Liberty Maven

Wow, this one is a doozy!  A ton of new bills were introduced in Congress on Friday: 188 in total.  For those who haven’t read this series of articles from the beginning, there are a few things to keep in mind…

When taking a look at the list below, keep in mind that the U.S. Constitution, which created our Federal Government, clearly enumerated 18 specific functions that it is given.  For all other things, the 9th and 10th amendment make it clear that the individual states have the power.  Note that it states in the Constitution that it is the Supreme Law of the Land, which can be usurped by no other.  This means that all opinions to the contrary made by the Supreme Court are technically invalid.  Throughout the past couple of hundred hears the Supreme Court has rule one way or another on some “interpretation” of the Constitution, but in fact no interpretation is necessary, as the intention of the founding fathers are quite clear.  For example, if the “general welfare” clause or the “interstate commerce” clause was intended to be used as a catch-all for any arbitrary piece of legislation, then the 10th amendments which reads:

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

would be completely meaningless.  So simple logic, in addition to the writings of Madison and other founding fathers, dictates the notion that the Federal Government was set up to have very little power, and that these United States are intended to be a loose federation of sovereign states.

Only due to politician’s greed and overwhelming desire for power does the Constitution get relegated to the trash heap.

So, despite the  noble intentions of many of these bills, it doesn’t mean they are legal.

No one is bound to obey an unconstitutional law and no courts are bound to enforce it.
– 16 Am. Jur. Sec. 177 late 2d, Sec 256

Of the bills introduced yesterday, these are ones that are clearly not legitimate functions of the Federal Government  [as always, my commentary will appear in red]:

• HR1892 – To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 102 North Main Street in Cedarville, Ohio, as the “William ‘Brent” Turner Post Office’.
• HR1929 – To establish the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Investigative Commission to investigate the policies and practices engaged in by officers and directors at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac responsible for making the decisions that led to the enterprises’ financial instability and the subsequent Federal conservatorship of such enterprises.  [Keep in mind that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been basically nationalized, which is, of course, unconstitutional.]
• HR1925 – To designate as wilderness certain Federal portions of the red rock canyons of the Colorado Plateau and the Great Basin Deserts in Utah for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
• HR1924 – To amend the Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act, the Indian Tribal Justice Act, the Indian Tribal Justice Technical and Legal Assistance Act of 2000, and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to improve the prosecution of, and response to, crimes in Indian country, and for other purposes.
• HR1922 – To require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to hold at least 1 public hearing before issuance of a permit affecting public or private land use in a locality.
• HR1921 – To establish an Office of Public Advocate within the Department of Justice to provide services and guidance to citizens in dealing with concerns involving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and for other purposes. [Fantastic!  Create another layer of bureaucracy to help people deal with bureaucracy...]
• HR1978 – To authorize the Attorney General to make grants to improve the ability of State and local governments to prevent the abduction of children by family members, and for other purposes.
• HR1977 – To require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to study drywall imported from China in 2004 through 2007, and for other purposes.
• HR332 – Providing that the House of Representatives will focus on removing barriers to a prosperous economy and therefore renew the dream.  [Reading the full text of the bill it all sounds nice, but it's really nothing more than platitudes.  Nothing will come of this.  It's not recommending anything concrete.]
• HR1971 – To provide for the elimination of duties on certain comforter shells
• HR1970 – To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to exempt unsanctioned State-licensed retail pharmacies from the surety bond requirement under the Medicare Program for suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS).
• HR1969 – To promote freedom and democracy in Vietnam.  [Oh god. Oh god, no! Haven't we gotten ourselves into enough jams with this interventionist crap?]

