Fish are people too.

[RandomVariable]

(See what I did there? ) I put this in politics because this is a very partisan argument. I hope this can remain here.

I am writing up a short briefing on two bills; H.R. 2824 and H.R. 3080.
H.R.2824 - 113th Congress (2013-2014): Preventing Government Waste and Protecting Coal Mining Jobs in America | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
H.R.3080 - 113th Congress (2013-2014): Water Resources Development Act of 2013 | Congress.gov | Library of Congress

H.R. 2824 will be taken up sometime after 12:00 P. M. today when the House begins its legislative business. H.R. 3080 passed a month or so ago.
Eric Cantor || Majority Leader || Floor Schedule

Since I don't know how much before 12:00 I will get my briefing done I want to mention this in case there were any comment or questions. This thread is a sister thread to my thread on Appalachia however it is partisan and I want to keep partisan arguments out of that one. While H. R. 3080 passed with practically a unanimous vote H. R. 2824 will most likely be a pure party line vote. I will explain the significance of that later. As always watch live at House of Representatives Live Video: HouseLive.gov.

 

[pvsi]

My chickens elected me to be the leader of the new world government:

I saw how American elections work - there are a few buttons that you can push for candidate this or candidate that, and I did not like it. Then I moved out to live in the national forest, where I keep chickens for entertainment. And I created a button with my name on it, and placed it near the chicken house. And every time the chickens stepped on the button, they voted for me.... Now I realize, that 30 or 40 million Americans who press the button for one of the establishment's predicted winners, are slightly more intelligent than my chickens who can only step on it, but nonetheless, I am the leader of the New World Government . net, and as an undisputed leader of the new world government, I will see to it that the people around the world, starting with America, have fair elections where they have to actually type in a candidates name that they want to vote for, and if they are incapable to type it in, they have absolutely no business voting, it is not a popularity contest. and because it is not a popularity contest, as in a referendum, they will each have one for as well as one against vote so that they can also vote against a candidate that the establishment media tells them in advance is one of the predicted winners. New World Government - an Alternative to the New World Order

 

[RandomVariable]

My chickens elected me to be the leader of the new world government:

I saw how American elections work - there are a few buttons that you can push for candidate this or candidate that, and I did not like it. Then I moved out to live in the national forest, where I keep chickens for entertainment. And I created a button with my name on it, and placed it near the chicken house. And every time the chickens stepped on the button, they voted for me.... Now I realize, that 30 or 40 million Americans who press the button for one of the establishment's predicted winners, are slightly more intelligent than my chickens who can only step on it, but nonetheless, I am the leader of the New World Government . net, and as an undisputed leader of the new world government, I will see to it that the people around the world, starting with America, have fair elections where they have to actually type in a candidates name that they want to vote for, and if they are incapable to type it in, they have absolutely no business voting, it is not a popularity contest. and because it is not a popularity contest, as in a referendum, they will each have one for as well as one against vote so that they can also vote against a candidate that the establishment media tells them in advance is one of the predicted winners. New World Government - an Alternative to the New World Order

Are your chickens partisan? Any voter fraud?
Oh my gosh I hate references!

 

[ScienceRocks]

Any if they're capable of critical thought...

 

[RandomVariable]

Given that I am out of time for working on this I am posting the rough draft. I will put in a summary post I hope. Another bill coming before the House today which I want to view. As preview to the follow allow me to give a little background. The Republican controlled House voted and passed the bill H. R. 2824. The vote was 229 to 192. The bill, if passed by the Senate, would allow coal companies to dump mountaintops torn off to retrieve coal and then dump the mountaintop into the valley bellow. The current rule states that there had to be a 100 ft buffer between the waste and the stream. The health consequences of people living downstream is currently well documented with the 100 ft buffer. Another consequence the enforcement H. R. 2824 would have is that no state could create its own standards for mountaintop mining. While Republicans were fully in support of H. R. 2824 which could have devastating health consequences they also supported H. R. 3080 which allocated billions to protect the environment for just these dangers. Apparently Republicans don't mind letting companies destroy the environment and letting taxpayers pick up the bill for the damage they do. One aspect which is rather disturbing is that the Republican controlled committees which are suppose to be protecting the environment are actually pushing these types of bills.

The video of yesterday's session is at LEGISLATIVE DAY OF MARCH 25, 2014 - Mar 25th, 2014.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some say that H. R. 2824 is a “blatant attempt to help out coal companies who want to blow up The Appalachian Mountains and dump their waste into streams.”(1) H. R. 2824 allows companies to “pollute thousands of miles of Appalachian headwater streams.”(1)

“The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council and our 100,000 members are pleased to support H.R. 2824 (2)”. “Coal is America s most abundant and affordable natural resource, and federal regulations aimed at thwarting the use of coal are downright foolish. (2)” “H.R. 2824 contains many important measures, including a provision that prohibits the Secretary of the Department of Interior from issuing new regulations affecting coal plants. (2)” “ A recent survey by SBE Council s Center for Regulatory Solutions found that Americans have no idea how the regulatory system works, and they feel they have no voice in the process: 64% of Americans said that regulations are created in a way that does not consider their real-world impact, 72% believe regulations are created in a closed, secretive process, and 68% believe regulations are created by out-of-touch people trying to push a political agenda. Overwhelmingly, Americans think regulation is hurting job creation, the economy, small business and our nation s competitiveness. (2)”

