These are not the only good things that could be done, and new legislation may be introduced periodically throughout the session, but these are those most promising:
10.H.R. 106 -- Public Official Accountability Act
This bill provides for an extra two year penalty for any public elected or appointed official convicted of bribery, fraud, extortion, or theft of public funds greater than $10,000, not a mandatory, just an extra tool available to the judge.
9.H.R. 61 -- Coach Act of 2011
This bill is to amend title 5 of the United States Code, to require Federal employees to use coach-class air travel in the United States except in limited circumstances.
8. H.R. 54 -- Stand by your Oil Pollution Act or the STOP Act.
To amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to extend liability to corporations, partnerships, and other persons having ownership interests in responsible parties, make the corporations pay.
7. H.R. 47 -- Classified Information Accountability Act of 2011 or CIA Act.
This is legislation to provide a civil penalty for certain misrepresentations made to Congress by a person employed by the intelligence community, a $10,000 fine to be exact.
6.H.R. 109 -- To establish a national commission on presidential war powers and civil liberties.
This is a commission to investigate the broad range of executive branch national security policies undertaken since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, such as torture, wiretaps, etc, etc.
5. H.R.35 -- Teacher Tax Reduction Act of 2011
Allows teachers to take a $500 larger deduction for material they buy for their classrooms, the language is not very specific, it only says the deduction is for “certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers”, but it’s a good start.
I would like to see it expanded to upper level education too, but for now this is pretty advantageous.
(FULL DISCLOSURE: My wife is a community college teacher and so we value education and teachers a lot here, I may be biased in liking this legislation.)
4. H.R.29 -- To provide for the withdrawal of the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement.
This one is pretty self-explanatory, if you haven’t hard about the negative effects of NAFTA, you should have. Facts like in the US alone, more than 765,000 jobs have disappeared as a result of NAFTA. When these laid off workers find new jobs, they earn 23 percent less on average than at their previous employment, NAFTA hurts everyone.
3. H.R.32 -- Homeless Children and Youth Act of 2011
This bill is too amend the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to include youths and children…not sure why the Regan era legislators left them out.
2. HR 111: Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2011
This bill is to require a minimum standard of care by insurance companies for all persons with breast cancer, including extending the hospital stay to up to 48 hours if a doctor deems its needed and other benefits.
1. H.R. 36 -- Eating Disorders Awareness, Prevention, and Education Act of 2011.
This bill is to raise awareness of eating disorders and to create educational programs in schools to help students learn and avoid these devastating diseases. This is not the first time that the bills sponsor, Congresswoman Judy Biggert, has done some good things with her power, as this story shows.
And one that deserves an honorable mention, and all good internet users should look up is...
H.R. 96 -- Internet Freedom Act
This is to keep the FCC from further regulating the Internet.
So there it is, a summary of some of the most promising legislation in the House of Representatives.