• HR1968 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the limitation on capital losses to $10,500 and to index such limitation to inflation.
• HR326 – Expressing support for designation of the week of April 13, 2009, through April 17, 2009, as “Protect Your Pharmacy Week”, and for other purposes.
• HR1966 – To amend title 18, United States Code, with respect to cyberbullying
• HR1964 – To address HIV/AIDS in the African-American community, and for other purposes.
• HR1962 – To authorize the Space Shuttle to be flown from 2010 through 2015, and to authorize appropriations for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for this purpose.  [Ron Paul might even vote for this one, because he's supported NASA in the past.  But I maintain the the existence of NASA is unconstitutional, and the private sector would be able to perform these tasks more efficiently and more inexpensively.]
• HR1961 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand the availability of the saver’s credit, to make the credit refundable, and to make Federal matching contributions into the retirement savings of the taxpayer.
• HR1957 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a higher education tuition credit in place of existing education tax incentives.
• HR1956 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow an offset against income tax refunds to pay for State judicial debts that are past-due.
• HR1955 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to exclude from gross income amounts received on the sale of animals which are raised and sold as part of an educational program.
• HR1954 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make higher education more affordable by providing a full tax deduction for higher education expenses and interest on student loans.
• HR1952 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a credit against income tax for amounts contributed to charitable organizations which provide elementary or secondary school scholarships and for contributions of, and for, instructional materials and materials for extracurricular activities.
• HR322 – Expressing support for the designation of July 25, 2009 as “National Day of the Cowboy”
• HR1951 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow individuals a credit against income tax for tuition and related expenses for public and nonpublic elementary and secondary education.
• HR330 – Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Secretary of the Navy should name an appropriate Navy ship in honor of Marine Corps General Clifton B. Cates of Tiptonville, Tennessee.
• HR329 – Recognizing the anniversary of the tragic accident of the steamboat ship SS Sultana
• HR328 – Expressing the sense of Congress that all Americans should recognize National Military Appreciation Month with appropriate programs and activities.
• HR327 – Honoring the humble service of Edward Cardinal Egan as Archbishop of the New York Archdiocese and congratulating Archbishop Timothy Dolan on his appointment by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to succeed Cardinal Egan.
• HR1945 – To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the feasibility and suitability of constructing a storage reservoir, outlet works, and a delivery system for the Tule River Indian Tribe of the Tule River Reservation in the State of California to provide a water supply for domestic, municipal, industrial, and agricultural purposes, and for other purposes.
• HR325 – Expressing support for designation of a “Free Enterprise Education Week” to encourage elementary and secondary schools, institutions of higher education, and small and large businesses to educate students about free enterprise.
• HR319 – Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President should take all necessary steps to expeditiously deploy a missile defense system in Europe that will help provide such a defense to United States allies in Europe while enhancing United States defenses against missile attacks.
• HCR99 – Supporting the goals and ideals of a National Early Educator Worthy Wage Day
• HR321 – Congratulating the boys’ basketball team at Eisenhower High School in Rialto, California, for winning the State championship.
• HR320 – Honoring the Life and achievements of Dr. John Hope Franklin
• HR331 – Supporting the goals and ideals of National Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Month
• HR1935 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for the treatment of partnership interests held by partners providing services.
• HR1933 – To direct the Attorney General to make an annual grant to the A Child Is Missing Alert and Recovery Center to assist law enforcement agencies in the rapid recovery of missing children, and for other purposes.
• HR1932 – To increase the number of well-trained mental health service professionals (including those based in schools) providing clinical mental health care to children and adolescents, and for other purposes.
• HR1931 – To improve the treatment of juveniles with mental health or substance abuse disorders by establishing new grant programs for increased training, technical assistance, and coordination of service providers, and for other purposes.
• HR1930 – To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a loan repayment program for faculty members at programs of general dentistry or pediatric dentistry to alleviate faculty shortages.
• HR1873 – To amend the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 with respect to juveniles who have committed offenses, and for other purposes.
• HR1928 – To increase home healthcare services, particularly for underserved and at-risk populations, by assisting visiting nurse associations and other non-profit home health agencies to improve training and workforce development for home healthcare nurses, promoting and facilitating academic-practice collaborations, and enhancing recruitment and retention of home healthcare nurses.
• HR1927 – To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide comprehensive cancer patient treatment education under the Medicare Program and to provide for research to improve cancer symptom management.
• HR1926 – To authorize the National Science Foundation to establish a Global Warming Education Program.
