The Senate’s 290 problems

The Senate: Washington’s cooling saucer or Washington’s walk-in freezer with a sticky door that’s hard to open from the inside?

It’s a question FP’s excellent researcher Andrew Swift and I asked when he sent me this Hill article on the 290 bills that have passed the House but not the Senate this legislative session — a list compiled and sent out by the House leadership. (After the jump, find them all, with bills with relevance to foreign policy and security in bold.)

The list is stocked with a number of important legislative provisions requiring careful consideration and debate — most notably, the climate change bill. Foreign policy and security-wise, big bills include the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (currently being reviewed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee) and the TSA Authorizations Act.   

But the list is also chock full with bills that seem silly to require the Senate to pass, given the dearth of floor time. There are scores of measures relating to Native Americans, for instance — not because the Senate is neglecting that minority group, but because so much legislation relating to tribal lands and funds goes through the Senate. There are more than a dozen acts naming post offices and federal courts; measures like H.R. 1442, allowing the federal government to sell its interest in 60 acres near Salt Lake; one about a "collapsed drainage tunnel in Leadville, Colorado"; and tons of bills, sigh, regarding animals, like sea otters.

Then again, it only seems like too much to ask the Senate to rubber stamp such measures because everything is too much for a Senate these days. Even non-controversial motions (say, approving career service officers as ambassadors to small countries) are subject to holds, filibusters, and other procedural delays — meaning relatively little legislation is taken up.

1. H.R. 12: The Paycheck Fairness Act

2. H.R. 20: The Melanie Blocker Stokes Mom’s Opportunity to Access Health, Education, Research, and Support for Postpartum Depression Act

3. H.R. 22: The U.S. Postal Service Financial Relief Act

4. H.R. 23: The Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act

5. H.R. 31: The Lumbee Recognition Act

6. H.R. 35: The Presidential Records Act Amendments

7. H.R. 36: The Presidential Library Donation Reform Act

8. H.R. 44: The Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act

9. H.R. 46: The Family Self Sufficiency Act

10. H.R. 80: The Captive Primate Safety Act

11. H.R. 81: The Shark Conservation Act

12. H.R. 86: The Regarding California Coastal National Monument

13. H.R. 118: The Regarding Morristown National Historical Park

14. H.R. 129: The Conveying Certain National Forest System Lands in Los Padres National Forest in California

15. H.R. 151: The Daniel Webster Congressional Clerkship Act

16. H.R. 174: The Establishing a national cemetery for veterans in the southern Colorado region

17. H.R. 310: The HALE Scouts Act

18. H.R. 320: The CJ’s Home Protection Act

19. H.R. 324: The Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area Act

20. H.R. 325: The Avra/Black Wash Reclamation and Riparian Restoration Project

21. H.R. 326: The Cocopah Lands Act

22. H.R. 347: The Congressional Gold Medal for 100th Infantry Battalion in World War II

23. H.R. 384: The TARP Reform and Accountability Act

24. H.R. 388: The Crane Conservation Act

25. H.R. 402: The Naming William C. Tallent Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic

26. H.R. 403: The Homes for Heroes Act

27. H.R. 409: The Conveying Land to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway

28. H.R. 411: The Great Cats and Rare Canids Act

29. H.R. 445: The Heavy Duty Hybrid Vehicle Research: The Development and Demonstration Act

30. H.R. 448: The Elder Abuse Victims Act

31. H.R. 466: The Wounded Veteran Job Security Act

32. H.R. 469: The Produced Water Utilization Act

33. H.R. 479: The Wakefield Act

34. H.R. 509: The Marine Turtle Conservation Reauthorization Act

35. H.R. 511: Terminating Certain Easements in Caseyville, Illinois

36. H.R. 515: The Radioactive Import Deterrence Act

37. H.R. 548: The Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act

38. H.R. 549: The National Bombing Prevention Act

39. H.R. 553: The Reducing Over-Classification Act

40. H.R. 554: The National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act

41. H.R. 556: The Southern Sea Otter Recovery and Research Act

42. H.R. 559: Fair, Accurate, Secure, and Timely Redress Act

43. H.R. 577: The Vision Care for Kids Act

44. H.R. 601: The Box Elder Utah Land Conveyance Act

45. H.R. 603: The Utah National Guard Readiness Act

46. H.R. 626: The Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act

47. H.R. 628: Encouraging enhancement of expertise in patent cases among district judges

48. H.R. 631: The Water Use Efficiency and Conservation Research Act

49. H.R. 632: Encouraging Silver Alert Plans

50. H.R. 637: The South Orange County Recycled Water Enhancement Act

51. H.R. 685: The United States Civil Rights Trail Special Resource Study Act

52. H.R. 689: Interchange administrative jurisdiction of certain federal lands between Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management

