HEALTHCARE:
Nearly half of Obamacare exchanges are struggling over their future
“Nearly half of the 17 insurance marketplaces set up by the states and the District under President Obama’s health law are struggling financially, presenting state officials with an unexpected and serious challenge five years after the passage of the landmark Affordable Care Act. Many of the online exchanges are wrestling with surging costs, especially for balky technology and expensive customer-call centers — and tepid enrollment numbers. To ease the fiscal distress, officials are considering raising fees on insurers, sharing costs with other states and pressing state lawmakers for cash infusions. Some are weighing turning over part or all of their troubled marketplaces to the federal exchange, HealthCare.gov, which is now working smoothly. The latest challenges come at a critical time. With two enrollment periods completed, the law has sharply reduced the number of uninsured and is starting to force change in the nation’s sprawling health-care system. But the law remains highly controversial and faces another threat: The Supreme Court will decide by the end of June whether consumers in the 34 states using the federal exchange will be barred from receiving subsidies to buy insurance. If the court strikes down subsidies in the federal exchange, the states that are struggling financially might be less likely to turn over all operations to the federal marketplace because they want to make sure their residents don’t lose subsidies to help them buy insurance. If the court upholds subsidies for the federal exchange, some states may step up efforts to transfer operations to HealthCare.gov…”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/almost-half-of-obamacare-exchanges-are-struggling-over-their-future/2015/05/01/f32eeea2-ea03-11e4-aae1-d642717d8afa_story.html
Map: Where the roughly $5 billion in Obamacare aid to the states went
“Almost half the state health exchanges set up through Obamacare are struggling over their future, despite receiving billions of dollars in federal aid to gain their footing. For years now, the federal government has issued grants for research and development of state-based health exchanges. Seventeen marketplaces were set up in the states and D.C. Under federal law, all of them were supposed to be self-sustaining as of Jan. 1, but many are still trying to figure out how, as we reported this morning. In fact, those struggles prompted a warning from a federal watchdog this week. Without further federal guidance, state-based exchanges may be using aid intended for establishing state exchanges to keep them running, “contrary to law,” the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services warned on Wednesday. The 16 states and D.C. received about $4.2 billion of the nearly $5 billion of federal aid distributed, according to data collected by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Here’s how much each received:..”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2015/05/01/map-where-the-roughly-5-billion-in-obamacare-aid-to-the-states-went/
The week in Obamacare: Claw backs, SCOTUS, and flailing exchanges
“You’ll remember that the U.S. Congress, in all its reconciliated wisdom, passed Obamacare with language in it that indicates only exchanges built by states are eligible for subsidies. It was meant to incentivize states to build their own Obamacare exchanges because the federal government had neither the time nor competence to complete 50 exchanges in time to launch. As it turns out, almost no one wanted the job of building exchanges on the very short timeline the administration had given them, leaving the federal government with many exchanges to build on the timeline it had made devastatingly short for itself to shield it from the political unpopularity of Obamacare in an election year. Oops. Even in states most dedicated to building their own exchanges from Day One— Maryland and Oregon, for example—the product they created was expensive and dysfunctional to the point of uselessness. Since launch, Maryland and Oregon have enrolled precious few Americans in Obamacare (I believe Oregon maintains the record with a giant goose-egg), and have had to jettison their multi-million-dollar disasters and ask the federal government to take over. Those expensive failures of these states’ citizens may now signify another failure if the Supreme Court rules the law says what it says, and subsidies are indeed not to be distributed through a federal exchange. In failing to keep a state exchange at the very least limping along, states like Maryland and Oregon will have removed themselves from the subsidy pool. (There will likely be some kind of legislation to work around this and support those who will be counting on subsidies, but it remains to be seen what form it will take.) Meanwhile, limping exchanges in other states are dealing with, surprise, “unexpectedly” high costs for running, repairing, and recruiting to the exchanges. But they’re loathe to hand them over to the federal government for the reason mentioned above, as the Washington Post reports: Nearly half of the 17 insurance marketplaces set up by the states and the District under President Obama’s health law are struggling financially, presenting state officials with an unexpected and serious challenge five years after the passage of the landmark Affordable Care Act…”
http://hotair.com/archives/2015/05/01/the-week-in-obamacare-claw-backs-scotus-and-flailing-exchanges/
A promise made to repeal ObamaCare with reconciliation
“”There have never been 60 popularly elected Republican senators,” Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said in 2012 when discussing the prospects of repealing ObamaCare. “So whatever we’re able to do legislatively in the Senate, reconciliation becomes really important.” Blunt wasn’t advocating some radical course of action. Less than three years ago, the Republican Party went all-in on using the very same budget process Democrats used to pass ObamaCare to repeal the disastrous law. As Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) noted at the time, “To be able to really repeal this legislation, we need a new president and a new majority in the Senate, just to 51, to use the budget reconciliation process and keep the House.” Even 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney was on board! Yet despite having a solid game plan in hand, Republicans saw ObamaCare fade into the background as Romney’s record as governor of Massachusetts undermined what could have been his most effective argument. Two years later, however, Republicans put ObamaCare at the top of their agenda as they recaptured control of the U.S. Senate for the first time in eight years. At this point, it is worth recalling a promise Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) made in 2012 about repeal of ObamaCare: That’s the kind of measure that can be pursued with 51 votes in the Senate. And if I’m the leader of the majority next year, I commit to the American people that the repeal of ObamaCare will be job one. Even though President Obama still wields the veto pen, House and Senate Republicans can still begin the process of delivering on that promise. They should use reconciliation to send a repeal of ObamaCare to the president’s desk. The case for doing so is straightforward. First, forcing a presidential veto of a bill repealing ObamaCare will cause every presidential candidate to answer a simple question: What would you have done? Without exception, every candidate serious about securing the Republican nomination will answer: “I would have signed it in a heartbeat.”…”
