10,000 Bills in Congress – From the WashingtonWatch.com Blog

“Before leaving for its August recess last week, Congress saw the introduction of its 10,000th bill. Meanwhile, not a single one of the twelve annual bills that direct the government’s spending priorities in 2009 has passed the Senate and only one has passed the House. Congress is neglecting its basic responsibility to manage the federal government, and is instead churning out new legislation about everything under the sun.”

Read about it on the WashingtonWatch.com blog.

Featured Items

Congress has begun its August recess, and will not return to Washington for several weeks.

Last week, the House passed H.R. 6599, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Appropriations Act, 2009. It would spend money on construction in all branches of the U.S. military, and for other projects and programs. It also spends money on a wide variety of veterans benefits programs.

Passage of H.R. 6599, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Appropriations Act, 2009, would cost the average U.S. family a little over $1,000.

The Senate recessed after just beginning work on S. 3001, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009.

The bill would authorize spending for fiscal year 2009 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy. It would also prescribe military troop levels.

Passage of S. 3001, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009, would cost the average U.S. family a little under $9,000.

H.R. 6599
The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2009
Costs $1,069.62 per family

S. 3001
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009
Costs $8,867.76 per family

What People Think

The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2009 56% For, 44% Against Vote on this Bill

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 19% For, 81% Against Vote on this Bill

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

New Items

H.R. 1527
The Rural Veterans Access to Care Act
Costs $13.87 per family

H.R. 5546
The Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2008
Costs $0.29 per family

S. 3168
The International Development Association Replenishment Act of 2008
Costs $33.77 per family

S. 3169
A bill to authorize United States participation in, and appropriations for the United States contribution to, the eleventh replenishment of the resources of the African Development Fund
Costs $4.21 per family

S. 27
The San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act
Costs $3.44 per family

S. 1171
The Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act
Costs $5.82 per family

H.R. 5335
To amend the National Trails System Act to provide for the inclusion of new trail segments, land components, and campgrounds associated with the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, and for other purposes
Costs $0.05 per family

S. 3013
The Non-Foreign AREA Act of 2008
Costs $18.33 per family

H.R. 6221
The Veteran-Owned Small Business Protection and Clarification Act of 2008
Costs $2.70 per family

H.R. 6575
The Over-Classification Reduction Act
Costs $0.14 per family

H.R. 6576
The Reducing Information Control Designations Act
Costs $0.41 per family

H.R. 1847
The National Trails System Willing Seller Act
Costs $0.45 per family

H.R. 2851
Michelle’s Law
Costs $0.00 per family

H.R. 5853
The Minute Man National Historical Park Boundary Revision Act
Costs $0.02 per family

H.R. 5892
The Veterans Disability Benefits Claims Modernization Act of 2008
Costs $34.14 per family

H.R. 6432
The Animal Drug User Fee Amendments of 2008
Costs $1.66 per family

H.R. 6433
The Animal Generic Drug User Fee Act of 2008
Costs $0.49 per family

H.R. 6445
To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from collecting certain copayments from veterans who are catastrophically disabled
Costs $8.32 per family

H.R. 4081
The PACT Act
Costs $1.03 per family

H.R. 5293
The Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act
Costs $0.44 per family

S. 2907
The International Fisheries Stewardship and Enforcement Act
Costs $0.74 per family

H.R. 6177
The Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River Extension Act of 2008
Costs $0.00 per family

Updated Items

H.R. 1746
The Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act of 2007
Costs $0.09 per family

H.R. 5683
The Government Accountability Office Act of 2008
Costs $0.11 per family

Passed Items

 P.L. 110-286
The Block Burmese JADE (Junta’s Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2007
Costs $0.26 per family

 P.L. 110-287
Approving the renewal of import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003

P.L. 110-288
The Clean Boating Act of 2008
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 110-289
The Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008
Costs $482.77 per family

P.L. 110-290
The Regulatory Improvement Act of 2007
Costs $0.10 per family

P.L. 110-291
The Over-the-Road Bus Transportation Accessibility Act of 2007
Costs $0.02 per family

P.L. 110-293
The Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008
Costs $297.40 per family

P.L. 110-294
A bill to authorize the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program at fiscal year 2006 levels through 2012
Costs $19.83 per family

P.L. 110-295
A bill to make a technical correction to section 3009 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
Costs $0.00 per family

P.L. 110-296
The Criminal History Background Checks Pilot Extension Act of 2008