Congress busy in last week before Memorial Day

The members of Montana's congressional delegation have been busy this week before going into a week-long recess for the Memorial Day holiday.

Freshman U.S. Rep. Steve Daines, R-Mont., reported that in a hearing Thursday, his bill opening up hydropower electricity generation on federal irrigation projects received bipartisan support, including in testimony by representatives of President Barack Obama's administration.

"In Montana, we say 'whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting.' That's how important water is to our state," Daines said during the hearing. "With passage of my bill, we can streamline the red tape for hydro developers, and allow generation of clean energy for America and necessary revenue for hardworking Americans, at no cost to the American taxpayer."

Daines this week also co-sponsored a bill that would prevent the Internal Revenue Service from taking any action to implement or enforce the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the health care reform act that goes into full effect next year.

Daines, a vocal opponent of the health care reform act, cited the disclosure that the IRS had targeted conservative groups to investigate their qualification for tax exemptions, as one of his reasons for supporting the bill.

"Like most Montanans, I was appalled to learn that the IRS had deliberately targeted groups for investigation based on their beliefs," Daines said on the House floor Wednesday. "Given these events, it would be senseless to empower this agency to oversee major aspects of the American health care system. Yet that's what Obamacare calls for."

Yet Daines' counterparts in the U.S. Senate warned about overreacting, especially regarding health care reform.

A spokesperson for Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., said part of what the IRS would be doing is implementing tax cuts to help 125,000 Montanans and 26 million Americans buy health insurance under the Affordable Care Act — with 3,600 of them Montana veterans and 3,430 family members of Montana veterans. The senator does not believe Congress should take those tax cuts away from hard-working Montanans and veterans, the spokesperson said, adding that a report from CBS News says 37 failed attempts by the House to repeal the health care reform act have cost taxpayers $54 million.

As for the targeting of conservative political groups, as chairman of the Senate committee that oversees the IRS, Baucus has launched a bipartisan, independent investigation into the IRS with the goal of holding those responsible accountable and ensuring such action does not happen again, his spokesperson said, adding that he has strongly condemned the IRS's misconduct and has called on Congress to clarify the laws that govern tax exempt organizations so this type of targeting cannot happen again.

A spokesperson of Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said Tester voted for the health care reform act because "America's health care system was broken. If the House bill comes to the Senate, Jon will not support it. …

"This bill would make health care coverage more expensive for millions of Americans while maintaining incentives for irresponsible folks to avoid buying health insurance until they show up in the emergency room — something that any hospital administrator will tell you raises costs for everyone," the spokesperson added.

Wednesday Daines also praised the House passing a bill he co-sponsored, taking the approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline out of the hands of the president and having Congress approve its construction.

The pipeline would run from Canada, through Montana, to the Gulf Coast, and would include an onramp to transport oil produced in Montana and North Dakota to refineries.

The approval of the pipeline, under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of the State because it crosses an international border, has been stalled for more than four years.

"If the president is unwilling to listen to the voice of the people, then the House will," Daines said from the floor of the chamber Wednesday. "It's time to build the Keystone XL pipeline."

Tester said in a press conference earlier this month that he was surprised the construction had not already been approved, and that he believes it soon will be.

"Jon has been fighting for the Keystone Pipeline for three years, and he'll keep fighting until it is built," his press secretary Andrea Helling said this morning. "When built to the highest safety standards and with respect for private property rights, the pipeline will be a boon to our economy and cut our oil imports from countries that wish us harm."

Baucus' spokesperson said the senator wants the pipeline built and supports finding the best path to get it done, citing a March budget amendment Baucus and Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., passed putting the Senate support for the project on record.

"The Keystone pipeline is about one simple thing: jobs," Baucus said Thursday. "American workers cannot afford to wait any longer for Keystone jobs, and there is absolutely no excuse for further delay."