcement as we have known it would be fully compromised – anarchy, followed by tyranny, will be the result – the Socialist’s dreams will have come true. The requirement that a person arrested for a crime to post a cash bail would be ended; “social justice” prosecutors would be appointed in order to enable violent criminals to gain their freedom; the death penalty would be abolished; mandatory sentencing would be ended; prison closures would be incentivized and; free federal housing would be provided for former inmates.
- Under the Unity Plan, all travel bans – including those from communist and jihadist countries and regions – will be lifted. Refugee admissions to the United States will be increased by 700%; vetting will necessarily become a thing of the past.
- The Unity Plan has big goals for public education. To begin with, in an effort to make certain all students can complete their education, all academic standards will be abolished! There will be no more “failing” grades and every student will be awarded a diploma and a degree. All charter schools will be closed and school choice will end, but the Unity Plan will alter HUD’s Affirmative Further Fair Housing program to require future public housing projects to be constructed in all – especially the more affluent – neighborhoods. To ensure the success of the socialist’s “free” college program, Biden’s new platform will eliminate Educational Savings Accounts. https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/AFFH-Fact-Sheet.pdf
- On 21 July, Joe Biden offered an explanation of the “Build Back Better” plan. He admitted, that if elected, he would encourage the unionization of unskilled and home healthcare workers and fund their creation by raising taxes on employers. https://www.facebook.com/FoxNews/videos/302845017604146/?notif_id=1595341136719416¬if_t=live_video&ref=notif
The above points merely scratch the surface. I would urge that you examine the Democrats “Unity Plan” for yourself and, most importantly, share what you learn with others. I believe you will find the Democrat platform is shocking at the least. https://joebiden.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/UNITY-TASK-FORCE-RECOMMENDATIONS.pdf
RANDOM THOUGHTS
Each year millions of people visit the Statue of Liberty. A study found that most visitors spend only an average of 54 seconds looking at it. While that may be remarkable, what I find even more remarkable is someone in government used tax dollars to fund the study to determine this!
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BLINK?
(Answer: You miss things that might have otherwise invoked a strenuous response.)
The Wuhan virus has proven to be a “black swan” event of stellar proportions and one aspect of the fallout that is yet unrealized will also prove to be devastating to many Americans.
Thousands of Americans have died, millions of people have lost their jobs and millions of businesses have been force to close! What else could there be?
The bill to pay for the destruction cause by the Wuhan virus.
Isaac Davis Waking Times, wrote an article describing how some cities and states were in peril with respect to their solvency situations. He noted:
“In the midst of such a bizarre and frightful socioeconomic crisis, the tax man is hurting too. Tax revenues at all levels of government have plummeted like never before, and the pain is especially acute for city budgets who’ve seen sales tax revenue nosedive. While the American citizenry is seeing a drastic drop in income, so is Uncle Sam and all of his bureaucratic agencies . . .
“For states like Texas, Alaska and New Mexico [,] which depend on oil revenue to balance their budgets, the financial hit will be a double whammy.
“Alaska is projecting an $815 million decline in revenues in the coming fiscal year, and New Mexico could see a $1.5 to $2 billion drop. [Source]
“While Americans clamor to figure out how to make ends meet in their own households, so too is government trying to figure out how to balance budgets, and the reality is that once these emergency accounting measures really begin to sink in, Americans aren’t going to like it one bit.
“The question for mayors and governors will be, how much money can we extract from the people without causing extreme poverty and triggering widespread revolt?”
While there is no doubt that the little tax mongers are presently scratching their heads trying to figure out new ways to confiscate more of the earnings of their working citizens, doesn’t it seem worthwhile to remind them they should look at ways to cut spending. Practicing some fiscal restraint – FOR A CHANGE! – seems like a reasonable way to meet the taxpayers in the middle.
Either way, buckle up folks because you’re about to see your taxes go up!
RANDOM THOUGHTS
“All the political angst and moral melodrama about getting ‘the rich’ to pay ‘their fair share’ is part of a big charade. This is not about economics, it is about politics.” ― Thomas Sowell
COMMENTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES
Elected Representatives from all States and all levels of government are encouraged to share their thoughts, opinions, ideas, and announcements by emailing them to pyrope84045@mypacks.net . Your constituents want to hear from you! – Editor
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) “Today’s Democratic Party is the party of Silicon Valley billionaires. … It is the party of power. It is the party of suppression. It is jack-booted thugs who will enforce their will through force. That’s who the Democratic Party represents. Today’s Republican Party are Ohio steelworkers. Today’s Republican Party are single moms waiting tables who are filled with opportunities. They’re people like my dad when he was a teenage immigrant from Cuba washing dishes.”