53. H.R. 714: Authorizing lease of certain lands in Virgin Islands National Park

54. H.R. 725: The Indian Arts and Crafts Amendments Act

55. H.R. 729: The Phylicia’s Law

56. H.R. 738: The Death in Custody Reporting Act

57. H.R. 748: The CAMPUS Safety Act

58. H.R. 749: The Technical Amendment to Federal Election Campaign Act

59. H.R. 756: The National Pain Care Policy Act

60. H.R. 762: Validating a final patent number

61. H.R. 780: The Student Internet Safety Act

62. H.R. 842: Naming R. Jess Brown U.S. Courthouse in Jackson, Mississippi

63. H.R. 844: The Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Amendments

64. H.R. 860: The Coral Reef Conservation Act Reauthorization

65. H.R. 869: Naming Scott Reed Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Lexington, Kentucky

66. H.R. 885: The Improved Financial and Commodity Markets Oversight and Accountability Act

67. H.R. 887: Naming James A. Leach U.S. Courthouse in Davenport, Iowa

68. H.R. 905: The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve Boundary Modification Act

69. H.R. 908: The Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Alert Program Reauthorization

70. H.R. 911: The Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act

71. H.R. 915: The FAA Reauthorization Act

72. H.R. 934: Conveying certain submerged lands to Commonwealth of Mariana Islands

73. H.R. 940: Conveyance of certain National Forest System land in Louisiana

74. H.R. 957: The Green Energy Education Act

75. H.R. 965: The Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing Authorization Act

76. H.R. 985: The Free Flow of Information Act

77. H.R. 1002: The Pisgah National Forest Boundary Adjustment Act

78. H.R. 1018: The Restore Our American Mustangs Act

79. H.R. 1029: The Alien Smuggling and Terrorism Prevention Act

80. H.R. 1043: The Deafy Glade Land Exchange Act

81. H.R. 1044: The Port Chicago Naval Magazine

82. H.R. 1053: The Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act

83. H.R. 1065: The White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act

84. H.R. 1080: Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Act

85. H.R. 1084: The CALM Act

86. H.R. 1088: The Mandatory Veteran Specialist Training Act

87. H.R. 1089: The Veterans Employment Rights Realignment Act

88. H.R. 1107: Relating to certain public contracts

89. H.R. 1110: The PHONE Act

90. H.R. 1120: The Central Texas Water Recycling Act

91. H.R. 1121: The Blue Ridge Parkway and Town of Blowing Rock Land Exchange Act

92. H.R. 1129: Authorizing iron working training program for Native Americans

93. H.R. 1139: The COPS Improvements Act

94. H.R. 1145: The National Water Research and Development Initiative Act

95. H.R. 1147: The Local Community Radio Act

96. H.R. 1148: Conducting a program in the maritime environment for the mobile biometric identification of suspected individuals to enhance border security

97. H.R. 1168: The Veterans Retraining Act

98. H.R. 1170: The New Assistive Technologies for Specially Adapted Housing

99. H.R. 1171: Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Reauthorization

100. H.R. 1172: Requiring List on VA Website of Organizations Providing Scholarships for Veterans

101. H.R. 1178: Requiring a study on the use of Civil Air Patrol personnel and resources to support homeland security missions

