Liberty Maven

Thirty-eight new pieces of legislation were introduced into the halls of Congress yesterday.  I think if I worked there, I would develop migraines quickly.  Here are some of the worst:

• HR1451 – To amend title 23, United States Code, to allow an exception for the weight limits for certain towing trucks.  [Hmmm, strange.  The last time I perused the Constitution, I don't remember the founding fathers mentioning tow trucks...]
• HR236 – Urging Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.  [I think if another country stuck its nose into our business like this, we would probably be incensed.]
• HR1452 – To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to enter into negotiated rulemaking to modernize the Medicare part B fee schedule for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests and to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust the fee for collecting specimens for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests under the Medicare Program.  [Medicare is not only unconstitutional, but rife with fraud and a huge failure overall.  And here is Congress mandating additional micromanagement of services.]
• HR1450 – To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to counterfeit drugs, and for other purposes.  [The FDA kills people.]
• HR1449 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the qualification standard for exterior windows, doors, and skylights.  [The fact that the government taxes our income is constitutional (although some would argue otherwise), but it's clearly unethical if you regard taxation as theft.  But beyond all that, isn't our tax code, which is upwards of 2.5 million pages, complicated enough already?]

• HR1445 – To amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to require nationally registered statistical rating organizations to provide additional disclosures with respect to the rating of certain structured securities, and for other purposes.
• HR1444 – To establish the Congressional Commission on Civic Service to study methods of improving and promoting volunteerism and national service, and for other purposes.
• HR1443 – To ensure that all users of the transportation system, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, children, older individuals, and individuals with disabilities, are able to travel safely and conveniently on and across federally funded streets and highways.  [Hahahahahaha]
• HR1441 – To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow States to permit certain Medicaid eligible individuals who have extremely high annual lifelong orphan drug costs to continue on Medicaid notwithstanding increased income.
• HR1438 – To prohibit any Federal agency or official, in carrying out any Act or program to reduce the effects of greenhouse gas emissions on climate change, from imposing a fee or tax on gaseous emissions emitted directly by livestock.
• HR1435 – To amend the National Trails System Act to clarify Federal authority relating to land acquisition from willing sellers for the majority of the trails in the System, and for other purposes.
• HR1432 – To reduce youth usage of tobacco products, to enhance State efforts to eliminate retail sales of tobacco products to minors, and for other purposes.
• HR1430 – To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to permit physical therapy services to be furnished under the Medicare Program to individuals under the care of a dentist.
• HR1429 – To provide for an effective HIV/AIDS program in Federal prisons.
• HR1426 – To amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit the issuance of permits under title V of that Act for certain emissions from agricultural production.
• S-575 – A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to develop plans and targets for States and metropolitan planning organizations to develop plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, and for other purposes.
• S-573 – A bill to improve the efficiency of customs and other services at the Wild Horse, Montana port of entry.  [This requires a federal law?]
• S-572 – A bill to provide for the issuance of a “forever stamp” to honor the sacrifices of the brace men and women of the armed forces who have been awarded the Purple Heart.
• S-571 – A bill to strengthen the Nation’s research efforts to identify the causes and cure of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, expand psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis data collection, and study access to and quality of care for people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, and for other purposes.
• S-569 – A bill to ensure that persons who form corporations in the United States disclose the beneficial owners of those corporations, in order to prevent wrongdoers from exploiting United States corporations for criminal gain, to assist law enforcement in detecting, preventing, and punishing terrorism, money laundering, and other misconduct involving United States corporations, and for other purposes.  [Yet another burden on business, and more than likely it will do nothing to deter terrorists.]
• S-568 – A bill for the relief of Sali Bregaj and Mjaftime Bregaj.  [More immigration special treatment and tinkering.]

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