Invasive Plants, Tax Credit for Commuting, Background Checks & Homeless Shelters: July 30, 2008

On the Senate side, here is a bi-partisan bill to get rid of invasive plants that are hurting the fish and wildlife in many areas of the country:

By Mr. NELSON (D-FL)(for himself, Ms. STABENOW (D-MI), Ms. COLLINS (R-ME) , Mr. CARDIN (D-MD), and Mr. MARTINEZ (R-FL)):
S. 3366. A bill to protect, conserve, and restore native fish, wildlife, and their natural habitats at national wildlife refuges through cooperative, incentive-based grants to control, mitigate, and eradicate harmful nonnative plant species, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Source: GPO [S7780]

A couple interesting bills in the House, the first would surely be appreciated by many working citizens, but the question is how to pay for it. The second bill deals with providing incentives to build homeless shelters. The last one makes a lot of sense to me, requiring background checks for anyone who will need a firearm.

By Mr. CAMPBELL (R-CA) (for himself, Mr. SHADEGG (R-AZ), Mr. PENCE (R-IN), Mr. FEENEY (R-FL), Mr. BROUN (R-GA), Mr. LAMBORN (R-CO), Mr. DAVIS (R-KY), Mr. CHABOT (R-OH), Mrs. BACHMANN (R-MN), Mr. BARTLETT (R-MD), Mr. DAVID DAVIS (R-TN), Mr. DOOLITTLE (R-CA), Mr. WALBERG (R-MN), Mr. KUHL (R-NY), Mr. BARRETT (R-SC), Mr. GOODE (R-VA), Mrs. MYRICK (R-NC), Mr. KLINE (R-MN), Mrs. MUSGRAVE (R-CO), Mrs. SCHMIDT (R-OH), Mr. BISHOP (R-UT), Mr. LATTA (R-OH), Mr. POE (R-TX), Mrs. BLACKBURN (R-TN), Ms. FOXX (R-NC), Mr. GINGREY (R-GA), Mr. WESTMORELAND (R-GA), Mr. MCHENRY (R-NC), and Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN (R-CA)):
H.R. 6667. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a deduction for the cost of fuel used for commuting to and from work whether or not the taxpayer itemizes other deductions; to the Committee on Ways and Means. Source: GPO [H7628]

By Mr. JEFFERSON (D-LA):
H.R. 6674. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide incentives for building homeless shelters in areas warranting assistance due to incidents of national significance; to the Committee on Ways and Means. Source: GPO [H7628]

By Mrs. McCARTHY (D-NY)(for herself, Mr. Kirk (R-IL), Mr. Conyers (D-MI), Mr. Moran (D-VA), Mr. Shays (R-CT), Mr. Rangel (D-NY), Mr. Castle (R-DE), Mr. Rothman (D-NJ), and Mr. Kennedy (D-RI)):
H.R. 6676. A bill to amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to require background checks for employees authorized to possess or transfer firearms or ammunition in the course of a licensed firearms business; to the Committee on the Judiciary. Source: GPO [H7628]