About this episode
Lobbyist Jo Ann Emerson quits Congress early, the House votes to temporarily suspend the debt ceiling and probably-not postpone their own paychecks, and the Brineys drunkenly ramble on a Friday night. Jo Ann Emerson Resigns from the House Said she was leaving Congress in February, left early (Tuesday, January 22) Used to represent the 8th district of Missouri; left to become President and CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, a trade association/lobbying group. It has about 900 member utilities that serve 42 million people in 47 states and own almost half of the US power grid. Replacing Glenn English (also a former Congressman) who made $9,294,207 in his 6 years = $1.5 million a year. Won her district in 2012 with over 65% of the votes. Missouri to pay about $1 million for a special election H.R. 307- PANDEMIC AND ALL-HAZARDS PREPAREDNESS REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2013 Passed the House Tuesday, January 22. It now moves into the Senate. Gives 6 months for the Secretary to create a plan for responding to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats. Orders the disaster plan to specifically address the needs of at-risk individuals and children Cuts funding for training emergency response volunteers in half, from $22 million/year to $11million/year Government wants a "national biosurveillance system for human health, with international connectivity" that allows for "two-way information flow" between government and health care providers. Loosens the definition of "emergency" to include "threat justifying emergency authorized use". Allows the use of an unapproved medical devices or products if declared necessary by the government. Allows the government to extend the expiration date of medical products and "authorize the introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce" if doing so protects the public health or military preparedness and effectiveness. Allows the government to waive "requirements regarding current good manufacturing practice otherwise applicable to the manufacture, processing, packing, or holding of products." Allows $1.4 billion of taxpayer money to be spent on private research and development costs. H.R. 325: NO BUDGET, NO PAY ACT OF 2013 The debt ceiling will be suspended from the day the President signs this bill until May 18, 2013. By April 15, 2013, the House and Senate need to each pass their own version of a budget for fiscal year 2014.* If one of the branches of Congress does not pass a budget, their salaries will be set aside in an account and they will be paid either when a budget is passed or on the last day of the 113th Congress. This means that the House could pass the Paul Ryan 'screw the poor' budget and the Senate could pass a budget giving private jets to homeless people and both parts of Congress would be paid. There is no need for a conference to merge the two budget bills to send a real budget to the President.