Cabbage News Network Week #64

[kmusser]

Status of Puerto Rico infrastructure - it's been 198 days and the island is still 5% without power.

Monday 4/9

• FBI raids home and offices of DJT lawyer Michael Cohen, raid authorized by U.S. Attorney Southern District of New York Office, referred by Mueller, but not directly a part of his investigation. That Cohen was raided rather than subpoenaed suggests the court suspected he would destroy evidence (source).
  
• DJT threatens retaliation in Syria for chemical weapons attack (source).

Tuesday 4/10

• DJT signs executive order work requirements in order to get welfare benefits (source).
  
• CBO reports that budget deficit will exceed $1 trillion by 2010. (source).
  
• China files protest against U.S. with WTO (source).
  
• DJT's homeland security adviser quits (source).

Wednesday 4/11

• Paul Ryan to retire (source).
  
• Pompeo failed to disclose business ties to Chinese government (source).

Thursday 4/12

• Confirmation hearings for Pompeo are today (source).
  
• Senate confirms coal industry lobbyist for #2 position at EPA (source).
  
• DJT creates task force to look at Post Office's business model (source).
  
• FCC refuses calls to investigate Sinclair Broadcasting (source).
  
• Reminder that FCC's chairman Ajit Pai is under investigation for his connections to Sinclair (source).

Friday 4/13

• DJT now interested in Trans-Pacific trade deal he pulled us out of (source).
  
• The other countries that went ahead with trade deal without us tell him to piss off (source).
  
• DJT's tariffs are now hitting farm country (source).
• DJT says James Comey should be prosecuted for publishing a book critical of him (source).

Maps of the week

• A new original map by me of the Chesapeake Bay drainage basin
  
  

Legislative action this week

• Legislation signed into law
  
  • Bill penalizing websites whose users help sex trafficking (note the language in this bill is broad, many fear it will target legitimate sex workers as well) https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr1865
  
  
• Legislation awaiting DJT's signature
  
  • 5 minor bills
  
  
• Legislation passed in the House, awaiting Senate
  
  • Bill increasing the penalties for stalking https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr4203
    
  • Bill to give patients access to experimental drugs https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr5247
    
  • Bill to improve security at schools https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr4909 (does not arm teachers, basically appropriates some money for schools to spend on security as they will)
    
  • Bill easing emissions standards for electric utilities https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr1119
    
  • A bunch of bills rolling back financial protections https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr4607, https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr2226, https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr4725, https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr4296, https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr1116, https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr4566, https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr4545, https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr4293
    
  • Reauthorization bill for the FCC https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr4986
    
  • Bill barring political appointees from accepting civil service jobs for 2 years https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr1132
    
  • Bill gutting the ADA https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr620
    
  • Sanctions against Hamas https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr3542
    
  • 439 other pending bills
  
  
• Legislation passed in the Senate, awaiting House - no new action this week
  
  • Bill rolling back financial protections https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/s2155 (this bill will likely replace the ones passed by the House listed above).
    
  • 105 other pending bills