Credit Card Ratings, Child Marriage, Tax on Single-Use Bags and Selecting Programs Your Taxes Go To

Here are several interesting bills from the last week:

This first one seems like a pretty good idea - coming up with standard rating system from credit cards to help consumers weed out the shady card companies.

By Mr. WYDEN (D-OR):
S. 900. A bill to require the establishment of a credit card safety star rating system for the benefit of consumers, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.


Another good idea to treat physical activities same as medical care in terms of tax and credits.

By Mr. KIND (D-WI) (Mr. BRADY (R-TX), Mr. BLUMENAUER (D-OR), and Mr. WAMP (R-TN):
H.R. 2105. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to treat certain amounts paid for physical activity, fitness, and exercise as amounts paid for medical care; to the Committee on Ways and Means.


Interesting bill with good motive, but how the heck would we be able to enforce?

By Ms. MCCOLLUM (D-MN) (for herself, Mrs. CAPPS (D-CA), Ms. CORRINE BROWN (D-FL), Ms. JACKSON-LEE (D-TX), Mr. OBERSTAR (D-MN), Ms. LEE (D-CA), Mrs. MALONEY (D-NY), Ms. WATSON (D-CA), Mrs. TAUSCHER (D-CA), Mr. HONDA (D-CA), Mr. HINCHEY (D-NY), Mr. MOORE (D-KS), Mr. MCGOVERN (D-MA), Mr. BISHOP (D-GA), Mr. MORAN (D-VA), Mr. ELLISON (D-MN), Mr. FILNER (D-CA), Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (D-TX), Ms. DELAURO (D-CA), Mr. CARNAHAN (D-MO), Mr. FARR (D-CA), Ms. ESHOO (D-CA), Mr. MCNERNEY (D-CA), Ms. SCHAKOWSKY (D-IL), Mr. WALZ (D-MN), Mr. CROWLEY (D-NY), Mr. HASTINGS (D-FL), and Ms. MOORE (D-WI)):
H.R. 2103. A bill to protect girls in developing countries through the prevention of child marriage, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.


I imagine the environmentalists will love this bill:

By Mr. MORAN (D-VA):
H.R. 2091. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose a retail tax on single-use carryout bags, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.


Finally, I don't see this bill going anywhere - basically opens the door to each person deciding what they put their tax dollar to.

By Mr. LEWIS (D-GA) (for himself, Mr. OBERSTAR (D-MN), Mr. ELLISON (D-MN), Mr. STARK (D-CA), Mr. MCDERMOTT (D-WA), Mr. PAYNE (D-NJ), Mr. RUSH (D-NJ), Mr. FATTAH (D-PA), Ms. BALDWIN (D-WI), Mr. MCGOVERN (D-MA), and Mr. HOLT (D-NJ)):
H.R. 2085. A bill to affirm the religious freedom of taxpayers who are conscientiously opposed to participation in war, to provide that the income, estate, or gift tax payments of such taxpayers be used for nonmilitary purposes, to create the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund to receive such tax payments, to improve revenue collection, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Test Message Spam & Industrial Hemp - April 2009

The U.S. Congress is still on recess and return next Monday, April 20th. Here are two bills introduced before they left on recess that caught my eye.

I am all for both of these pieces of legislation and am happy to see both have bipartisan support:

By Ms. SNOWE (R-ME) (for herself and Mr. NELSON (D-FL)):

S. 788. A bill to prohibit unsolicited mobile text message spam; to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Source GPO Page: S4309)



By Mr. PAUL (R-TX) (for himself, Ms. BALDWIN (D-WI), Mr. CLAY (D-MO), Mr. FRANK (D-MA), Mr. GRIJALVA (D-AZ), Mr. HINCHEY (D-NY), Mr. MCCLINTOCK (R-CA), Mr. GEORGE MILLER (D-CA), Mr. ROHRABACHER (R-CA), Mr. STARK (D-CA) and Ms. WOOLSEY (D-CA)):

H.R. 1866. A bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act to exclude industrial hemp from the definition of marihuana, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. (Source GPO Page: H4518)