• HR1869 – To require the President to call a White House Conference on Food and Nutrition  [What? The Congress is going to require the the president do something?  How is that possible?  And on top of that, what they want to require of him is blatantly unconstitutional!]
• HR1923 – To require the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to make video recordings of the examination and testing of firearms and ammunition, and for other purposes.
• HR1920 – To prohibit United States funding for the 2009 United Nations Durban Review Conference (“Durban II Conference”) or any other activity relating to the planning, preparation, or implementation of a follow-up meeting to the 2001 United Nations World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance (‘Durban I Conference’) in Durban, South Africa.  [Bills like this make me want to vomit.  Of course I agree with the intent of the bill, but doesn't the Constitution already prohibit the US from funding such things?  Ugh.]
• HR324 – Expressing support for designation of April 2009 as “Jazz Appreciation Month” and April 25, 2009, as “Willis Conover Day”, and honoring the global impact of jazz music.
• HR1979 – For the relief of Mary Cole, Decontee Cole, Emmanuel Cole, Anna Cole, Yon Deh Cole, and Emmanuel Cole, Jr.
• HR1976 – To authorize grants for nongovernmental organizations that use independently produced documentary films to promote better understanding of the United States abroad and better understanding of global perspectives and other countries in the United States.
• HR1975 – To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 100 West Percy Street in Indianola, Mississippi, as the “Minnie Cox Post Office Building”.
• HR1974 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make permanent the depreciation classification of motorsports entertainment complexes.
• HR1912 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a credit against income tax for qualified conservation contributions which include National Scenic Trails.
• HR1911 – To amend the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to require funding to help award recipients defray the costs of data collection requirements initiated pursuant to such Act, and for other purposes.
• HR1907 – To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to use consumer information maintained by retailers to improve recalls of food, and for other purposes.
• HR1905 – To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to require the Secretary of Commerce to establish a coastal climate change adaptation planning and response program, and for other purposes.
• HR1904 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow individual taxpayers to designate a portion of income taxes to fund the improvement of barriers at the United States border, and for other purposes.
• HR1903 – To provide incentives for the residential housing market
• HR1901 – To provide for a comprehensive study by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences to assess the water management, needs, and conservation of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River System.
• HR1900 – To provide for emergency deployments of United States Border Patrol agents and to increase the number of DEA and ATF agents along the international border of the United States to increase resources to identify and eliminate illicit sources of firearms into Mexico for use by violent drug trafficking organizations and for other lawful activities and for other purposes.  [This really about gun control and the war on drugs.]
• HR1899 – To extend Federal recognition to the Muscogee Nation of Florida
• HR1898 – To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage under the Medicare Program for consultations regarding orders for life sustaining treatment and to provide grants for the development and expansion of programs for such orders.
• HR1897 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit to employers for the costs of implementing wellness programs, and for other purposes.
• HR1896 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to clarify that installment sales treatment shall not fail to apply to property acquired for conservation purposes by a State or local government or certain tax-exempt organizations merely because purchase funds are held in a sinking or similar fund pursuant to State law.
• HR1895 – To provide driver safety grants to States with graduated driver licensing laws that meet certain minimum requirements.
• HR1894 – To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to, and increase utilization of, bone mass measurement benefits under the Medicare part B program.
• HR1893 – To prohibit any person which sells to or otherwise disposes of any asset through a public-private investment program, including the Public-Private Investment Program for Legacy Assets, from purchasing or otherwise acquiring any other asset from or through such programs, and for other purposes.
• S-826 – A bill to promote renewable energy, and for other purposes
• S-827 – A bill to establish a program to reunite bondholders with matured unredeemed United States savings bonds.
• S-828 – A bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to provide loan guarantees for projects to construct renewable fuel pipelines, and for other purposes.
• SCR17 – A concurrent resolution authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for the unveiling of a bust of Sojourner Truth.
• SR100 – A resolution expressing the support of the Senate for the establishment of an Urban Youth Sport Initiative in partnership with the United States Olympic Committee.
• HCR96 – Recognizing the importance of autism awareness, supporting efforts to increase funding for research into the causes and treatment of autism and to improve training and support for individuals with autism and those who care for individuals with autism.
• HCR98 – Recognizing the disparate impact of climate change on women and the efforts of women globally to address climate change.
• S-781 – A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for collegiate housing and infrastructure grants.
• S-782 – A bill to provide for the establishment of the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System.