http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/healthcare/240710-a-promise-made-to-repeal-obamacare-with-reconciliation
Why Medicare’s List Of Costly Drugs Is Kind Of Bogus
“No, the most expensive drug for the U.S. Medicare drug benefit program is not Nexium, the heartburn medicine – no matter what Medicare says. According to data released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last night – and put in a front-page story by the Wall Street Journal — providing Nexium to Medicare patients cost American taxpayers $2.5 billion in 2013. Yet AstraZeneca , Nexium’s maker, only booked $2.1 billion in sales for all of the U.S. – that includes not only Medicare, the health insurance program for the elderly, but also Medicaid, the program for the poor, people who have private sector health insurance, and the unlucky souls who pay for their drugs out of their own pockets. In reality, Medicare almost certainly spent less than $1 billion on Nexium. Update: CMS got back to me after this post saying that in 2011 Nexium ranked fourth by share of costs at $1.97 billion, and said the underlying data were similar to the current analysis. What gives? The answer is in the fine print. The data, part of a tremendous data dump from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on which physicians prescribe what drugs and how much it cost, don’t include rebates. These are big refunds that drug companies pay to insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid after medicines have been given to consumers. This matters, because, to the extent that the U.S. has any free market when it comes to the pricing of prescription drugs, that free market exists mostly in terms of these refunds that are paid after the fact. “This is a transparency initiative,” a Medicare spokesman wrote via email. “The data only presents one aspect of the delivery of care in the Medicare program — prescribing practices by physicians and other healthcare professionals for beneficiaries with Part D. And we’ve outlined and acknowledged the limitations of the data in the fact sheet and the data methodology.”…”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/matthewherper/2015/05/01/why-medicares-list-of-costly-drugs-is-kind-of-bogus/
Can we really trust Congress to pay for the Obamacare Medicaid expansion?
“Few of the promises made related to Obamacare have been kept: “If you like your healthcare plan you can keep your healthcare plan period”, “there will be no taxes for any family earning under $250,000”, “healthcare costs for families will be reduced by an average of $2,500,” and “Obamacare will cover the more than 30 million Americans who do not have access to insurance.” The notable success of Obamacare has been the growth in Medicaid enrollees -10 million concentrated in states that accepted the federal government’s incentives for expansion. But will the promise of continued federal funding for the expansion be kept? A report published April 9, 2015 by the Foundation for Governmental Accountability, the FGA, warns in its title: “Promises made, promises broken: State’s cannot trust Washington’s promise to fund Obamacare Medicaid expansion.” The FGA has few liberal friends, and the content of the report is unlikely to appear in the popular press. So, you get an opportunity to learn about it here. The report quotes former HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebilius as calling Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion “the most generous federal offer ever put on the table.” The expansion extends coverage to all individuals earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level. The federal government is obligated to cover the full cost of the expansion through 2016 and to ratchet down the portion it covers over the next 4 years to 90%, which it will them pay indefinitely…”
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/fieldclinic/Can-we-really-trust-Congress-to-pay-for-the-Obamacare-Medicaid-expansion.html
Almost 12 million gained Medicaid coverage under ObamaCare
“More than 11.7 million more people have health insurance through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance through ObamaCare, new data show. The new report from the Obama administration shows that as of the end of February, there were over 11.7 million more people enrolled in the programs compared to the period before October 2013, when ObamaCare’s coverage expansion went into effect. The numbers come on top of another 11.7 million people who signed up for private insurance through the law’s marketplaces. About 560,000 additional people were enrolled compared to the end of January. ObamaCare expanded eligibility for Medicaid, the government health insurance program for the poor, up to 138 percent of the poverty line, which is about $33,000 for a family of four…”
http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/240838-almost-12-million-gained-medicaid-coverage-under-obamacare
Jindal blasts Obama’s ‘Mafia-style’ tactics to expand Medicaid
“Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has joined the fray of Republicans siding with Florida Gov. Rick Scott in his battle with Obama over Medicaid spending. Scott filed a lawsuit against the Obama administration this week for allegedly threatening to withhold more than $2 billion in hospital money if Florida refuses to expand Medicaid under ObamaCare. “I’d call that kind of approach Mafia-style tactics, but to do so would be an insult to TV mob boss Tony Soprano,” Jindal wrote in an op-ed in the Orlando Sentinel…”
http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/240764-jindal-blasts-obamas-mafia-style-tactics-to-expand-medicaid
How Obamacare ls About to Change the Way You Order a Beer
