THE DAILY WHIP: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012

**Members are advised that following last votes, the House will begin consideration of H.Con.Res. 112. Votes on H.Con.Res. 112, including all votes on budget substitutes made in order under the Rule, will be taken tomorrow.

H.Res. 597 [2] – Rule providing for consideration of H. Con. Res. 112 - The Republican Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Resolution (Rep. Ryan (WI) – Budget)(One Hour of debate). The Rules Committee has recommended a structured Rule that provides for four hours of general debate with three hours equally divided between the Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee on Budget and one hour equally divided between members of the Joint Economic Committee. The Rule makes in order 6 amendments in the nature of substitutes, and waives all points of order against them. The Rule provides that adoption of an amendment in the nature of a substitute shall constitute the conclusion of consideration of the concurrent resolution for amendment.  Lastly, the Rule allows for Suspension Authority through Thursday, March 29 for legislation relating to extending expiring surface transportation authority. 

Begin Consideration of H.Con.Res. 112 [3] - The Republican Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Resolution (Rep. Ryan (WI) – Budget) (Four Hours of debate). The Republican Budget submitted by Chairman Paul Ryan breaks Speaker Boehner’s agreement from last summer by setting a $1.028 trillion discretionary spending limit for appropriations bills for FY13, which is $19 billion less than the $1.047 trillion level Republicans agreed to for the coming year in the Budget Control Act. It ends the Medicare guarantee and increases costs for seniors – replacing Medicare’s guarantee of health security with a voucher that shifts higher and higher costs onto seniors and the disabled over time. It cuts Medicaid by a third, while turning it into a block grant. The Republican Budget also proposes cutting tax rates and repealing the AMT, at a cost of $4.6 trillion. This is in addition to the $5.4 trillion cost to permanently extend all of the Bush tax cuts. Republicans do all this without a realistic plan to make up any of the lost revenue.

This measure is very similar to the Budget that Republicans proposed last year. It slashes investments in innovation, education, and infrastructure, which puts our economic recovery at risk and threatens American jobs. It does not reduce the deficit in a responsible way, instead placing the burden of deficit reduction onto seniors, the middle class, working families, and the most vulnerable while refusing to ask the wealthiest among us to contribute. Despite all of the spending cuts, it would not balance the Budget within the ten year Budget window. Members are urged to VOTE NO on H.Con.Res. 112.

Bill Text for H.Con.Res. 112:
HTML Version [4]
PDF Version [5]
Background for H.Con.Res. 112:
House Report (HTML Version) [6]
House Report (PDF Version) [7]
Summary of Amendments [8]
CRS Report [9] - The Federal Budget: Issues for FY2013 and Beyond

Suspension (1 Bill)

1. H.R. 1339 [10] - To amend title 32, United States Code, the body of laws of the United States dealing with the National Guard, to recognize the City of Salem, Massachusetts, as the Birthplace of the National Guard of the United States, as amended (Rep. Tierney - Armed Services)

Postponed Suspension (1 Vote)

1. H.R. 4239 [11] - Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012 (Rep. Mica - Transportation and Infrastructure/Ways and Means/Natural Resources/Science, Space, and Technology/Energy and Commerce)

TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK
The GOP Leadership has announced the following schedule for Thursday, March 29: The House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business. The House is expected to complete consideration H.Con.Res. 112 - The Republican Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Resolution (Rep. Ryan (WI) - Budget). The House may also consider legislation related to the Surface Transportation Extension.