• S-783 – A bill to amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to permanently prohibit the conduct of offshore drilling on the outer Continental Shelf in the Mid-Atlantic and North Atlantic planning areas.
• S-784 – A bill to provide for the recognition of certain Native communities and the settlement of certain claims under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and for other purposes.
• S-785 – A bill to establish a grant program to encourage retooling of entities in the timber industry in Alaska, and for other purposes.
• S-786 – A bill to authorize a grant program to provide for expanded access to mainstream financial institutions.
• S-787 – A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify the jurisdiction of the United States over waters of the United States.
• S-789 – A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the feasibility and suitability of constructing a storage reservoir, outlet works, and a delivery system for the Tule River Indian Tribe of the Tule River Reservation in the State of California to provide a water supply for domestic, municipal, industrial, and agricultural purposes, and for other purposes.
• S-790 – A bill to improve access to health care services in rural, frontier, and urban undeserved areas in the United States by addressing the supply of health professionals and the distribution of health professionals to areas of need.
• S-791 – A bill to direct the Secretary of Transportation to carry out programs and activities to improve highway safety.
• S-792 – A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve the National Program of Cancer Registries by expanding data collection and allowing data sharing for public health objectives, while preserving the confidentiality of patients, and for other purposes.
• S-793 – A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a scholarship program for students seeking a degree or certificate in the areas of visual impairment and orientation and mobility.
• S-795 – A bill to amend the Social Security Act to enhance the social security of the Nation by ensuring adequate public-private infrastructure and to resolve to prevent, detect, treat, intervene in, and prosecute elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, and for other purposes.
• S-796 – A bill to modify the requirements applicable to locatable minerals on public domain land, and for other purposes.
• S-797 – A bill to amend the Indian Law Enforcement Reform Act, the Indian Tribal Justice Act, the Indian Tribal Justice Technical and Legal Assistance Act of 2000, and the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to improve the prosecution of, and response to, crimes in Indian country, and for other purposes.
• S-798 – A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend existing elective tax treatment for Alaska Native Settlement Trusts.
• S-799 – A bill to designate as wilderness certain Federal portions of the red rock canyons of the Colorado Plateau and the Great Basin Deserts in the State of Utah for the benefit of present and future generations of people in the United States.
• S-802 – A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow Indian tribes to transfer the credit for electricity produced from renewable resources.
• S-803 – A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit to employers for the costs of implementing wellness programs, and for other purposes.
• S-804 – A bill to amend subpart 2 of part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish incentives for States to extend the minimum length of the school year to 200 full days by 2014, and for other purposes.
• S-805 – A bill to provide for a comprehensive study by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences to assess the water management, needs, and conservation of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River System.
• S-808 – A bill to amend the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to reauthorize the Act, and for other purposes.
• S-809 – A bill to establish a program to provide tuition assistance to individuals who have lost their jobs as a result of the economic downturn.  [People out of work are probably busy trying to find another job, anyway.]
• S-810 – A bill to establish 4 regional institutes as centers of excellence for research, planning, and related efforts to assess and prepare for the impacts of climate change on ocean and coastal areas and for other purposes.
• HR1880 – To establish a system of regulation and supervision for insurers, insurance agencies, and insurance producers chartered or licensed under Federal law that ensures the stability and financial integrity of those insurers, agencies, and producers and that protects policyholders and other consumers served by such insurers, agencies, or producers.
• HR1881 – To enhance the transportation security functions of the Department of Homeland Security by providing for an enhanced personnel system for employees of the Transportation Security Administration, and for other purposes.
• HR1882 – To amend the Truth in Lending Act to provide safeguards for credit card holders whose accounts were, or are about to be, terminated for inactivity, and for other purposes.
• HR1883 – To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a demonstration grants program to provide for certain patient coordination, outreach, and assistance services to reduce barriers to receiving health care and improve health care outcomes.
• HR1884 – To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for the participation of optometrists in the National Health Service Corps scholarship and loan repayment programs, and for other purposes.
• HR1886 – To authorize democratic, economic, and social development assistance for Pakistan, to authorize security assistance for Pakistan, and for other purposes.
• HR1888 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a credit against income tax to vehicle fleet operators for purchasing tires made from recycled rubber.
• HR1889 – To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reserve funding for American Samoa, the Northern Marianas Islands, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.
• HR1890 – To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to increase the percentage of State revolving loan funds reserved for American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the Virgin Islands.
