Bryan Watch - Dec 2020

Obviously, the biggest debate in Congress this month has been over providing addition relief for Americans impacted by the COVID pandemic. After Congress passed a $600 relief bill, President Trump called for Congress to increase checks to $2000.

The House agreed, and on December 28, passed HR 9051, the CASH Act, which would increase payments to $2000 for individuals and $4000 for couples. Steil, along with all of his Wisconsin colleagues, voted AGAINST helping their constituents with additional funding. All together, 130 out of 174 Republicans voted NO. (RC 252, Dec 28)

The other major bill this month was HR 133, which started out as the United States-Mexico Economic Partnership act but ultimately morphed into the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, the roughly $900 billion aid package passed by the House on December 21. This one is complicated.

Steil voted for Parts B, C, E and F of HR 133 (RC 250, Dec 21) then voted against all the rest (RC 251, Dec 21). This was an extreme vote. Republicans supported the Consolidated Appropriations bill 128 to 50; Steil was one of the 50, along with many of the House’s most conservative members. Wisconsin’s entire Republican delegation voted against helping suffering families. The sections that Steil voted for include the Departments of Justice, Treasury, Commerce, the White House, the judicial branch and both Defense Department and Homeland Security spending.

One notable section he voted against was Subchapter VI, Subtitle B, which includes COVID relief, including $600 and $1200 rebates.

What is truly amazing is that during sixty minutes of debate on HR 133 (Congressional Record, December 21, H7301-H7309) not a single Republican member stood up to explain why they were voting against the relief bill.

Steil and every other Republican voted against even considering the Consolidated Appropriations bill, as usual (RC 249, Dec 21, H Res 1271)

The other huge vote this week was on overturning President Trump’s veto of the defense budget (HR 6395, William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act). The house overtuned Trump’s veto 322 to 87. Steil sided with Trump, one of 66 Republicans to do so. He was joined by right wing luminaries such as Andy Biggs, Louie Gohmert, Paul Gosar,, Tom Massie and Wisconsins’ Glenn Grothman and James Sensenbrenner. (RC 253, Dec 28)

Most of the rest of congressional business was not very controversial. Steil supported keeping the government open, voting for extending continuing appropriations twice (RC 247, Dec 18; RC 248, Dec 20)

Congress also passed three fairly routine bills in December.

On December 16, they passed their regular “We love veterans” bill with S 2216, the TEAM Veteran Caregivers Act, which reforms caregiver programs administered by the Veterans Administration (RC 244)

On December 17, the House passed (387 to 5) HR 3250, Julius Rosenwald and the Rosenwald Schools Act. Rosenwald, a past president of Sears, used his fortune to help create schools across the southern United States. The bill authorizes a historical study to see if there should be a National Parks Service unit dedicated to Rosenwald’s philanthropic efforts. (RC 245)

And on December 18, the House passed S 979, the FACE Act, with only Rep. Tom Massie (KY) voting against it (RC 246). The Federal Advance Contracts Enhancement Act seeks to reform how FEMA administers its disaster relief contracts.

This marks the last Bryan Watch of the 116th Congress. Steil will be returning to the 117th Congress, where I anticipate I will be covering his efforts to thwart anything progressive proposed by the Biden administration.

I think it is almost unanimous that people will glad to see this dumpster fire of a year behind us.

I will not tempt fate by wishing everyone a better 2021. Thanks to all those rare individuals who have been following Bryan Watch over the last two years.