“Obamacare is bringing calorie information to a restaurant near you later this year. Craft brewers and their restaurant partners just wish they knew about this earlier. Section 4205 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as Obamacare, was signed into law in 2010 and mandated the labeling of caloric content and nutritional information on menu items at chain restaurants with 20 locations by Dec. 1 of this year. Those menu requirements also extends to grocery stores and convenience stores offering prepared food, movie theaters, bowling alleys, ice cream shops, pizza parlors and amusement parks. Restaurants and brewers alike were under the impression alcoholic beverages including beer and wine would be exempted. As they found out in November, that wasn’t the case. The final rules presented by the Food and Drug Administration were vague, but excluded beers offered for limited runs of less than 60 consecutive days, test items offered for less than 90 consecutive days and beers that are on tap but not on the menu. It also excluded mixed drinks under a “food on display” provision. But it was clear that the caloric content and nutritional values for every size of every brand of beer and wine sold would need to be listed on menus by the FDA’s deadline. While some of that information exists in the Department of Agriculture’s Nutrient Database, there’s a very strong chance restaurants, brewers and vintners are going to have to dig for some of it themselves through lab testing not mandated by alcohol’s current government regulator, the Treasury Department’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association craft beer industry group, addressed the ruling at the Craft Brewers Conference in Portland, Ore., last month and said the FDA is expected to provide extra guidance on calorie thresholds, nutrition guidelines and penalties in mid-May, but concerns remain…”
https://www.mainstreet.com/article/how-obamacare-ls-about-to-change-the-way-you-order-a-beer
GOP prepares list of demands if justices rule against ObamaCare
“Republicans believe a Supreme Court ruling against ObamaCare this summer would give them leverage to force President Obama to scrap the healthcare law’s central pillars. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), who is leading the Senate GOP’s response to King v. Burwell, said Republicans will be willing to strike a deal with Obama to ensure that the 7.5 million people who stand to lose their subsidies are protected, at least until the 2016 elections. But in return, they would demand that Obama to do something he has long resisted: nix the employer and individual mandates for insurance coverage. “Is the president going to say, ‘Tough, I’m going to veto that?’ ” Barrasso said in an interview in his Dirksen office. “There will be, as part of that [deal], things we want to have happen.” The GOP is far from a consensus about how to react to a potential conservative victory in the case, just two months out from an expected ruling at the end of June. So far, Republicans have put forward more than a half-dozen proposals that they described as ObamaCare alternatives. The common thread in those plans is some kind of temporary aid for people who could lose their subsidies, which Barrasso said would be the crucial bargaining chip in a deal with Obama. But, in the event the justices rule against the Affordable Care Act, Democrats will offer a simpler solution — passing a bill to fix the few sentences of the statute that are under scrutiny. “The president can say, ‘Here’s our one-page bill,’ ” Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), who opposes the current congressional strategy, told a D.C. audience on Thursday. Unlike previous cases challenging the president’s authority to pass ObamaCare, King v. Burwell rests on a close reading of only a few words of the law’s text. That puts Republicans at risk of taking the blame for losing billions of dollars in healthcare subsidies if they can’t reach consensus on an alternative plan. “The president’s going to stand up and say, ‘Meet so-and-so who’s got cancer. Meet so-and-so who’s got diabetes,” Jindal, a longtime foe of the healthcare law, said. “And he’ll say, ‘These mean, stingy Republicans simply won’t make a one-page change in the law.”…”
http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/240734-gop-prepares-list-of-demands-id-hjustices-rule-against-obamacare
GOP preparing list of ObamaCare demands for White House if Supreme Court sides with them in subsidies case
“In other words, if SCOTUS rules in King v. Burwell, a.k.a. the Halbig case, that the text of the law makes federal subsidies available only to people who bought their plans on a state exchange, the GOP’s going to offer to pass a bill reinstating subsidies for the people who bought their plans on the federal exchange too — for a price. To which I say: Whatever. To borrow one of Ace’s favorite terms, this is more “failure theater.” Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), who is leading the Senate GOP’s response to King v. Burwell, said Republicans will be willing to strike a deal with Obama to ensure that the 7.5 million people who stand to lose their subsidies are protected, at least until the 2016 elections. But in return, they would demand that Obama to do something he has long resisted: nix the employer and individual mandates for insurance coverage. “Is the president going to say, ‘Tough, I’m going to veto that?’ ” Barrasso said in an interview in his Dirksen office…”
http://hotair.com/archives/2015/05/01/gop-preparing-list-of-obamacare-demands-for-white-house-if-supreme-court-sides-with-them-in-subsidies-case/
Bobby Jindal: GOP needs Obamacare replacement ‘today’
“Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said Friday that congressional Republicans need to present a replacement to Obamacare immediately, arguing it isn’t enough to fight for repeal or try to scrap parts of President Obama’s overhaul. Mr. Jindal, a Republican, said anti-Obamacare sentiment is why the GOP took control of Congress in the mid-term elections, but Americans will not trust the party unless it has ideas of its own. “We need to show what we would do differently,” he told the National Review’s Ideas Summit in Washington. The governor, who is term-limited and could run for president, noted he’s released a 16-point plan that gives the state flexibility to implement health programs and relies on market forces instead of insurance mandates. Congressional Republicans have bandied about several plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, but have not rallied around one or put it up for a vote. Mr. Jindal said the GOP needs to vote on a plan “today, not tomorrow.”…”
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/1/bobby-jindal-gop-needs-obamacare-replacement-today/
Tom Wolf, Pa. governor, says he’ll set up Obamacare exchange if Supreme Court strikes subsidies
“Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf told the Obama administration Friday his state would move to establish its own Obamacare marketplace if the Supreme Court invalidates vital subsidies in states that rely on the federal insurance exchange. Mr. Wolf, a Democrat, said a contingency plan is needed because hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians rely on the exchange subsidies to afford health care under the Affordable Care Act. “My letter does not mean that Pennsylvania must set up a state-based marketplace,” Mr. Wolf said. “However, it would be irresponsible not to have a plan in place to protect 382,000 people. I look forward to working with members of the legislature to advance this plan if necessary.” In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell, Mr. Wolf said his states would assume responsibility for the exchange while leveraging some of the “existing infrastructure” of the federal exchange. He designated the state insurance commissioner, Teresa Miller, as the point of contact for exchange plans. The justices will decide by June whether the administration is unlawfully doling out subsidies to at least 34 states that use the federal HealthCare.gov website…”
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/1/tom-wolf-pa-governor-says-hell-set-obamacare-excha/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS
Pennsylvania prepares backup plan for ObamaCare case
“Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) on Friday outlined a contingency plan for his state in case the Supreme Court guts ObamaCare. Wolf’s plan calls for Pennsylvania to set up its own insurance marketplace if the court rules against the Obama administration in the case King v. Burwell. The case could revoke subsidies that help 7.5 million people afford healthcare coverage, but only in the roughly three-dozen states relying on the federal marketplace. If Pennsylvania sets up its own marketplace, as 13 other states have, subsidies there would continue to flow. “In order to protect 382,000 Pennsylvanians from potentially losing subsidies that help them afford health care coverage, I have written to the federal government outlining a contingency plan to set up a state-based marketplace to ensure no one loses their health coverage,” Wolf said in a statement. Wolf’s Republican predecessor declined to set up a marketplace in the state, but Wolf, a Democrat, is far more willing to create one…”
http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/240797-pa-announces-back-up-plan-if-court-cripples-obamacare
Why the Supreme Court should strike down Obamacare subsidies: Column
A president can’t change the interpretation of laws when he doesn’t get his desired result
“Two questions will dictate not only the future of healthcare, but also the balance of power between Washington, D.C., and the states, and the separation of powers between the federal branches. One concerns state sovereignty, the other the heckler’s veto. When justices heard arguments regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA, or Obamacare) in King v. Burwell on March 4, Justice Anthony Kennedy and Chief Justice John Roberts suggested ways they might vote to uphold an Internal Revenue Service rule granting taxpayer subsidies to Obamacare exchange policies in states that refused to join that part of the ACA. The ACA’s Section 1401 provides that subsidies are granted for insurance policies purchased on exchanges “established by the State under (Section) 1311.” By contrast, the federal exchange is created by Section 1321. Challengers argue this was deliberate, pressuring states to create exchanges and join Obamacare, like the provision threatening states with canceling all Medicaid funds if they did not join the ACA’s expanded Medicaid. (The court struck down that part of the ACA in 2012 for coercing the states, violating the 10th Amendment.) The now-infamous videos of Dr. Jonathan Gruber corroborate this theory…”
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/04/30/obamacare-justices-exchange-heckler-column/26122911/
Morning Plum: Inside GOP’s strategy for coming war over Supreme Court’s Obamacare decision
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/05/01/morning-plum-inside-gops-strategy-for-coming-war-over-supreme-courts-obamacare-decision/
Kasich defend Medicaid expansion, Common Core standards
“Ohio Gov. John Kasich on Friday defended his decision to expand Medicaid under Obamacare and pushed back against the idea that Common Core education standards have allowed the federal government to have more control over the education system. Conservatives have criticized the Republican governors that have accepted the Medicaid money and for supporting Common Core. But Mr. Kasich, speaking at the National Review’s Ideas Summit in Washington, dismissed the criticism, saying that the mentally ill, drug addicted and working poor have benefits from the additional Medicaid funds. He also said that Common Core ensures high standards and that localities have control over school curriculum. “If I felt that this whole business was somehow connected to this town, I wouldn’t be for it,” Mr. Kasich said, alluding to Washington. “Because I favor local control.” “The governors, themselves, wrote the standards,” he said. “We’ve implemented the standards. I didn’t implement them. Obama didn’t implement them … The local school boards have adopted the standards and now the curriculum is being written by local school boards.”
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/1/kasich-defend-medicaid-expansion-common-core/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS
IMMIGRATION:
Constable Concerned about Increase of Illegal Crossers
He said the number people being caught is on the rise
“A Rio Grande Valley constable is concerned. He said the number of illegal crossers being caught by his precinct is picking up. The constable for Hidalgo County Precinct 3 said Anzalduas Park is starting to get busy again. He said this may be a sign of what is to come. Anzalduas Park was quiet on Thursday. No illegal crossers were in sight while CHANNEL 5 NEWS cameras were there. Lawmen assigned to patrol said the scene is different when the sun goes down. Precinct 3 Constable Larry Gallardo said in the last three months, he has caught more than 200 illegals. “It’s slowly increasing. One day, there may not be anything, another day it may be a lot, you know. Once the sun goes down, it seems like the smugglers are just bringing them across. Sometimes, we’ll have groups of 20 or groups of 10, but you know if you add them all up within a week’s period of time, all of us at every level of law enforcement. If you add all those numbers, it’s probably 500, 600, 700 coming across,” he said. Constable Gallardo said his priority is to keep the park safe. “It’s our job to keep them out of our park because you never know. You never know who’s going to come pick them up. Basically, if we’re able to detain them and turn them over to Border Patrol, it keeps them from going into the stash houses that are north of here and being kidnapped, ransomed, or being raped. … So, those are our concerns,” he said. Gallardo said his deputy constables are mostly coming across OTMs or other than Mexicans. Many are from China and Brazil. He said, “We keep hearing about another wave coming in like it happened last year. We’re just staying prepared. We’re working together with local state and federal law enforcement to be able to share information, that way we’re on top of this.”
Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley are also on high alert. Deborah Boyce said they are seeing a difference already in their numbers…”
http://www.krgv.com/news/local-news/constable-concerned-about-increase-of-illegal-crossers/32676732
Alejandro Mayorkas can’t recall Democrats seeking visa favors, only Republicans
“The deputy homeland security secretary said repeatedly Thursday that he couldn’t remember conversations in which he was accused of giving special treatment to high-profile Democrats seeking visas for wealthy foreign clients — but did say he could recall Republicans making the same kinds of inquiries. Alejandro Mayorkas, the deputy secretary whose previous tenure as the head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is under scrutiny, said when he did intervene in visa cases, it was to make sure his agency was following the law, not to give special treatment. Defending himself for the first time in public, weeks after a scathing inspector general’s report, the deputy secretary said he had taken steps to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest in the cases involving Democrats, but acknowledged a startling number of his own employees thought he broke ethics rules anyway. “I am responsible for the perception my employees have for the work I do, and I bear that responsibility, and I regret the perceptions my work created,” Mr. Mayorkas told the House Committee on Homeland Security, which called a hearing to look into accusations against the No. 2 man at the department. Among the accusations contained in a 99-page report from Inspector General John Roth are that Mr. Mayorkas intervened in three cases where he was lobbied by the high-profile Democrats. In each instance Mr. Mayorkas overruled his own career employees and gave favorable treatment to the Democrats‘ clients — treatment they would not have gotten had he stayed on the sidelines. “This is your day to respond to these accusations, sir,” said Rep. Michael T. McCaul, Texas Republican and the committee chairman…”
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/30/alejandro-mayorkas-cant-remember-democrats-seeking/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS
Immigration Fight Could Return to House This Month
“Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy opened his Friday memo to House members regarding May’s legislative agenda by quoting Steve Jobs and praising Republicans for the victories they’ve overseen in the first 100 days of the 114th Congress. But GOP success stories may be overshadowed later this month when Republicans again face one of the most politically dangerous and unforgiving issues for the party: immigration. In considering the fiscal 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, members could see a repeat of last year’s meltdown over Rep. Jeff Denham’s plans to offer as an amendment his so-called ENLIST Act, which would provide a legal-status pathway to certain undocumented immigrants in exchange for military service. In 2013, Denham, R-Calif., sought a vote on the ENLIST Act as an amendment to the fiscal 2014 NDAA, but agreed to withdraw it at the request of leadership and Judiciary Chairman Robert W. Goodlatte, R-Va. A year later, the controversy surrounding immigration policy and possible overhaul legislation became so untenable that by the time the fiscal 2015 NDAA came to the floor for consideration, leaders ruled the ENLIST Act as a non-germane amendment, bowing to threats from House Republicans that the underlying bill would go down if the language was included. This year, Denham tells CQ Roll Call he is working with leadership to ensure his amendment gets made in order during floor debate, which could happen within weeks. If not, Denham wants to see that his proposal is considered in some other capacity, perhaps as a standalone measure, or following a vote on a border-security bill sponsored by Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas. That bill stalled earlier this year. The all-night NDAA markup that lasted to early dawn Thursday raised red flags for the House Republican Conference’s anti-immigration-overhaul contingent. The panel adopted an amendment expressing the sense of the House that the Defense secretary should review whether undocumented immigrations eligible for President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program are also eligible for military enlistment. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, who has in the past three NDAA iterations forced floor votes to strip funding for DACA, slammed the amendment as one that “encourages the Secretary of Defense to find ways to enlist illegal immigrants granted amnesty under the President’s illegal and unconstitutional” DACA program. The president’s order stays the deportations of certain undocumented immigrants brought into the country illegally by their parents…”
http://blogs.rollcall.com/218/immigration-fight-return-house-month/?dcz=
Gutierrez, Tireless Champion of Obama’s Immigration Action
“Nearly 200 people packed into an auditorium at a Washington, D.C., high school Thursday night to witness Rep. Luis Gutierrez do what he perhaps does best. The Illinois Democrat was there as a teacher and advocate, informing them about President Obama’s immigration executive actions, and the audience of mostly Latino Spanish speakers was eager to hear his message. Before he arrived – nearly a half-hour late thanks to an extended voting session in the House – the crowd chanted: “Hey hey, ho ho, these deportations got to go” and “Sí, se puede” (Yes, we can). When Gutierrez arrived, he received a long, enthusiastic standing ovation. His speech, which he called the highlight of his week in D.C., focused both on the big picture of immigration reform, and the minutiae of Obama’s executive actions from last November, which would make deportation of convicted felons a priority but also provide a path for up to 5 million people already in the country to apply for temporary protected status. Gutierrez talked about his parents’ immigration story and about the continuing effort for comprehensive immigration reform. He also told the crowd precisely who would qualify under the executive actions, and exactly what documents they would need and what steps they must take to be ready to apply – though a court injunction is currently stopping the government from moving forward as planned earlier this year. This rally was the 20th on Gutierrez’s “Immigration Action National Tour,” which in the past four months has taken him to every corner of the country – last weekend he was in Washington state and Oregon, this weekend he will be in Miami. At these community events, Gutierrez (often joined by Democratic colleagues from the House and other politicians and activists) does exactly what he did Thursday night: talk about the big picture, and educate people on how the president’s announced changes will affect them personally. “It’s a huge task and the more people know, the earlier they know it, the better prepared they will be to take advantage,” the 12-term congressman told