Congressional legislation, June 27, 2016 – July 1, 2016
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This week on Capitol Hill, the United States Senate failed to pass legislation with the purpose of fighting Zika, a mosquito-borne virus that can cause paralysis and severe birth defects. Senate Democrats and Republicans were able to come together to pass a debt relief plan for Puerto Rico, and President Barack Obama quickly signed off on the plan. The United States House of Representatives was not in session this week.
June 27, 2016
Senate
- The Senate unanimously voted to confirm Robert F. Rossiter Jr., of Nebraska, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Nebraska.
June 28, 2016
Senate
- Key vote: The Senate rejected legislation that proposed providing $1.1 billion to fight Zika, a mosquito-borne virus that can cause paralysis and severe birth defects, by a vote of 52-48. Sixty votes were needed to move forward with the legislation. Democrats opposed the legislation because it would have denied new funding to Planned Parenthood clinics in Puerto Rico for birth control, and it would have eased the requirements on spraying pesticides to kill mosquitoes. The House passed the legislation on June 23, 2016.
June 29, 2016
Senate
- Key vote: The Senate passed S 2328 - the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act or PROMESA by a vote of 68-30. The legislation proposed a plan to help Puerto Rico address its debt crisis “by establishing an oversight board, a process for restructuring debt, and expedited procedures for approving critical infrastructure projects.” It passed the House on June 9, 2016.
- President Barack Obama praised Congress for passing the legislation in the following statement: “I commend Democrats and Republicans in the Senate for voting to address the economic crisis in Puerto Rico, providing the support it needs to restructure its debt, safeguard vital public services, and provide protection to public pensions. This bill is not perfect, but it is a critical first step toward economic recovery and restored hope for millions of Americans who call Puerto Rico home. I look forward to signing the bill into law, and remain committed to working with Congress and the people of Puerto Rico to return to lasting economic growth and opportunity.”
June 30, 2016
White House
- President Barack Obama signed the following into law:
- Key law: S 2328 - Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act or PROMESA. The bill laid out a plan to help Puerto Rico address its debt crisis “by establishing an oversight board, a process for restructuring debt, and expedited procedures for approving critical infrastructure projects.”
- Key law: S 337 - FOIA Improvement Act of 2016. The law amends the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by “requiring Federal agencies to make certain records available for public inspection in an electronic format; and requiring the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with the Attorney General, to ensure the operation of an online portal that would allow FOIA requests to be submitted to any Federal agency through a single website.”
July 1, 2016
- No legislative roll call votes were held.
