Congressional Dish

No one really tried to avert the sequester, the House of Representatives travels in style, and something good actually happened this week in Congress.   Sequester Here is a rundown of what kind of effort each division of Congress put forth to try to avert the sequester. Senate Democrats offered S. 388: The American Family Economic Protection Act of 2013 Freezes the sequester, keeping the budget the same for 2013. Lowers the spending caps from the Budget Control Act, totaling $39 billion in future spending (not a cut) Eliminates direct payments to farmers for peanuts, sugarcane, and sugar beets Protects other agricultural programs by making them mandatory spending, extending their funding, or exempting them from sequestration. Increases taxes on earnings over $1,000,000 to 30% starting in 2014 Eliminates tax deductions for business expenses relating to moving a business out of the United States Defines bitumen products (tar sands) as oil so that it can be taxed as oil This bill failed to pass the Senate; Re