RealClearPolitics. “It’s my responsibility not only to demand action here in Washington, D.C., but to ensure to the best of my ability that it is implemented as broadly and as widely and as generously as possible.” Most of the events include volunteers, called “family defenders,” who are trained to help individuals figure out whether they qualify for these programs and exactly what documentation they need to prove their status. The programs are an expansion of DACA – the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, enacted in 2012 – and a similar program for the undocumented parents of citizens or lawful permanent residents. To qualify, however, they must have been in the country more than five years, pay taxes and complete a background check. They need ID cards, birth certificates and bills or other paperwork certifying how long they’ve been in the country, which are often difficult to track down. The applications themselves aren’t going forward at this point, however, as a federal judge issued an injunction on the programs after attorneys general in Texas and more than 20 other states sued the federal government. That has thrown a wrench into Gutierrez’s plans to educate people about the programs, forcing him to also explain the court process and if and when the programs may begin…”
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2015/05/01/gutierrez_tireless_champion_of_obamas_immigration_action_126456.html
ESTABLISHMENT GOP WANTS TO PROVIDE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WITH DRIVER’S LICENSES
“Establishment Republicans are now championing getting illegal immigrants driver’s licenses. At the Eastern Indoor Swapmeet Las Vegas, the LIBRE Initiative, a group funded by the Koch brothers, was attempting to help 250 Latinos, some of whom were illegal immigrants, to pass the Nevada driver’s test. The LIBRE Initiative now has tentacles in nine states, and in Las Vegas they ran a four-hour test prep session so Latinos could learn the laws for driving in Spanish. What seems counter-intuitive is that the Koch brothers support GOP candidates who oppose citizenship for illegal immigrants. If illegal immigrants gain driver’s licenses, it could well undermine the nation’s security, as the 9/11 Commission pointed out, asserting, “Secure identification should begin in the United States. The federal government should set standards for the issuance of birth certificates and sources of identification, such as drivers licenses. Fraud in identification documents is no longer just a problem of theft. At many entry points to vulnerable facilities, including gates for boarding aircraft, sources of identification are the last opportunity to ensure that people are who they say they are and to check whether they are terrorists.” LIBRE also gives Latinos tax preparation help, health checkups, scholarships, and free food, on the one hand, but also runs ads supporting the “free market,” smaller government, and school choice. Some of its representatives appear on Spanish-language news stations to speak of “self-reliance.” Daniel Garza, executive director of LIBRE, points out that his group tells Latinos that a higher minimum wage might hurt them because it will impinge on businesses. Some Democrats profess alarm over the inroads LIBRE is making in the Latino community; The Latino Victory Fund, supported by Democratic activists, has scheduled a Washington meeting next week to figure out how to address the supposed inroads LIBRE is making for the GOP. Cristóbal Alex, president of the Victory Fund, said LIBRE “talks about immigration in a positive way” but “is really doing work on behalf of the Koch brothers, who put huge money behind candidates against immigration reform.” LIBRE has received $10 million in the last four years from Freedom Partners, a nonprofit group funded by the Koch brothers and other conservative donors. David Damore, from the leftist Brookings Institution, said Libre’s success depends on how the GOP handles immigration, stating, “Very few people listen to you if you say you want to deport you and your family.” He added that LIBRE’s strategy is not to win the Latino vote, “just not losing it 3 to 1,” which the GOP did in 2012…”
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/05/01/establishment-gop-wants-to-provide-illegal-immigrants-with-drivers-licenses/
REPORT: ONE IN FOUR YOUNG CHILDREN HAVE IMMIGRANT PARENTS
“Of the 23 million children under the age of six in the U.S., one in four have immigrant parents according to a new Migration Policy Institute report. The children of immigrants also also account for the net growth in that under five age group since 1990, the report indicated, with the young children of immigrants population doubling in that time from 2.9 million to 5.8 million by 2011-2013. “Nearly all young children from immigrant families are born in the United States (96 percent) and are therefore U.S. citizens with rights to access full social, health, and other benefits. The rest (4 percent) are immigrants themselves,” the report notes. According to the MPI’s report — which primarily aimed to look at the early childhood education and care (ECEC) needs for these children and immigrant ECEC workforce — the children of immigrants “not surprisingly” are mostly concentrated in high immigrant states. “California is home to one-quarter (close to 1.4 million) of the nation’s young children of immigrants… Four other states—Texas (747,000), New York (480,000), Florida (390,000), and Illinois (262,000)—account for another one-third of young children from immigrant families,” the report reads. The report comes following a recent Center for Immigration Studies analysis of government data, which revealed that the Immigrant population in the US. will hit its highest percentage ever by 2023. In eight years, CIS reported one in seven U.S. residents or 51 million people will be foreign-born…”
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/05/01/report-one-in-four-young-children-have-immigrant-parents/
Man sentenced for making counterfeit IDs for immigrants
“Prosecutors say a Louisiana man has been sentenced to 13 months in prison after selling counterfeit immigration papers to illegal immigrants in southern Mississippi. The Sun Herald (http://bit.ly/1KyTma6 ) reports 27-year-old Pedro Alberto Perez Perez pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of counterfeit documents April 21 in Gulfport. Court records show Perez Perez met with customers who wanted to buy a car stereo, a code he used with clients seeking false documents. He agreed to make counterfeit documents for confidential informants several times, selling them for $250 apiece. An investigation began in May 2013 and authorities tracked the sales of the IDs to informants last year…”
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/1/man-sentenced-for-making-counterfeit-ids-for-immig/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS
Koch brothers make push to court Latinos, alarming many Democrats