COMMENTS FROM READERS
Readers are encouraged to submit their thoughts, opinions, ideas, and announcements from their city, county, state, and country. Please share your ideas, thoughts, opinions, and announcements by emailing them to: pyrope84045@mypacks.net . Your fellow Conservatives want to hear from you! – Editor
Lynn Chu, New York, NY
The U.S. is founded upon an assumption of morality. This is because the U.S. is a Christian nation, with special emphasis on the Judeo-Christian due to the emphasis of evangelical or Puritan or Reform Protestantism (which is very Old Testament in many ways). The Ten Commandments are part of the overall context and presumptions of our law—our common law that we inherit from England. These moral imperatives, today, are sadly in decline, because leftist secular religion-hating exclusionary relativism has the very basics of our entire national construct, our national understanding, in a rout. The effort of the putatively modernist Left (they are not modern, but pre-modern barbaric) is to impose Bolshevism, the vanguard of socialism. This is nothing but a word-front for autocracy. It is the elimination of free individuals, and all of their rights, including freedom of contract and all respect for their property.
Terri Richman Nicholson, Republican State Committeewoman for District 17 shared the news from the Knox County School System.
Knox County Schools released its plan to return to school for the 2020-2021 school year Tuesday. According to the plan, school will be delayed until August 17. “This will require the district to use five inclement weather days, with five inclement weather days remaining,” the school system said. Teachers will be reporting to work August 3.
Rocky Silverman, Seattle, WA
Yesterday we hosted a lovely Chinese woman who fled China after the Cultural Revolution. She described first-hand how the Red Guard confiscated their thriving textile/silk business and came to their home to pillage. Her mother had to go around the city with a sign on her back stating she was a capitalist criminal. Her parents were also separated by many miles because they were educated and of the professional class. Antifa are no different than the Red Guard or the Brown Shirts of Nazi Germany, who are trying to tear down our statues and [destroy] our culture.
Jim Clarkson, Columbia, SC, President of RSM Energy www.rsmenergy.com offers some reality in the way of satire.
“Hey, Moe. Let’s swim out to that big ice float and try to catch us a baby harp seal then eat it.”
“Not now, Charlie. I’m busy writing thank you notes.”
“But, Moe. We polar bears don’t send thank you notes.”
“Maybe we should, Charlie. Just maybe we should. After all, there are a lot of humans out there willing to destroy their civilization to save the environment because we polar bears are so cute and cuddly.”
“Wait a minute, Moe. The real evidence shows that variations in solar intensity account for global warming, and human efforts cannot make a measurable difference.”
“Charlie, Charlie, I know that and so do many humans. Their willingness to make huge sacrifices is all the more touching since there is no real reason to do it. I get all misty-eyed just thinking about it.”
“Oh yeah. Well, Moe, you certainly weren’t very misty-eyed last year when you ate that scientist taking core samples.”
“Hold on, Charlie. That guy got what he deserved. He was finding facts and becoming a skeptic.”
RANDOM THOUGHTS
“Only government can take perfectly good paper, cover it with perfectly good ink and make the combination worthless.” ― Milton Friedman
LEGISLATIVE REPORT
The Legislative Report provides information on some of the more remarkable bills that have been introduced in Congress. Its purpose is to provide the reader with information about pending legislation that may prompt the reader to contact their representatives to express their views.
In the Legislative Report, you will see markers + and + on certain bills. The red icon is placed to encourage the reader to contact their representatives and ask them to vote against the legislation. On bills marked with the green icon, the reader is encouraged to contact their elected representatives and encourage them to support the legislation. The reader is always encouraged to keep informed about all legislation so they may be aware of bills that effect our lives. Decide today that you will make your voice heard. If you remain silent, your representatives will never know your thoughts! – Editor
WASHINGTON, DC
‘Tis the season when a flurry of bills are being introduced that, when passed, will appropriate funding for all government entities over the next fiscal year (October 1st). There is a bill for every Department in Federal government and the average bill runs about 200 – 400 pages. The appropriations bill for the Department of Defense is always much heavier – usually around 2500 pages. I did not read them this year.
Having previously submitted budget requests that will (hopefully) persuade Congress that every program they operate is “mission critical” to the survival of the United States, all Departments, along with their sundry agencies, bureaus, and offices, now have their hands out for the trillions of dollars that will be up for grabs.