102. H.R. 1211: The Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act

103. H.R. 1216: Naming Lance Corporal Matthew P. Pathenos Post Office in Chesterfield, Missouri

104. H.R. 1217: Naming Specialist Peter J. Navarro Post Office in Ballwin, Missouri

105. H.R. 1218: Naming Lance Corporal Drew W. Weaver Post Office in Saint Charles, Missouri

106. H.R. 1219: The Lake Hodges Surface Water Improvement and Reclamation Act

107. H.R. 1242: Providing for additional monitoring and accountability of the TARP

108. H.R. 1246: The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act

109. H.R. 1253: The Health Insurance Restrictions and Limitations Clarification Act

110. H.R. 1259: The Dextromethorphan Distribution Act

111. H.R. 1262: The Water Quality Investment Act

112. H.R. 1280: Modifying a Land Grant Issued by the Secretary of the Interior

113. H.R. 1287: The Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center Partnership Act

114. H.R. 1293: The Disabled Veterans Home Improvement and Structural Alteration Grant Increase Act

115. H.R. 1319: The Informed P2P User Act

116. H.R. 1323: The Reducing Information Control Designations Act

117. H.R. 1327: The Iran Sanctions Enabling Act

118. H.R. 1333: Regarding shipment of certain explosive materials to federally recognized Indian tribes

119. H.R. 1345: The District of Columbia Hatch Act Reform

120. H.R. 1376: The Waco Mammoth National Monument Establishment Act

121. H.R. 1380: The Josh Miller HEARTS Act

122. H.R. 1385: The Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act

123. H.R. 1393: The Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act

124. H.R. 1404: The Federal Land Assistance: The Management and Enhancement (FLAME. Act

125. H.R. 1429: The Stop AIDS in Prison Act

126. H.R. 1442: Providing for sale of federal government’s interest in 60 acres of land in Salt Lake City, Utah

127. H.R. 1454: The Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act

128. H.R. 1471: Designating Jimmy Carter National Historic Site as a National Historical Park

129. H.R. 1511: The Torture Victims Relief Reauthorization Act

130. H.R. 1517: Relating to certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees

131. H.R. 1580: The Electronic Waste Research and Development Act

132. H.R. 1586: To impose an additional tax on bonuses received from certain TARP recipients

133. H.R. 1593: Adding a segment of Illabot Creek in State of Washington to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System

