Unemployment Extension on Americans' Minds

A majority of last week's 10 most-searched bills on THOMAS.gov, the Library of Congress website dedicated to tracking legislation, have already been signed into law, but two of those measures were only temporary fixes to long-term problems and may see further action before the 111th Congress ends. In July, Congress passed an unemployment benefits extension (No. 10, below) that expires on November 30, and in October, lawmakers passed a continuing appropriations bill (No. 7, below) to keep the government running over the month-long election recess. Now, a further unemployment insurance extension and the passage of spending bills for fiscal year 2011 are among the top priorities in this lame-duck session of Congress.

Below are last week's 10 most-searched bills, according to data compiled on November 28.

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. Among the many changes it makes to the existing healthcare system, the law requires that all individuals have health insurance--a provision known as the "individual mandate"--and prohibits insurers from denying coverage due to pre-existing conditions, two provisions that both go into effect in 2014. More than a dozen provisions are scheduled to take effect in 2010, with the rest to be phased in through 2018. Fourteen states are currently challenging the law in federal courts, and a Virginia judge has said that he would rule by the end of the year on whether the individual mandate is constitutional.

[Check out a roundup of healthcare political cartoons.]

2. Debt Free America Act (H.R. 4646)

Previous ranking: 1

Sponsor: Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA)

This bill has been on THOMAS's top 10 since August 30, despite having received little attention in Congress. The Debt Free America Act aims to eliminate the $13 trillion national debt within seven years by levying a 1 percent tax on all financial and retail transactions, except for those involving stock. The bill would also repeal the individual income tax as of December 31, 2017, and create a bipartisan task force that would make recommendations about how to limit federal spending. Fattah's legislation was introduced in February 2010 and immediately referred to committee, with no action taken on it since. However, the proposal has generated outrage in the blogosphere at the idea of a tax on transactions. The bill has been discussed on a wide range of websites, from minor political blogs to the popular myth-debunking site Snopes.com

3. Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 4173)

Previous ranking: 7

Sponsor: Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA)

Also known as the "Restoring American Financial Stability Act," or more commonly as the "financial regulatory reform bill," this legislation was signed by President Obama on July 21, six months after its initial introduction. This law is intended to address the causes of the 2008 economic crisis. To that end, the bill seeks to provide a way to liquidate failed firms and has also created a watchdog council at the Federal Reserve, the Financial Stability Oversight Council. [See who donates the most to Frank.]

4. Blair Holt's Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009 (H.R. 45)

Previous ranking: 4

Sponsor: Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL)

Named after a Chicago teen who was gunned down in 2007 on a public bus, this act would tighten gun ownership provisions in the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, a 1993 law that mandated background checks on gun buyers. The Blair Holt act would require anyone possessing a firearm to first obtain a firearm license. The bill was introduced at the start of 2009 and has remained in the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security since February of that year. [Read more about gun control and gun rights.]

5. Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4872)

Previous ranking: 5

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 a reduction in the penalty for not having insurance. This bill also reforms the student loan system, including among its many provisions the elimination of the program via which federal student loans were administered through private institutions.

6. Public Safety Officer Family Health Benefits Act (H.R. 3162)

Not on list last week

Sponsor: Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI)

Stupak, a former Michigan state police trooper and founder of the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus, introduced this bill in July 2009. The bill has been in the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform since its introduction. This act would allow family members of public safety officers killed in the line of duty to be covered by federal health benefits. Stupak sponsored similar measures in 2007 and 2005. In neither of these instances did the bills move beyond committee.

7. Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (H.R. 3081)

Previous ranking: 5

Sponsor: Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY)

Congress hasn't yet passed spending bills to fund the government for the new fiscal year, which began on October 1. So they passed this temporary appropriations bill before they went on recess so that federal programs and offices can operate until they pass the full spending bills. Passing the FY 2011 budget is one of the chief tasks of the lame-duck Congress, and it is on the agenda for this week.

8. Telework Improvements Act of 2010 (H.R. 1722)

Not on list last week

Sponsor: Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD)

Presented to the president on Monday, the Telework Improvements Act would make telecommuting easier for many federal employees. The bill would establish requirements for executive agencies to create policies allowing certain employees to telecommute as much as possible, as long as it does not poorly affect performance. [See who donates the most to Sarbanes.]

9. Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010 (H.R. 5297)

Previous ranking: 9

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. The act also includes an initiative to help fund states' lending programs and several forms of tax relief for small businesses, such as increased deductions for business start-up costs. This bill passed the House in June and passed the Senate in amended form on September 16. On September 23, the House agreed to the Senate version, named the "Small Business Jobs Act of 2010," and President Obama signed it into law four days later.

10. Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010 (H.R. 4213)

Not on list last week

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." The final bill established the long-awaited extension of unemployment benefits until November 30, 2010, allowing out-of-work Americans a total of 99 weeks of unemployment insurance. Many have questioned whether Congress will--or should--approve further extensions, amid concerns about growing deficits. The National Employment Law Project, a workers' advocacy group, has released a report estimating that 1.2 million people could lose their unemployment benefits if an extension is not passed.

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