Having seen this process in action, one may expect a fusillade of bickering, pleading, and dire warnings of what may happen if the various government entities are not funded to the max. Meanwhile, we are also seeing a flurry of bills to sop up the remnants of last year’s budgets. The entire process is often referred to as “making sausage,” and in order for the sausage to get made, many additional “ingredients” will be added to the mix. These ingredients are most commonly referred to as “earmarks,” and they add trillions of dollars in debt load to the poor unsuspecting taxpayer.
Once the appropriations process is finished, the authorization process will begin. Most of the earmarks will continue into the authorization process because citizens are generally uninformed, and those who are informed are unwilling to DEMAND their representatives pass a bill that would eliminate those earmarks! – Editor
+S 4091 A bill to amend section 1113 of the Social Security Act to provide authority for fiscal year 2020 for increased payments for temporary assistance to United States citizens returned from foreign countries, and for other purposes. (Grassley, R-IA, 4 pages). As unbelievable as it may seem, this bill was sponsored by a Senator who has, for decades, touted himself as being a conservative – a “fiscal hawk.” Yet, this bill allows government a new way of borrowing more money from Social Security and giving it to people who have not reached retirement age. As incredulous as it may seem, this bill passed in the Senate by a voice vote! There were no challenges from any of our Senators. I hope you will let your representative in the House know you are against this bill!
+ HR 1425 State Health Care Premium Reduction Act (Craig, D-MN). This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – “0bamacare” – to provide for an “Improved Health Insurance Affordability Fund,” which provides for certain insurance payments to lower premiums in the individual health insurance market. In other words, Ms. Craig’s bill is nothing less than another band aid to provide for Mr. 0bama’s socialized medicine legislation. Will the Democrats ever learn that socialized medicine is always a failure?
+ HR 2 INVEST in America Act (DeFazio, D-OR, 1056 pages). This bill provides funding for highways but also for transit programs e.g. “green” buses, municipal railways serving commuters, subway systems, streetcars, and the perpetual boondoggle we know as Amtrak. The bill passed in the House of Representatives on 1 July, by a vote of 233/188, and has been forwarded to the Senate for consideration.
+ S 4209 Protecting Nonprofits from Catastrophic Cash Flow Strain Act of 2020 (Scott, R-SC, 3 pages). This bill amends Title IX of the Social Security Act to improve emergency unemployment relief for governmental entities and for nonprofit organizations. This bill has been passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and has been forwarded to President Trump for his signature. While funding unemployment compensation for government employees is to be expected, to force citizens to pay compensation to charities, churches, and other nonprofit organizations is “forced charity.”
+ HR 7027 Child Care is Essential Act (DeLauro, D-CT, 18 pages). This bill makes additional supplemental appropriations for disaster relief requirements for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, and for other purposes. It allocates $50 Billion to be managed by State governments to provide care for “eligible children.”
An “eligible child,” as defined under Title 42, US Code, sub section 9858(n) is defined in Paragraph (4) as an individual who is (A) who is less than 13 years of age; (B) whose family income does not exceed 85 percent of the State median income for a family of the same size, and whose family assets do not exceed $1,000,000 (as certified by a member of such family); and (C) who— (i) resides with a parent or parents who are working or attending a job training or educational program; or (ii) is receiving, or needs to receive, protective services and resides with a parent or parents not described in clause (i).
+ HR 7327 Child Care for Economic Recovery Act (Lowey, D-NY, 37 pages). This bill makes additional supplemental appropriations for disaster relief requirements for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020, and for other purposes. It allocates $850 Million to be made available immediately for a Social Services Block Grant, and an additional amount of $10 Billion for the Child Care and Development Fund, to remain available until September 30, 2024.
The CCDF is a federal and state partnership program (over $5 billion in federal funding) authorized under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act (CCDBG) and administered by states, territories, and tribes with funding and support from the Administration for Children and Families’ Office of Child Care. States use CCDF to provide financial assistance to low-income families to access child care so they can work or attend a job training or educational program.
HR 1646 HERO Act of 2019 which may be cited as the “Helping Emergency Responders Overcome Act of 2019” (Bera, D-CA, 12 pages). This bill would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to improve the detection, prevention, and treatment of mental health issues among public safety officers. NOTE: The bill does not provide assistance to law enforcement officers.
HR 2117 FASTER Act of 2019 (Matsui, D-CA, 4 pages). This bill may be cited as the “Food Allergy Safety, Treatment Education and Research Act of 2019.” The purpose of this bill is to improve the health and safety of Americans living with food allergies and related disorders, including potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis, food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, and eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases, and for other purposes. While it is perhaps appropriate that government could provide information to its citizens in the way of education on detecting, diagnosing, and treating food allergies, as well as encouraging research on recognizing foods that may cause allergic reactions, it does not seem to be within the purview of the government to write laws about food allergies.