• S-811 – A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to promote mental and behavioral health services for underserved populations.
• S-812 – Rural Heritage Conservation Extension Act: to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make permanent the special rule for contributions of qualified conservation contributions.
• S-813 – A bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act to apply the protections of the Act to teaching and research assistants.
• S-814 – A bill to provide for the conveyance of a parcel of land held by the Bureau of Prisons of the Department of Justice in Miami Dade County, Florida, to facilitate the construction of a new educational facility that includes a secure parking area for the Bureau of Prisons, and for other purposes.
• S-817 – A bill to establish a Salmon Stronghold Partnership program to conserve wild Pacific salmon and for other purposes.
• S-818 – A bill to reauthorize the Enhancing Education Through Technology Act of 2001, and for other purposes.
• S-819 (also HR1878) – A bill to provide for enhanced treatment, support, services, and research for individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families.
• S-820 – A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to enhance the automobile assistance allowance for veterans, and for other purposes.
• S-822 – A bill to support the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel, and for other purposes.
• S-823 – A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a 5-year carryback of operating losses, and for other purposes.
• S-824 – A bill to establish a Jobs Creation Coordinator in the Department of Commerce to ensure that agencies in the Department use resources in a manner that maximizes the maintenance and creation of jobs in the United States, and for other purposes.
• HR1906 – To permanently prohibit oil and gas leasing off the coast of the State of California, and for other purposes.
• HR1908 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a credit for property certified by the Environmental Protection Agency under the WaterSense program.
• HR1913 – To provide Federal assistance to States, local jurisdictions, and Indian tribes to prosecute hate crimes, and for other purposes.
• HR1914 – To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to provide for the suspension of each provision of the Act during periods of drought with respect to Federal and State agencies that manage Federal river basins that are located in each region affected by the drought.
• HR1915 – To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for expanded coverage of paramedic intercept services under the Medicare Program.
• HR1916 – To amend the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act to provide for a revised schedule of price increases for the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, popularly known as the “Duck Stamp”, and for other purposes.
• HR1917 – To establish the Centennial Historic District in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and for other purposes.
• HR1871 – To designate certain counties in the State of Arizona as high-intensity drug trafficking areas.
• HR1874 – To provide Federal contracting preferences for, and a reduction in the rate of income tax imposed on, Patriot corporations, and for other purposes.
• HR1876 – To amend title 10, United States Code, to require the incorporation of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) principles in military construction projects carried out in the United States or overseas, to require a specific goal regarding the use of renewable energy sources on all military installations, and for other purposes.
• HR1877 – To amend the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to reauthorize the Act, and for other purposes.
• HR1938 – To amend the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Public Health Service Act to set standards for medical diagnostic equipment and to establish a program for promoting good health, disease prevention, and wellness and for the prevention of secondary conditions for individuals with disabilities, and for other purposes.
• HR1939 – To direct the Attorney General to establish a system of background checks for employers and employees of the electronic life safety and security system installation and monitoring industry, and for other purposes.
• HR1940 – To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a Wellness Trust
• HR1941 – To allow for additional flights beyond the perimeter restriction applicable to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
• HR1944 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend the subpart F exemption for active financing income.
• HR1887 – To establish a Presidential Commission on Women, and for other purposes  [WTF?]
• HR1946 – To amend the Public Health Service Act to address health workforce shortages
• HR1947 – To regulate certain deferred prosecution agreements and nonprosecution agreements in Federal criminal cases.
• HCR95 – Recognizing the importance of the Department of Agriculture Forest Service Experimental Forests and Ranges.
• HR1949 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit for elementary and secondary school teachers.
• HR1950 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit for professional school personnel in prekindergarten, kindergarten, and grades 1 through 12.

Each bill introduced takes countless hours to be drafted, typed up, disseminated, put through the various stages of the process, all costing time and money.  So even if the bill seems minor, such as SR85 (”Congratulating…”), it costs you money.  Do you want your tax dollars being spent on this stuff?

Please take a couple of minutes out of your day to contact your representatives via telephone simply to tell them that you support or oppose a particular bill.  It’ll most likely take you less than two minutes, and it’s so very important that we stand up to our increasingly tyrannical government.

If you don’t know who your Senators are, or how to contact them, click here to found out.

If you don’t know who your Representatives are, or how to contact them, click here to find out.