“Republican leaders in the House next week will call up several energy bills that Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said are a response to the rising cost of heating people's homes. (3)” “Another bill, the Preventing Government Waste and Protecting Coal Mining Jobs in America Act, H.R. 2824, would protect coal mining operations from what Cantor said is "excessive and unnecessary" federal regulation. The measure, from Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio), is a reaction to the Obama administration's effort to re-write coal mining rules. (3)”

Rep. Johnson's bill “prevents the Obama administration from imposing excessive, unnecessary regulations on coal-fired energy that will destroy jobs and drive costs up even further. (4)” “The bill is part of House Republicans’ jobs plan, which calls for an all-of-the-above energy policy to help create jobs, lower costs, support manufacturing, and boost economic growth. (4)” 7,000 jobs on the line. (4).

Rep. Mullin (R-OK) has spent the last two years investigating the Obama Administration on its policy on coal regulations (5).

The Committee on Natural Resources has examined approximately 30 hours of audio recordings from the Interior and has subponeaed addition material (6).

Under the current rule companies must leave 100 between a stream and the dumping mine waste (7).

Some Republicans would suggest that chopping off the top of a mountain and dumping it into the stream below has no impact on water quality (8). Passing H. R. 2824 would take away the state's right to set any standard above the federal levell (8).

H. R. 3080 was a bill to help clean up the toxic material in streams in West Virginia.

Speaking in support of H. R. 3080 Rep. Capito said that one facity in her district had not been inspected for over 2 decades (9). Odd how Republicans can say that they want less government and less regulation and then complain when it is not there.

Several organizations opposed H. R. 3080, see list after reference list (10).

“H.R. 3080 “authorizes the United States Army Corps of Engineers to carry out water resources development activities for the Nation, usually through cost-sharing partnerships with non-federal sponsors. *Activities include navigation, flood damage reduction, shoreline protection, hydropower, dam safety, water supply, recreation, environmental restoration and protection, and disaster response and recovery.* H.R. 3080 also makes fundamental reforms to the Corps of Engineers planning process, accelerates project delivery, empowers non-federal project sponsors, and strengthens congressional oversight.” (11)”

“H.R. 3080 would authorize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to construct water projects for mitigating storm and hurricane damage, restoring ecosystems, and improving flood management. The legislation also would authorize the agency to assist states and local governments with levee safety programs and to assist Indian tribes with planning and technical assistance for water resources projects. Finally, H.R. 3080 would direct the Corps to implement a pilot program to enter agreements with nonfederal partners to manage and construct certain projects. Those agreements would be subject to appropriation of all federal costs. Assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, including adjustments for anticipated inflation, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 3080 would cost about $3.5 billion over 2014-2018 period. Spending would continue for authorized projects after 2018, and CBO estimates that such spending would total $4.7 billion over the 2019-2023 period. (12)”

The fact that the government's ecology committees are for this is scary.

References:

1. appvoices.org/end-mountaintop-removal/oppose-hr-2824/
2. Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council
3. Cold snap prompts wave of energy bills | TheHill
4. Stopping The #WarOnCoal: Obama Admin Puts 7,000 Jobs at Risk | Speaker.gov
5. okenergytoday.com/?p=8074
6. Oversight: Obama Administration's Effort to Rewrite Regulations on Coal Production - House Committee on Natural Resources
7. theweekincongress.com/2014/03/06/h-r-2824-preventing-government-waste-and-protecting-coal-mining-jobs-in-america/
8.
9. [ame=http://youtu.be/xsnDEY-DwI4]Rep. Capito speaks on House floor about water emergency - YouTube[/ame]
10. Joint Letter to the House: Fiscal Conservative Groups Oppose H.R. 3080 | Taxpayers for Common Sense
11. H.R. 3080: Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013 - Legislative Digest - GOP.gov
12. H.R. 3080, Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013 - CBO


Organizations which opposed H. R. 3080:
Americans for Prosperity
Campaign for Liberty
Competitive Enterprise Institute
FreedomWorks
Heritage Action for America
Less Government
National Taxpayers Union
R Street Institute
Taxpayers for Common Sense
Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Company allegedly caught on film dumping coal ash into Ohio River | MSNBC
Ohio coal company dumps into Ohio river.

 

[kiwiman127]

The Party of God must of missed all the parts in the Bible damning those who destroy the environment. I must say I'm surprised and shocked.

 

[bendog]

Your fish must breed!

 

[Redfish]

The Party of God must of missed all the parts in the Bible damning those who destroy the environment. I must say I'm surprised and shocked.

It's "must HAVE missed". Is english grammar taught anywhere currently?