HR 2468 School-Based Allergies and Asthma Management Program Act (Hoyer, D-MD, 4 pages). This bill would amend the Public Health Service Act to increase the preference given, in awarding certain allergies and asthma-related grants, to States that require certain public schools to have allergies and asthma management programs, and for other purposes. Those states with the oldest schools will receive the majority of the grant money. This bill passed in the House of Representatives on July 22, by a party line vote of 231/184, and has been forwarded to the Senate for consideration.
+ HR 7573 To direct the Architect of the Capitol to replace the bust of Roger Brooke Taney in the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the United States Capitol with a bust of Thurgood Marshall to be obtained by the Joint Committee on the Library and to remove certain statues from areas of the United States Capitol, and for other purposes (Hoyer, D-MD). This bill was passed by the House of Representatives by a vote of 305/113, and has been forwarded to the Senate for consideration. And so, the destruction and rewriting of American history has officially begun!
+ HR 4194 National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2019 (Stewart, R-UT, 6 pages). This bill would fund a national toll-free three-digit hotline, similar to other hotlines. The background supporting this legislation is compelling.
A companion bill HR 4585 Campaign to Prevent Suicide Act was introduced by Donald Beyer (D-VA, 10 pages), that would require the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct a national suicide prevention media campaign.
A related bill HR 5201 Telemental Health Expansion Act of 2019 was introduced by Doris Matsui (D-CA, 3 pages), that amends Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage under the Medicare program of certain mental health telehealth services.
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death overall, with more than twice as many suicides as homicides in the U.S.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, more commonly called “the suicide hotline,” is a free service that began in 2005. Last year, the hotline took 2.2 million calls.
The phone number has achieved more prominence lately. A song about suicide with that title, by the rapper Logic featuring the singer Alessia Cara, reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2017. Calls to the hotline tripled after their Grammy Awards performance, which featured families of suicide victims standing on stage.
However, could it have potentially taken even more calls with a simpler phone number? Their current number is difficult to remember: 1–800–273–8255 (TALK). 911’s use as the national emergency number started in 1968 and virtually every American adult and child knows that number.
The National Suicide Hotline Designation Act is a bipartisan bill that would make 988 the nationwide telephone number for suicidal counseling.
The bill was introduced mere days after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) favorably reported the change, after Congress had commissioned the agency to study the issue. In December, GovTrack Insider previously covered the fact that only then-Republican and now-independent Rep. Justin Amash (I-MI3) was the only House member to vote against authorizing the FCC to study the issue.
+ S 4231 A Bill to Strengthen and Sustain On-Shore Manufacturing Capacity and State Stockpiles, and to Improve the Strategic National Stockpile (Alexander, R-TN)
This bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions which will consider it before sending it to the Senate floor for consideration.
The text of this bill is not yet available but it covers an important part of a plan I outlined back in 2016. – Editor
S 4224 A bill to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to assess technology needs along the Southern border and develop a strategy for bridging such gaps. (Sinema, D-AZ). The text of this bill has not yet been made available.
+ S 4157 National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center Pandemic Modeling Act of 2020 (8 pages), a bill to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to expand the authority of the National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center, and for other purposes; S 4153 National Response Framework Improvement Act of 2020 (6 pages), a bill to require the Federal Emergency Management Agency to evaluate the National Response Framework based on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, and for other purposes; S 4204 Federal Emergency Pandemic Response Act (11 pages), a bill to establish an Interagency Task Force to analyze preparedness for national pandemics, and for other purposes; S 4210 SHARE Act of 2020 (4 pages), which may be cited as the “Secure Healthcare and Response Equipment Act of 2020” would amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize the transfer of certain equipment during a public health emergency, and for other purposes, and; S 4165 A bill to repeal section 692 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 are companion bills introduced by Senator Ron Johnson, R-WI. Together, these bills address the many issues the Trump administration was forced to deal with when the Wuhan virus was first released into the United States.
Essentially, the medical supplies that were supposed to be constantly in inventory to respond to major health events were never replenished by the 0bama administration following an outbreak of influenza; instead, the monies were redirected to unrelated projects. Senator Johnson’s bills will prevent future instances of such misappropriation of funds. Also, these bills will serve to expedite the acquisition process during future emergencies.
