From the WashingtonWatch.com Blog

Lots of interesting issues appear on the WashingtonWatch.com blog. Visit the blog to see posts on the oil speculation legislation being debated this week, the global nursing shortage, and commercial fishing subsidies, to name just a few.

The WashingtonWatch.com blog will tie the bills in Congress to the day’s headlines, discuss the bills being debated on the House and Senate floor, and reveal some hidden stories.

Featured Items

This week, the Senate will debate legislation to curb speculation in oil and natural gas. S. 3268, The Stop Excessive Energy Speculation Act of 2008, would suppress trading that is not regarded as “legitimate” hedge trading. It’s intended to prevent excessive price speculation in energy commodities, hoping that this would bring prices down.

Cost information for the bill is not yet available. It was discussed in a recent post on the WashingtonWatch.com blog.

The House will debate H.R. 3221, The Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008. The bill takes many steps intended to reform housing. It would modernize the Federal Housing Administration, protect military servicemembers against foreclosure, give money to state and local governments for redeveloping abandoned and foreclosed homes, and more.

Passage of H.R. 3221, the Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008, would cost the average U.S. family a little over $190.

The House will also take up H.R. 5501, the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008, which passed the Senate last week.

The bill would authorize spending for fiscal years 2009 through 2013 to provide assistance to foreign countries to combat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. It was mentioned in our recent blog post on the passing of Senator Jesse Helms.

Passage of H.R. 5501, the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008, would cost the average U.S. family just about $300.

S. 3268
The Stop Excessive Energy Speculation Act of 2008

H.R. 3221
The Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008
Costs $193.68 per family

H.R. 5501
The Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008
Costs $299.97 per family

What People Think

The Stop Excessive Energy Speculation Act of 2008 50% For, 50% Against Vote on this Bill

The Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008 39% For, 61% Against Vote on this Bill

The Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 43% For, 57% Against Vote on this Bill

Displayed below are new, updated, and passed items with their cost or savings per family.

New Items

H.R. 4049
The Money Service Business Act of 2007
Costs $0.00 per family

H.R. 6309
The Lead-Safe Housing for Kids Act of 2008
Costs $0.18 per family

S. 3258
The Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2009
Costs $315.23 per family

S. 3260
An original bill making appropriations for financial services and general government for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes
Costs $425.29 per family

S. 3261
An original bill making appropriations for the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes
Costs $1,111.84 per family

S. 531
A bill to repeal section 10(f) of Public Law 93-531, commonly known as the “Bennett Freeze”
Costs $0.00 per family

S. 2533
The State Secrets Protection Act
Costs $0.00 per family

S. 2489
The Oglala Sioux Tribe Angostura Irrigation Project Modernization and Development Act
Costs $0.05 per family

Updated Items

none

Passed Items

P.L. 110-273
The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority Independence Preservation Act

P.L. 110-274
To amend the Water Resources Development Act of 2007 to clarify the authority of the Secretary of the Army to provide reimbursement for travel expenses incurred by members of the Committee on Levee Safety

P.L. 110-275
The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008
Costs $24.90 per family

P.L. 110-277
The American Veterans Disabled for Life Commemorative Coin
Costs $0.06 per family

P.L. 110-278
The Children’s Gasoline Burn Prevention Act
Costs $0.01 per family

P.L. 110-279
A bill to provide for certain Federal employee benefits to be continued for certain employees of the Senate Restaurants after operations of the Senate Restaurants are contracted to be performed by a private business concern, and for other purposes