Monday, July 15th, 2024

Impeaching Supreme Court Justices Alito and Thomas: US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) filed articles of impeachment against Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito for what she said was their failure to report gifts and refusal to recuse from cases in which they were conflicted. Progressives and others have criticized both justices over reports they accepted vacations from wealthy people and failed to recuse from cases despite conflicts created by their spouses. Samuel Chase was the lone justice to be impeached by the House, in 1804. He was acquitted by the Senate.

Garland Contempt Resolution: The House failed to pass H.Res.1344 (204-2012), a resolution that would have found that Attorney General Merrick Garland is in contempt of the House of Representatives for failing to produce materials subpoenaed by the House Oversight and Judiciary committees. The resolution would direct the speaker to impose a fine of $10,000 per day on Merrick Garland until he provides subpoenaed audio tapes to the House.

Safeguard American Voter Eligibility: The House passed H.R.8281 (221-198), which would require Voters to provide proof of US citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections and states would have to remove noncitizens from their voter rolls. The bill would create a process for states to verify eligibility using government databases for individuals who don’t have documentary proof of citizenship. Applicants using mail-in forms couldn’t be registered to vote unless they also present their documents in person at an election official’s office, or at polling places in states that allow same-day voter registration. Election officials who violate the bill’s requirements could be subject to civil lawsuits and criminal penalties.

Reproductive Freedom for Women: The Senate failed to move forward to debate on S.4554 (49-44), which would declare that access to abortion and other reproductive health care should be supported following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The 2022 Supreme Court ruling overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision in which the court held there was a constitutional right to an abortion. The measure would also express the sense of Congress that protections enshrined in Roe v. Wade should be “restored and built upon, moving towards a future where there is reproductive freedom for all.” The bill needed 60 votes to move forward.

Reversing Transgender Non-Discrimination Rule: The House passed H.J.Res.165 (210-205), which would overturn a Biden administration rule bolstering federal nondiscrimination protections for transgender students. The Education Department in April unveiled a final set of sweeping changes to the decades-old law, including an expanded definition of sex discrimination that covers discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. The proposal issued by the Education Department last year would prohibit schools from enacting policies that categorically ban transgender student-athletes from sports teams that match their gender identity, though schools would still be permitted to limit participation based on a particular set of criteria. The bill now heads to the Senate where passage is uncertain.

Legislative Branch Appropriations: The House failed to pass H.R.8227 (205-213), which would have allocated allocate $1.93 billion for House salaries and expenses. It also would increase Capitol Police funding by 5 percent, to more than $832 million. Strong opposition came from Democrats and several Republicans due to a provision to extend a 15-year pay freeze for members of Congress, which some lawmakers argue is unconstitutional. The 27th Amendment to the US Constitution bars Congress from voting to change its own members’ salary without waiting until an intervening election. Lawmakers have argued the provision to block an automatic raise violates that amendment. Senators also included the same provision in their Legislative Branch funding bill and advanced the measure out of the Appropriations Committee with unanimous support.

Terminate Use of Pier in Gaza: The Senate blocked a motion to discharge H.J.Res.89 (48-46), which would direct the president, within 30 days of the joint resolution’s passage, to terminate the use of the U.S. military for the construction, maintenance and operation of the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore pier on the coast of the Gaza Strip.

Disapprove SEC Crypto Rule: The House failed to pass, over President Biden's veto, H.J.Res.109 (228-184), which is a joint resolution that would disapprove of the Securities and Exchange Commission Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 121 concerning crypto assets. The joint resolution would nullify the April 2022 SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 121, regarding the treatment of crypto assets held by a bank, credit union, exchange platform or other entity that serves as a custodian for a customer's assets.

Stricter Energy Standards: The House passed two pieces of legislation that would block stricter energy efficiency standards. H.R.7637, Refrigerator Freedom Act, and H.R.7700, Stop Unaffordable Dishwasher Standards, would prevent would prevent standards from being implemented unless they result in a "significant conservation of energy," and the department determines they will not increase consumer costs.