Republican Duo Unveils Budget Reform Bill

Sens. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) introduced legislation Wednesday aimed at ending a series of so-called budget “gimmicks.”

The nine-point plan, called the Honest Budget Act, would force the Senate to pass a budget resolution — something the upper chamber has not done in over two years — before it can move on appropriations bills. It would require a supermajority of Senators to approve “emergency” spending, which is not subject to offsets in other areas of the budget, and it would subject a greater percentage of the federal workforce to the two-year mandatory pay-freeze instituted by the Obama administration.

It would also end the practice of counting canceled spending as savings, unless the unused funds are actually returned to the Treasury instead of being issued elsewhere.

In a statement, the pair said that the bill would “confront the culture of fiscal manipulation that is bleeding our country of future prosperity.”

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New York City Gearing Up for More Protests, Student Walkouts

Scores of students and union members are set to join the Occupy Wall Street demonstration today, as the movement continues to pick up steam and support following the arrest of over 700 protesters on the Brooklyn Bridge last weekend. 

Student groups throughout the city are coordinating mass walkouts from classes at noon today as a show of solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement.  Members of the movement have been camping out at Zuccotti Park in Manhattan’s financial district for nearly three weeks now to protest corporations and their negative influence on public policy.

The Occupy Wall Street protesters have of late also received the backing of several prominent labor unions and its members will join a union-led march at 4:30 this afternoon from Foley Square, a few blocks from City Hall, back to the Occupy Wall Street “headquarters” in Zuccotti Park.

Today In Congress

The House today will take up two measures designed to cut spending and roll back federal regulation.

The first, H.R. 1343, would return unused funds made available for broadband investment through President Obama’s stimulus law to the U.S. Treasury. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Charlie Bass (R-N.H.), who sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

The second measure, the Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act of 2011, would delay the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to issue air quality standards for cement manufacturing facilities. The bill is sponsored by Rep. John Sullivan (R-Okla.) and has a host of GOP co-sponsors.

Across the Capitol, the Senate will be resuming consideration of the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act of 2011. The bill is aimed at giving America’s monetary policymakers greater ability to scrutinize foreign currencies. China, in particular, has faced widespread criticism that it has enjoyed an unfair trade advantage due to its Yuan being undervalued.

Progressive Activists Campaign Against Budget Cuts

Progressive activists gathered Tuesday in downtown Washington to push back against conservative demands for less government spending.

The event was part of the Take Back the American Dream conference co-sponsored by the progressive organizations Campaign for America’s Future and Rebuild the Dream.

Campaign for America’s Future President Robert Borosage urged activists to pressure Hill lawmakers into focusing on creating jobs rather than cutting spending.

AFL-CIO official Arlene Holt Baker said that labor groups like her’s are prepared to hold lawmakers accountable for growing the economy and putting folks back to work.

“Something is happening out there and the question for all politicians is ‘will they tap into that?’” asked Justin Ruben of Moveon.org.

“We’re about to shake up politics,” said Rebuld the Dream leader Van Jones. “We no longer have faith that Washington, DC and Wall Street by themselves can do anything to save the American people and the American middle class. Now it’s our turn.”

House Approves Gov't Funding Measure

By a 352-66 vote, the House of Representatives sent another short-term government funding package to President Obama’s desk.

The measure, which enjoyed support from 170 Democrats, was passed by the Senate early last week.

53 Republicans voted against the bill, which will keep the federal government running until November 18.

“Congress has averted another Republican-manufactured crisis,” said House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) following the vote.