134. H.R. 1617: Department of Homeland Security Component Privacy Officer Act

135. H.R. 1622: R&D on Natural Gas Vehicles

136. H.R. 1641: The Cascadia Marine Trail Study Act

137. H.R. 1662: The Anthony DeJuan Boatwright Act

138. H.R. 1664: Regarding executive compensation practices of companies receiving TARP funds

139. H.R. l665: Coast Guard Acquisition Reform

140. H.R. 1672: The Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization

141. H.R. 1674: The National Consumer Cooperative Bank Act Amendments

142. H.R. 1675: The Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act

143. H.R. 1676: The PACT Act

144. H.R. 1679: The House Reservists Pay Adjustment Act

145. H.R. 1694: The Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act

146. H.R. 1700: The National Women’s History Museum Act

147. H.R. 1709: The STEM Education Coordination Act

148. H.R. 1727: The Managing Arson Through Criminal History (MATCH) Act

149. H.R. 1728: The Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act

150. H.R. 1736: The International Science and Technology Cooperation Act

151. H.R. 1741: The Witness Security and Protection Grant Program Act

152. H.R. 1746: The Pre-Disaster Mitigation Act

153. H.R. 1747: The Great Lakes Icebreaker Replacement Act

154. H.R. 1771: The Chesapeake Bay Science Education and Ecosystem Enhancement Act

155. H.R. 1803: The Veterans Business Center Act

156. H.R. 1804: The Federal Retirement Reform Act

157. H.R. 1807: The Educating Entrepreneurs through Today’s Technology Act

158. H.R. 1824: The Best Buddies Empowerment for People with Intellectual Disabilities Act

159. H.R. 1834: The Native American Business Development Enhancement Act

160. H.R. 1838: The Amending Small Business Act to modify certain provisions regarding women’s business centers

161. H.R. 1839: To amend the Small Business Act to improve SCORE

162. H.R. 1842: The Expanding Entrepreneurship Act

163. H.R. 1845: The Small Business Development Centers Modernization Act

164. H.R. 1849: The Medal of Honor Commemorative Coin Act

165. H.R. 1854: Modifying an environmental infrastructure project for Big Bear Lake, California

166. H.R. 1858: Providing for a boundary adjustment for Roosevelt National Forest in Colorado

167. H.R. 1933: The A Child Is Missing Alert and Recovery Center Act

168. H.R. 1945: The Tule River Tribe Water Development Act

169. H.R. 2020: The Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Act

170. H.R. 2034: The Rural Homeowners Protection Act

171. H.R. 2062: The Migratory Bird Treaty Act Penalty and Enforcement Act

172. H.R. 2092: The Kingman and Heritage Islands Act

173. H.R. 2093: The Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act

174. H.R. 2097: The Star-Spangled Banner Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act

175. H.R. 2134: The Western Hemisphere Drug Policy Commission Act

176. H.R. 2173: Naming Carl B. Smith Post Office in Island Falls, Maine

177. H.R. 2174: Naming Clyde Hichborn Post Office in Howland, Maine

178. H.R. 2182: The Enhanced Oversight of State and Local Economic Recovery Act

179. H.R. 2187: The 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act

180. H.R. 2188: The Joint Ventures for Bird Habitat Conservation Act

181. H.R. 2200: The Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act

182. H.R. 2221: The Data Accountability and Trust Act

183. H.R. 2247: The Congressional Review Act Improvement Act

184. H.R. 2265: The Magna Water District Water Reuse and Groundwater Recharge Act

185. H.R. 2278: Directing President to submit a report to Congress a report on anti-American incitement to violence in the Middle East

186. H.R. 2330: The Camp Hale Study Act

187. H.R. 2352: The Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act

188. H.R. 2410: The Foreign Relations Authorization Act FY 2010 and FY 2011

189. H.R. 2423: The Naming George P. Kazen Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Laredo, Texas

190. H.R. 2430: Directing the Secretary of Interior to continue stocking fish in certain lakes

191. H.R. 2442: The Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Expansion

192. H.R. 2454: The American Clean Energy and Security Act

193. H.R. 2489: The National Land Remote Sensing Outreach Act

194. H.R. 2510: Absentee Ballot Track Receive and Confirm Act

195. H.R. 2522: Regarding Calleguas Municipal Water District Recycling Project

196. H.R. 2529: The Neighborhood Preservation Act

197. H.R. 2571: The Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act

198. H.R. 2611: Authorizing the Securing the Cities Initiative of the Department of Homeland Security

199. H.R. 2623: Clarifying and expanding the definition of certain persons under the federal securities law

200. H.R. 2646: The Government Accountability Office Improvement Act

201. H.R. 2651: The Maritime Workforce Development Act

202. H.R. 2661: The Court Security Act

203. H.R. 2664: The Promoting Transparency in Financial Reporting Act

204. H.R. 2711: The Special Agent Samuel Hicks Families of Fallen Heroes Act

205. H.R. 2728: The William Orton Law Library Improvement and Modernization Act

206. H.R. 2729: Authorizing designation of National Environmental Research Parks

207. H.R. 2741: Regarding water recycling and reuse project in Hermiston, Oregon

208. H.R. 2749: The Food Safety Enhancement Act

209. H.R. 2751: The Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act

210. H.R. 2765: Prohibiting enforcement of foreign defamation judgments against the providers of interactive computer services

211. H.R. 2770: The Veterans Nonprofit Research and Education Corporations Enhancement Act

212. H.R. 2781: Designating segment of Molalla River in Oregon as part of National Wild and Scenic Rivers System

213. H.R. 2802: Regarding the Adams Memorial Foundation

214. H.R. 2806: Adjusting border of Stephen Mather Wilderness and the North Cascades National Park

215. H.R. 2843: The Architect of the Capitol Appointment Act

216. H.R. 2847: The Jobs for Main Street Act

217. H.R. 2868: The Chemical and Water Security Act

218. H.R. 2873: The Enhanced SEC Enforcement Authority Act

219. H.R. 2947: The Securities Law Technical Corrections Act

220. H.R. 2950: Regarding prepayment of contracts between U.S. and Uintah Water Conservancy District

221. H.R. 2971: Naming Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Post Office in Portland, Oregon

222. H.R. 2990: The Disabled Military Retiree Relief Act

223. H.R. 3014: The Small Business Health Information Technology Financing Act

224. H.R. 3029: Improving Efficiency of Gas Turbines

225. H.R. 3113: The Upper Elk River Wild and Scenic Study Act

226. H.R. 3123: Regarding collapsed drainage tunnel in Leadville, Colorado

227. H.R. 3137: Regarding authority of U.S. Postal Service to accept donations as an additional source of funding for commemorative plaques

