On the WashingtonWatch.com Blog

Last week, in the omnibus government spending bill, Congress denied itself a raise for fiscal year 2010. But it didn’t do away with automatic pay increases. Read about it in a post called, “Now About That Congressional Pay Raise . . . .”

Featured Items

This week, the House is scheduled to debate H.R. 1388, the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act. The bill seeks to increase the number of volunteers nationwide from 75,000 to 250,000. It would establish a Clean Energy Corps to encourage energy efficiency and conservation and a Veterans Service Corps to improve services for veterans.

A cost estimate for H.R. 1388, the Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act, is not yet available.

The Senate will debate H.R. 146, the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act. The bill, which was originally dedicated to battlefields and associated sites of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, is now also the vehicle for S. 22, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009. That bill passed the Senate already, but failed to pass in the House.

S. 22, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, costs about $55 per U.S. family.

H.R. 1388
The Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act

H.R. 146
The Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act

What People Think

The Generations Invigorating Volunteerism and Education Act 40% For, 60% Against Vote on this Bill

The Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act 56% For, 44% Against Vote on this Bill

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

New Items

H.R. 1387
The Electronic Message Preservation Act
Costs $1.34 per family

S. 146
The Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act of 2009
Costs $0.00 per family

H.R. 1262
The Water Quality Investment Act of 2009
Costs $129.57 per family

Updated Items

P.L. 111-8
The Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009
Costs $4,090.31 per family

Passed Items

P.L. 111-6
Making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2009, and for other purposes
Costs $103.29 per family

P.L. 111-8
The Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009
Costs $4,090.31 per family