Cabbage News Network Week #43

Status of Puerto Rico infrastructure - it's been 58 days and the island is still 50% without power, that is over a million Americans.

Friday 11/10

• Senate panel approves judicial nominee with almost no experience (source).

Sunday 11/12

• Not really news, but may be of interest, a look at NSA's cybersecurity woes (source).

Monday 11/13

• Sessions considering a separate special counsel to investigate Clinton (source).
  
• Alex Azar nominated for HHS secretary to replace Tom Price (source).
  
• FCC looking to eliminate media ownership rules (source)

Tuesday 11/14

• Sessions questioned by House investigation, continues to change his story (source).

Wednesday 11/15 - I'm probably missing stuff from Tuesday and Wednesday, but work was busy.

• Director of the Consumer Federal Protection Bureau resigns, DJT will get to name successor (source).

Thursday 11/16

• House passes tax cut bill, bills future in Senate is uncertain (source).
  
• Senate version of bill would raise taxes on the poor (source).
  
• Updated comparison of House and Senate versions (source).
  
• Congress passes DoD authorization bill (source).
  
• Keystone pipeline leaks in South Dakota, Nebraska to decide on pipeline route next week (source).
  
• State and local governments preparing for budget shortfalls if tax cut bill passes (source).
  
• White House asking Congress for more disaster aid (source).
  
• Jared Kushner fails to provide documentation regarding Russia meetings requested by investigators (source).
  
• Ryan Zinke fails to provide travel documentation to investigators (source).
  
• FEC to require election ads on social media to carry disclaimers saying who paid for them (source).
  
• FCC to end program subsidizing broadband for low income households (source).
  
• Pentagon to start research on missiles that would violate arms treaty with Russia in response to supposed Russian violations (source).

Friday 11/17

• DHS official resigns after making anti-black and anti-muslim statements (source).
  
• Report on Ivanka Trump's involvement with a shady development deal in Panama, yes, money laundering and Russians are involved (source).
  
• Report on Russian investment in Trump properties (source).

Other

• Russian White Paper - an admittedly somewhat biased summation of all things DJT-Russia connected including background info arranged into a single timeline/narrative, useful as it does put all the links to related mainstream media documentation in one place and sort them into their proper chronological order.


• NYT report documenting civilian casualties of U.S. airstrikes in Syria and Iraq suggesting they are way higher than DoD is admitting.

Legislative action this week

• Legislation signed into law
  
  
  
• Legislation awaiting DJT's signature
  
  • DoD authorization bill for FY 2018 https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr2810
    
  • 9 minor bills
  
  
• Legislation passed in the House, awaiting Senate
  
  • The GOP tax cut bill https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr1
    
  • Bill renewing the National Flood Insurance Program https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr2874
    
  • Bill reauthorizing the Children's Health Insurance Program while cutting funding for it https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr3922 (letter opposing: http://phi.org/policy-advocacy/tell-congress-yes-on-health-no-on-champion-act/)
    
  • Bill reducing regulatory oversight over credit rating agencies (really? yes, really) https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr3911 (letter opposing: http://consumerfed.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/cfa-opposes-hr3911-and-hr2201.pdf)
    
  • Bill overturning recent court decisions holding employers liable for labor violations in joint employment situations https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr3441 (letter opposing: https://fightfor15.org/fight-back-anti-worker-h-r-3441/)
    
  • Bill transferring authority over hydroelectric facilities to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, would remove some environment protections re dams https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr3043 (letter opposing: https://secure.everyaction.com/GDXK5rkx0Ei63nPxxiptqQ2)
    
  • Iran sanctions bill https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr1698
    
  • Bill drastically reducing what activities on Forest Service, BLM, and Tribal lands require environmental review https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr2936 (letter opposing: https://www.npca.org/articles/1674-position-on-h-r-2936-resilient-federal-forests-act-of-2017)
    
  • Bill revoking passports of individuals affiliated with a terrorist organization https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr425
    
  • Bill eliminating the Independent Payment Advisory Board https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr849
    
  • Bill loosening reporting requirements for IPO's (essentially opening options that were for start-ups only to all companies) https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr3903
    
  • Bill banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr36
    
  • Bill reauthorizing the National Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/s782
    
  • Renewal of law promoting democracy in North Korea and helping North Korean refugees https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr2061
    
  • Bill giving the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration authority over self driving cars https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr3388
    
  • Bill restricting IRS use of civil asset forfeiture https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr1843
    
  • Bill to allow publicly traded companies to use SEC crowdfunding rule https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr2864
    
  • Authorization bill for CIA and other intelligence activities https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr3180
    
  • DoD appropriations bill https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr3219
    
  • Dept. of Interior appropriations https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr3354
    
  • 14 bills dealing with veterans
    
  • 320 other minor bills
  
  
• Legislation passed in the Senate, awaiting House
  
  • Bill expanding the requirements of when suspected sexual abuse must be reported https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/s534
    
  • DHS authorization bill https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr1370
    
  • 72 other minor bills
  
  
• Upcoming legislation
  
  
  
  • Bill expanding oil and gas drilling on Federal land https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr4239