228. H.R. 3157: Naming Max J. Beilke Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic in Alexandria, Minnesota

229. H.R. 3165: The Wind Energy Research and Development Act

230. H.R. 3175: The Conveying to Miami-Dade County certain federally owned land in Florida

231. H.R. 3179: The SIG TARP Small Business Awareness Act

232. H.R. 3193: Naming Alto Lee Adams U.S. Courthouse in Fort Pierce, Florida

233. H.R. 3219: The Veterans’ Insurance and Health Care Improvements Act

234. H.R. 3221: The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act

235. H.R. 3224: Building a vehicle maintenance building for Smithsonian Institution

236. H.R. 3237: Enacting certain laws relating to national and commercial space programs

237. H.R. 3246: The Advanced Vehicle Technology Act

238. H.R. 3250: Naming Private First Class Garfield M. Langhorn Post Office in Riverhead, New York

239. H.R. 3254: The Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act

240. H.R. 3269: The Corporate and Financial Institution Compensation Fairness Act

241. H.R. 3276: The American Medical Isotopes Production Act

242. H.R. 3305: Naming H. Dale Cook Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Tulsa, Oklahoma

243. H.R. 3330: The Improved Oversight by Financial Inspectors General Act

244. H.R. 3342: The Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act

245. H.R. 3360: The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act

246. H.R. 3371: The Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act

247. H.R. 3388: The Petersburg National Battlefield Boundary Modification Act

248. H.R. 3433: Regarding payment of non-federal share of costs of wetland conservation projects in Canada

249. H.R. 3476: The Reauthorizing the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Citizen Advisory Commission

250. H.R. 3527: The FHA Multifamily Loan Limit Adjustment Act

251. H.R. 3537: The Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Reauthorization Act

252. H.R. 3570: The Satellite Home Viewer Reauthorization Act

253. H.R. 3585: The Solar Technology Roadmap Act

254. H.R. 3598: The Energy and Water Research Integration Act

255. H.R. 3603: The Renaming the Ocmulgee National Monument

256. H.R. 3618: The Clean Hull Act

257. H.R. 3619: The Coast Guard Authorization Act

258. H.R. 3631: The Medicare Premium Fairness Act

259. H.R. 3632: The Federal Judiciary Administrative Improvements Act

260. H.R. 3634: Naming George Kell Post Office in Swifton, Arkansas

261. H.R. 3639: The Expedited CARD Reform for Consumers Act

261. H.R. 3689: Extending legislative authority of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund

262. H.R. 3714: The Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act

263. H.R. 3726: The Castle Nugent National Historic Site Establishment Act

264. H.R. 3737: The Small Business Microlending Expansion Act

265. H.R. 3738: The Small Business Early-Stage Investment Act

266. H.R. 3743: The Small Business Disaster Readiness and Reform Act

267. H.R. 3759: The BLM Contract Extension Act

268. H.R. 3763: Certain amendments to Fair Credit Reporting Act

269. H.R. 3791: The Fire Grants Reauthorization Act

270. H.R. 3804: The National Park Service Authorities and Corrections Act

271. H.R. 3854: The Small Business Financing and Investment Act

272. H.R. 3892: Naming E.V. Wilkins Post Office in Roper, North Carolina

273. H.R. 3940: Facilitating public education programs in the non-self-governing territories of the United States

274. H.R. 3949: The Veterans’ Small Business Assistance and Servicemembers Protection Act

275. H.R. 3951: Naming Roy Rondeno Sr. Post Office in New Orleans, Louisiana

276. H.R. 3961: The Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act

277. H.R. 3963: The Criminal Investigative Training Restoration Act

278. H.R. 3978: The First Responder Anti-Terrorism Training Resources Act

279. H.R. 3980: The Redundancy Elimination and Enhanced Performance for Preparedness Grants Act

280. H.R. 4017: Naming Ann Marie Blute Post Office in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts

281. H.R. 4061: The Cybersecurity Enhancement Act

282. H.R. 4095: Naming Congresswoman Jan Meyers Post Office in Overland, Kansas

283. H.R. 4139: Naming Sergeant Matthew L. Ingram Post Office in Hickory, Mississippi

284. H.R. 4154: The Permanent Estate Tax Relief for Families, Farmers, and Small Businesses Act

285. H.R. 4173: The Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act

286. H.R. 4194: The Law Student Clinic Participation Act

287. H.R. 4213: The Tax Extenders Act

288. H.R. 4474: The Idaho Wilderness Water Facilities Act

289. H.R. 4495: Naming Jim Kolbe Post Office in Patagonia, Arizona

290. H.R.4532: The Social Security Disability Applicant’s Access to Professional Representation Act