The day-to-day partisan battles of Capitol Hill may occupy the airwaves, but those interested in actual policy are also going online to read the bills their members of Congress are fighting about. Each week, THOMAS.gov, the Library of Congress website devoted to tracking legislation, compiles a list of the top-searched legislative items for the past seven days. Though last week's top ten for the most part included bills related to economic matters, this week's list includes more diverse fare, including bills focusing on campaign finance, the environment, and Internet gambling.
Below are last week's ten most-searched bills on THOMAS.gov, according to data compiled by THOMAS on August 1.
1. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590)
Previous ranking: 2
Sponsor: Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY)
More commonly known as the healthcare reform bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act became law on March 23, 2010, after months of partisan wrangling. Among its many provisions, this act imposes an individual mandate to obtain health insurance and prohibits insurers from denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
2. Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2010 (H.R. 4899)
Previous ranking: 6
Sponsor: Sen. David Obey (D-WI)
Also known as the "Disaster Relief and Summer Jobs Act of 2010," this bill includes a host of proposed spending for a variety of purposes, including $5.1 billion to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for disaster-related audits and investigations and $37 billion to support the war effort in Iraq. The Supplemental Appropriations Act was signed into law by President Obama on July 29.
3. Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010 (H.R. 4173)
Previous ranking: 3
Sponsor: Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA)
The Restoring American Financial Stability Act was signed by Obama on July 21, six months after its initial introduction. Also known as the financial regulatory reform bill, this bill is intended to address the causes of the 2008 economic crisis. It aims to create a watchdog council at the Federal Reserve and also to mitigate the dangers of "too-big-to-fail" financial institutions by providing a way to liquidate failed firms.
4. Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010 (H.R. 4213)
Previous ranking: 1
Sponsor: Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY)
This bill, which President Obama signed into law on July 22, went through several versions and was known by several names, including the "American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act" and "Tax Extenders Act." In its final version, the bill establishes the long-awaited extension of unemployment benefits until the end of November 2010, as well as a provision establishing retroactive payment of benefits to those whose benefits had recently expired.
5. Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010 (H.R. 5297)
Previous ranking: 7
Sponsor: Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA)
The Small Business Jobs and Credit Act includes provisions to establish a $30 billion fund to increase loan availability to small businesses, as well as an initiative to help fund states' lending programs. This bill passed the house in June and is currently being debated in the Senate.
6. Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources (CLEAR) Act of 2009 (H.R. 3534)
Not on list last week.
Sponsor: Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV)
The CLEAR Act was introduced as a response to the BP oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico and aims to increase accountability in the management of mineral and energy resources. The bill, which passed the House last week, would establish new Interior Department agencies to enforce safety and environmental standards around energy production, as well as to regulate the leasing of federal lands to be used in energy production. The bill also specifically addresses contributing factors to the BP blowout, and aims to establish regular inspections of oil wells on the Continental Shelf and to require oil company CEOs to certify annually that their drilling operations are safe. [See photos of the Gulf oil spill.]
7. James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 (H.R. 847)
Not on list last week.
Sponsor: Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
This bill, introduced nearly a year and a half ago, failed to get the two-thirds vote it needed to pass the House last week, in a 255-159 vote that fell largely along party lines. The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, named for a NYPD detective who died due to a respiratory disease he contracted at Ground Zero, would have established a program to provide medical monitoring and treatment benefits to those who responded to the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001.
8. Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act (H.R. 2267)
Not on list last week.
Sponsor: Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA)
The Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act aims to give the Department of the Treasury the authority to license operators of Internet gambling sites, as well as to establish regulations surrounding Internet gambling.
9. Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections (DISCLOSE) Act (H.R. 5175)
Not on list last week.
Sponsor: Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
The DISCLOSE Act was introduced in response to the Supreme Court's January decision in Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, which held that, under the First Amendment, corporate funding of electioneering communications cannot be limited. The DISCLOSE Act seeks to require any radio or television political advertisement to include an audio statement saying what committee paid for the ad. It also seeks to prohibit recipients of TARP funds and holders of large government contracts from contributing to parties, candidates, or committees. Senate Republicans blocked Democrats' attempts to vote on the bill last week.
10. Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4872)
Previous ranking: 9
Sponsor: Rep. John Spratt (D-SC)
The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act, which contains amendments to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (No. 1, above), was passed one week after the Patient Protection Act. Among the key changes that H.R. 4872 made are the closure of the Medicare "donut hole" and the lowering of the penalty for not having insurance.
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