“For Republicans, the road to warming the hearts and winning the votes of Latinos may begin at a Las Vegas flea market. On a recent morning, inside the Eastern Indoor Swapmeet Las Vegas, a group funded by the billionaire Koch brothers helped 250 Latinos — some of them undocumented immigrants — pass the Nevada driver’s test. The LIBRE Initiative, an expanding grass-roots organization now operating in nine states, organized the four-hour test prep session to teach the rules of the road in Spanish — no tome y maneje (no drinking and driving), el límite de velocidad es sesenta y cinco millas por hora (the speed limit is 65 miles per hour). Paula Hernandez, 46, an undocumented restaurant supervisor from Mexico, was one of those sitting on folded chairs, listening. She has worked in the United States for 25 years and gave birth to three children here. She has never heard of the Koch brothers or LIBRE but said the free classes were a “great help,” particularly because nobody else is lending her a hand. “President Obama promised to do more for us, and it just didn’t happen,” she said. To Republicans, that sounds like an opportunity — even though the Koch brothers and their conservative allies spend a great deal of their money supporting Republican candidates who oppose citizenship for undocumented immigrants…”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/conservatives-including-the-koch-brothers-go-after-the-latino-vote/2015/04/30/10732074-101e-4845-936b-77ccd3c45cd2_story.html
Rubio: ‘There Is No Right to Illegally Immigrate’
“Senator Marco Rubio is “increasingly optimistic” that he’ll win the 2016 presidential election, but he understands that he’ll have to overcome the conservative frustration with his work on the “Gang of Eight” immigration bill to do so. “You don’t have a right to illegally immigrate here,” the Florida Republican said during a discussion with NR’s Jim Geraghty at the National Review Institute’s Ideas Summit in Washington, D.C. this morning. Rubio made the statement while discussing changes that he would make to the Gang of Eight bill if he were to take on immigration as president. “And one of the problems I have with the groups out there that are advocating for immigration reform, some of them, is they approach this debate with the argument that they have a right to be here,” he said. “It’s not a right . . . there is no right to illegally immigrate anywhere in the world.” Rubio said that President Obama’s executive orders on immigration created a magnet for illegal immigration and exacerbated the border crisis, making it necessary to secure the border and take other steps to prevent illegal immigration. With that accomplished, he supports requiring illegal immigrants who have been in the country for at least 10 years to pay a fine, go through a background check, and learn English…”
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/417778/rubio-there-no-right-illegally-immigrate-joel-gehrke
Rubio: Illegal Immigrants Have No ‘Right’ To Live Here
“GOP presidential candidate Marco Rubio said Friday no one has a “right” to live or immigrate to the United States. “You don’t have a right to illegally immigrate here,” the Republican senator said at a National Review Institute event, saying he has a problem with immigration reform advocates who say people in the country illegally have a right to stay. “It’s not a right,” he added. “What you are appealing to is the best interest of the country. You are appealing to our morality as people. But you can’t appeal to a right. There is no right to illegally immigrate anywhere in the world.” Attorney General Loretta Lynch, although she stopped short of saying illegal immigrants have a right to be in the country, said in her Senate confirmation hearing that those already here do have a “right and obligation” to work…”
http://dailycaller.com/2015/05/01/rubio-illegal-immigrants-have-no-right-to-live-here/
Marco Rubio Courts Right on Iran and Immigration
http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/05/01/marco-rubio-courts-right-on-iran-and-immigration/?_r=0
Bush: Obama “Doesn’t Want Immigration Reform”
“Jeb Bush warned Thursday that President Obama and Democrats would rather keep immigration reform as a political wedge issue than solve the problem — and that Republicans will always lose the political argument on immigration if the dynamic persists. “By doing nothing, you have two things that happen, at least in the age of Obama,” the former Florida governor said during a National Review event in Washington, D.C. “You have a president who uses this … as a wedge issue, and we always lose. “Delaying this is what [Obama] wants,” Bush added. “He doesn’t want immigration reform.” As Bush has traveled the country in preparation for a likely bid for president, he has been among the most vocal Republicans pushing for comprehensive immigration reform, even though the issue is anathema to some staunch conservatives. That divide within the party played out as Bush discussed immigration reform onstage with National Review Editor Rich Lowry. The publication has been critical of Bush’s immigration stance, and a National Review headline from earlier this year asked: “Is Jeb Bush too enthusiastic about immigration?” “I just think you’re wrong on immigration, to be honest with you, and you think I’m wrong,” Bush conceded to Lowry. “So, I respect you for it.” Bush also disagreed with a remark by his likely opponent for the Republican nomination, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who recently promoted a “legal immigration system that’s based, first and foremost, on protecting American workers and American wages,” which many took to mean Walker would limit legal immigration as president. But, Bush said: “I don’t think it’s a zero sum game. It’s the wrong approach.” Bush has pushed for a legal immigration system that would encourage economic immigrants, likening it to football teams with top picks in the NFL draft. “If we fix the legal part that is not working, we can grow our economy far faster, and we would be younger and more dynamic,” Bush added. “The world that some argue for is the world of declining population. It’s the world of Japan. It’s the world of Europe. I reject that.”…”
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2015/05/01/bush_obama_doesnt_want_immigration_reform.html
Hispanic Evangelical leaders see Jeb Bush as a ‘favorite’ who ‘gets it’
“He speaks Spanish fluently. He has a Latina wife and children. He was governor of the state of Florida. Simply put, Hispanic Evangelical leaders see Jeb Bush as authentic — and that already makes him a favorite of theirs, if and when he decides to run for president in 2016. “Wow, this is somebody who gets it,” said Rev. Tony Suarez, Executive Vice President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, described as the largest annual gathering of its kind in the country. Suarez, who commented after listening to Bush deliver his keynote address at the conference, held this week in Houston, said: “He spoke our language and it was just incredible, the buzz and energy. He’s definitely a favorite.” Bush seemed to make a positive impression at the conference, which drew several hundred Hispanic Evangelical leaders. During the speech, Bush reportedly “moved seamlessly” from English to Spanish discussing education, Israel, and immigration saying that 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country illegally should have an opportunity to stay…”
