The Speed of Legislation

The Speed of Legislation

White House Comment Line:  (202) 456-1111

U.S. Capitol Switchboard:  (202) 224-3121.  Ask for the Senator or Representative from your district. 

  

I always thought politics moved slowly.  Schoolhouse Rock’s “I’m Just a Bill” states, “It’s a long, long wait.”

 On Thursday, 2/16/17, President Trump signed H.J.Res. 38, “Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of the Interior known as the Stream Protection Rule. “  Representative Johnson (R-OH) introduced it on January 30.  The House passed it on Feb. 1, and the Senate less than 24 hours later.  I had no idea they could move that fast!  POTUS signed it on 2/16 creating Public Law No: 115-5. 

Mines can once again legally dump their waste into nearby streams.

On the same day, 1/30/17, Rep. Gosar (R-AZ), introduced H.R.Res. 46 “Providing for congressional disapproval of the final rule of the National Park Service relating to “General Provisions and Non-Federal Oil and Gas Rights’.”  This one’s even scarier.  This says that Congress approves of mining and drilling in national parks, even against the park’s best interest. 

In this country, you probably do not own the mineral rights under your house.  A bunch of the newer Park Service units do not own their mineral rights.  This bill says that the owner of those rights can barge in and start drilling.  The original “Non-Federal Oil and Gas Rights” law allowed parks to demand a comprehensive environmental and public protection plan, and if the plan wasn’t adequate, to deny any industry trying to operate within their borders.

This resolution says:  Nope.  Oil, gas and mineral extraction take precedence over pristine views, clean air, quiet, and public health.

How can they do this?

Well, in 1996, Congress  created the “Congressional Review Act” which allows them to kill a new law if both chambers and the president agree.  It’s only been used once before – Congress and Mr. Bush dismantled one of Mr. Clinton’s final rules.  Any actions performed in the previous president’s final six months can be overturned.  Bills that took years to draft, analyze and approve can be exterminated within days, with no recourse and no way to revive them.  

Contact your Senators and Representatives and encourage them to oppose H.J.Res. 46.  (House Joint Resolution 46).  Let’s protect OUR National Parks!  Defeat H.J.Res 46.

          

White Sands National Monument

White Sands National Monument really is made of white sand - a powdery softer sand than the usual beige substance. It's essentially composed of ground gypsum rather than ground glass. In December, there was no snow on the surface, but sand was damp just a few centimeters below the surface.

We spent the afternoon strolling the dune field and watching daughter fill out her Junior Ranger booklet. The area is truly a living laboratory for both biology and geology.

Just don't pick up any oddly shaped metallic objects - the monument is bounded on all sides by the White Sands missile range.

As a finish to our Christmas Eve, we watched the sun set from the dunes, then hubby asked about the really bright "star". I checked the sky and found two. One was Jupiter. The other cruised across the sky with an intensity and speed that can only mean one item - the International Space Station.