Seeking To Avoid Federal Shutdown, House GOP Introduces Funding Bill

  x You have successfully emailed the post.

House Republicans introduced a bill late Wednesday to fund the government through the middle of November — saying they want to remove the threat of a government shutdown.

The temporary resolution is necessary because Congress has yet to act on most budget bills — with the House leaving six of 12 unfinished, and the Senate acting on just one. It sets spending for fiscal year 2012 at $1.043 trillion — the maximum amount allowed under the August debt ceiling bill.

If a new funding bill is not passed by October 1, the beginning of the 2012 fiscal year, then much of the federal government would be without the funds to stay open. The GOP proposal would reduce spending by just over 1.4 percent over the current year.

The measure includes $3.65 billion in disaster relief — $1 billion for immediate needs to pay for hurricane, flood, and tornado relief from the current fiscal year after, and the rest for 2012.

The House is hoping to vote on the bill by the end of the week.

Speaker of the House John Boehner said in a statement that the continuing resolution would decrease uncertainty for businesses – and thereby create jobs.

"The first priority for both parties in today’s economy must be removing government barriers to private-sector job growth. By preventing a government shutdown and once again cutting spending below last year’s levels, this bill gives Congress more time to complete work on legislation that stops the Washington spending binge and provides more certainty for job creators. It also ensures those Americans impacted by natural disasters get the assistance they need in a way that’s best for families and taxpayers. This is a straightforward bill that keeps our focus on creating jobs and cutting spending, and eliminates the uncertainty caused by the specter of a government shutdown. It deserves swift passage in both the House and Senate."

Neither Senate Democrats nor the White House had immediate comment on the proposal Wednesday night.

View the full bill here:

Please follow Politics on Twitter and Facebook.
Follow Zeke Miller on Twitter.

x

To embed this post, copy the code below and paste into your website or blog.

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Qaddafi's Heat Seeking Missiles And Other Notorious Missing Weapons From History

  x You have successfully emailed the post.

Massive amounts of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) have vanished from Libyan weapon stockpiles and flooded local markets to such a degree that prices for the illegal arms are actually dropping.

According to The New York Times, at least one weapons cache at a schoolbook warehouse had been ransacked, with numerous SA-7 and newer SA-24 missiles missing. 

While international forces find the threat from these weapons credible, France has dispatched additional security to numerous civilian airports, it's impossible to secure all the weapons before falling into dealers hands.

There is some good news, however, the chemical weapons and poison gas belonging to Qaddafi appear to be safe.

This isn't the first time numerous or especially potent weapons have disappeared or gone unaccounted for.

From small-arms to nuclear bombs, nearly every kind of weapon you can think of has been lost by one nation or another.

Please follow Business Insider on Twitter and Facebook.
Follow Kevin Lincoln on Twitter.

x

To embed this post, copy the code below and paste into your website or blog.

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

With New Gas Line Opening, Russia Is Seeking To Sideline Ukraine

Today Vladimir Putin started the long-awaited Nord Stream pipeline, which will take gas directly from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea, reports the BBC.

The line has cost a reported $12.5 billion.

Putin used the ceremony to bemoan Ukraine, who currently allow 80% of Russian gas to go through their land.

Ukraine had been "taking advantage" said Putin in Vyborg, and now relations would be "more civilized".

In the past, Russia has accused Ukraine of taking gas intended for European clients and owing money to the Russian gas monopoly Gazprom. The dispute reached boiling point in 2009, with Russia cutting the majority of gas running through Ukraine, leaving many Western European countries without gas.

Russia claimed that the price the Ukraine was paying was a Soviet-era relic, and tried to force the Ukraine to buy more of the gas (Russia had so much it was close to burning some to make room). Ukraine felt that the action was typical for their Slavic brothers -- keen to dominate the country harder as it tried to look towards the west.

Now Ukraine will have little recourse but to accept higher prices. Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin told reporters at the launch that Ukraine cannot break their contract, according to Reuters.

95.4 billion cubic meters of Russian gas came to Europe through Ukraine last year, but next year the Nord Stream will be able to handle 20 bcm of this. Another pipeline for Southern Europe, South Stream, is being planned for 2015.

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.