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2015/05/01/hispanic-evangelical-leaders-see-jeb-bush-as-favorite-who-gets-it/
Jindal: US immigration system ‘backwards’
“Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.) on Friday said U.S. immigration policies must totally reverse course, calling for changes to attract skilled legal immigrants and ensure border security. “Our immigration system is exactly backwards,” said Jindal, a possible 2016 GOP contender, during the National Review’s NRI Ideas Summit in Washington, D.C. “We have an immigration system with a low wall and a narrow gate,” he continued. “We need one with a high wall and a broad gate.” Jindal said the “low wall” referred to America’s porous borders and called illegal immigration a major security failure of President Obama’s. “What’s the point of barbed wire if the gate stays open?” Jindal asked. “What I want today is for the federal government to secure the border,” he added. “It is not hard. It is not incredibly difficult.” Jindal’s “broad gate” is greater access to citizenship for legal immigrants. He argued that turning talented foreigners into Americans would make the country stronger. “I do think we need to increase the number of people coming in through the front door,” he said. “One of the dumbest things we do right now is the number of people with advanced degrees we kick out to go and compete for other countries,” Jindal said of immigration policies. “How does that make sense?” he asked. “There is nothing wrong with saying we only want you in our country if you want to be an American,” Jindal, whose parents were immigrants, added. “This is a great, great place,” he said. “A part of that is assimilation and integration.”…”
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/240781-jindal-us-immigration-system-backwards
CHRIS CHRISTIE OUTLINES PRINCIPLES ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
“Speaking to the Northern Virginia Technology Council, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie outlined his understanding of illegal immigration. One member of the audience asked Christie about immigration reform, claiming it is “a real friend” to the technology industry. Christie did not provide a detailed policy agenda for immigration reform, but instead outlined two principles he believed were important to start any conversation. First, he explained, the illegal immigrants currently in the United States would not “self deport” and that there weren’t enough law officials to deport them all. “I can tell you that there are not enough law enforcement officers at the local, county, state, and federal level to be able to forcibly deport people who are here in an undocumented status,” he said, pointing to his record as a former U.S. Attorney in New Jersey. Christie explained that he didn’t believe in a wall or a fence across the entire southern border, calling it “too expensive” and “inefficient.” “I tell you I’ve never found a wall or fence that people if their filled with the human will, can’t find a way under, over or around,” he said. Christie also pointed to employers who hired illegal workers, insisting that they should be held accountable for their actions. “Quite frankly, employers are a huge part of this problem,” he said, calling for a stronger E-verify system….”
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/05/01/chris-christie-outlines-principles-on-illegal-immigration/
SPENDING/BUDGET/ECONOMY:
House passes 2016 energy spending bill
“The House passed its second 2016 appropriations bill on Friday, this time to fund the Department of Energy and water infrastructure projects. Passed 240-177 along party lines, the measure would provide $35.4 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Energy and nuclear weapons programs. The measure provides $1.2 billion more than the current enacted spending level, but $633 million less than what the Obama administration requested. Friday’s vote marked the second passage of a fiscal 2016 appropriations bill in as many days. The House passed its first 2016 spending bill of the year Thursday evening that would provide $77 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs and military construction projects. The bill would also support the Yucca Mountain nuclear repository and deny an Obama administration proposal for non-Yucca nuclear waste activities. In total, the measure provides $150 million for the Nuclear Waste Disposal Program. Members rejected by voice vote an amendment from Rep. Joe Heck (R-Nev.) to eliminate all funding in the bill for Yucca Mountain. President Obama issued a veto threat against the legislation, warning it “drastically underfunds” energy programs. The Obama administration also objected to a provision in the bill that prohibits the Army Corps of Engineers from enforcing its ban on guns at water resources development projects. Lawmakers considered the legislation under a freewheeling process that allowed an unlimited number of amendments, with debate continuing past midnight into Friday morning. The House adopted an amendment from Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) late Thursday night that would prohibit the use of funds to enforce energy efficiency standards for incandescent light bulbs. The Texan likened the energy conservation measure to an issue of individual liberty. “We should not be forcing these light bulbs on the American public,” Burgess said. “The bottom line is the federal government has no business taking away the freedom of Americans to choose what bulbs to put in their homes.” But Democrats said that energy-efficient bulbs cost less in the long run. “They are the same as the old bulbs, except they last longer, use less electricity and save consumers money,” said Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio)…”
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/240766-house-passes-16-spending-bill-for-energy-department
HERITAGE: ENERGY AND WATER APPROPRIATIONS BILL SPENDS TOO MUCH, OVERREACHES
“The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill Friday morning to provide more than $35 billion dollars in federal funding for fiscal year 2016 for nuclear and environmental weapons activities, Army Corps of Engineers, and the Department of Energy. The Heritage Foundation recently spoke out against the high dollar spending. “While the bill includes a number of policy riders, the increase in spending is excessive,” wrote research fellow John Gray. “A number of programs with poor track records or missions well beyond the scope of the federal government continue to receive funding, and some even receive increased funding. In other cases, the bill reduces spending for programs that should be eliminated.”…”
<a href="http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/05/01/heritage-energy-and-water-appropri