S 4158 PPE Supply Chain Transparency Act of 2020 (Hawley, R-MO, 4 pages). When the Wuhan virus was first released into the United States, and it was discovered that Mr. 0bama had failed to replenish emergency stockpiles, it was discovered that the majority of such equipment was manufactured in China. This bill examines the extent of the reliance of the United States on foreign producers for personal protective equipment during the Wuhan virus pandemic and produce recommendations to secure the supply chain of personal protective equipment. Hopefully, the result will be that the manufacture of PPE and other crucial supplies will return to the United States.
+ S 92 Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2019 (Paul, R-KY, 22 pages). This bill may also be cited as the “REINS Act.” (A companion bill, HR 3972, was introduced by James Sensenbrenner (R-WI).) This bill [could] allow the House or Senate to overturn rules supported by the opposite party.
It is seldom that I get enthused about a bill but the Libertarian in my DNA compels me to include this bill in the Legislative Report, and if I can effectively present my argument in support of this bill, I think you will be inspired to contact your Senators and ask them to give this bill their full support!
First, it is essential to note, according to Section 804 (2) (A), this bill would only effect those rules and regulations that have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million, or more. The President would have reasonable latitude on “small ticket” items.
It has been the practice of past Presidents (most often through the Departments, Agencies, Bureaus, and Offices that comprise the Executive Branch) to issue rules and regulations that not only carry the force of law, but add to the burden of the taxpayer. By this method, Presidents have been able to usurp Article I, Section 1, of our Constitution. For instance, during the 0bama regime, he “used his pen and phone” to issue 496 rules or regulations, each of which cost $100 million or more. While President Trump does not prefer to rule by executive fiat, a recalcitrant gang of Democrats and a tepid gaggle of RINOs forced him to issue 59 such regulations during the first two years of his presidency. Ultimately though, such rules never seem to be wiped off the slate and this causes the bureaucracy to continually expand – much like the universe itself – and the burden on the taxpayer is increased as the costs for feeding and caring for new flocks of bureaucrats is confiscated from our earnings.
The Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act would require any federal agency’s proposed rule or regulation be approved by both chambers of Congress within 70 legislative days.
In practice, this could allow even a single branch which lost the popular vote to block any $100M+ regulation it dislikes. For example, in 2013 and 2014, the President and Senate were both Democratic, while the House was Republican. If this bill had been law back then, that Republican House alone could have blocked almost all 0bama administration regulations.
This legislation would prevent a presidential administration, whether President Trump’s or anyone else’s, from enacting any regulations too large or expensive without the legislative branch’s consent.
“Last Congress, we made tremendous progress on relieving the burdens placed on the American people by unelected bureaucrats, but much more remains to be done,” Sen. Paul said in a press release. “Passing the REINS Act would reassert Congress’ legislative authority and help us further reduce unnecessary, overreaching government interference in Americans’ everyday lives.”
“It is time for Congress to reclaim its Article I authority by restoring the constitutional balance of power,” Rep. Sensenbrenner said in a separate press release. “The American people deserve a more direct say in regulations that could impact their everyday lives. The REINS Act would place a desperately needed check on unelected bureaucrats, saving taxpayers money.”
So far as I am aware, opposition to this bill (we knew there’d be some) has been weak, vacuous, and exclusively from Democrats. John Conyers (D-MI) balefully warned Congress “This is yet another blatant gift to big business to weaken the critical regulatory protections that ensure the safety of the air we breathe, the cars we drive, the toys we give our children, and the food we eat. Accordingly, I strongly urge my colleagues to oppose this ill-conceived bill.”
As of yet, no one has been able to figure out which bill Mr. Conyers was talking about!
CONTACT YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES
| President Donald Trump
The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington D.C. 20500 Phone: (202) 456-1414 Fax: (202) 456-2461 |
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander
455 Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 40 – Suite 2 Washington D.C. 20510 Phone: (202) 244-4944 Fax: (202) 228-3398 |
| U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn
357 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: (202) 224-3344 Fax: (202) 228-0566 To contact visit website: |
U.S Representative Dr. Scott DesJarlais
2301 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-6831 Fax: (202) 226-5172 |
| Governor Bill Lee
Tennessee State Capitol Nashville, Tennessee 37243 Phone: (615) 741-2001 Fax: (615) 532-9711 |
Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House
https://www.speaker.gov/contact Link above provides all methods of contact.
Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=contact
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| State Representative Ron Travis
301 Sixth Avenue North Suite G-3 War Memorial Building Nashville, Tennessee 37243 Phone: (615) 741-1450
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State Senator Ken Yager
301 Sixth Avenue North Suite G-19 War Memorial Building Nashville, Tennessee 37243 Phone: (615) 741-1449 Fax: (615) 253-0237 |
