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Rokita Statement On End Of Schumer Shutdown

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 Congressman Todd Rokita released the following statement after the House voted to re-open the government. Audio of the statement can be found here.

“Despite House Republicans doing our job and voting to keep the government open, Senate Democrats voted to shut down the government,” said Congressman Todd Rokita. “They decided to put amnesty for illegal immigrants over keeping the government open, supporting the military and protecting vulnerable children’s healthcare.”

Rokita Continued: “Fortunately, Republicans and President Trump stood strong against this partisan hostage-taking and not only did we re-open our government, but we will provide vital funding to the 114,000 Hoosier children on CHIP and help the more than 20,000 Hoosiers who work in the medical device field.”

H.R. 195 passed the House today.  It funded the government through February 8, 2018, reauthorized funding for CHIP for 6 years, and delayed multiple harmful Obamacare taxes, including a two-year delay of the Cadillac tax and medical device tax, and a one-year delay of the tax on health insurance plans.

Messer Votes to Reopen Government, Authors House Resolution Urging Senate to End Filibuster

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Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06) today voted to end the government shutdown and introduced a House resolution that calls for the U.S. Senate to immediately change its rules and eliminate the modern filibuster.

On Friday, the Senate failed to pass the House’s government funding bill, which also included funding for the military, a two-year delay of the medical device tax, and a six-year extension of the Children’s Health Insurance Program. It received a simple majority vote of 50-49 in the Senate, and would have passed, averting a shutdown, if not for the filibuster.

Both the House and Senate voted to reopen the government today, passing a three-week spending bill.

“Because of the filibuster, a liberal minority in the Senate was able to play politics and shut down the government,” Messer said. “To ensure this never happens again, the Senate needs to change its rules, end the filibuster, and put the American people back in charge.”

If passed, Messer’s resolution would express the will of the U.S. House of Representatives that the U.S. Senate should end the filibuster.

Messer has led calls for the Senate to eliminate the filibuster, which requires the U.S. Senate to have 60 votes – instead of a simple majority– to pass legislation.

The modern filibuster has been used more than 600 times since 1990. The modern filibuster is not used to extend debate or stall a vote, but rather to block the Senate’s Motion to Proceed, preventing legislation from being debated or voted on at all.

 

VACATIONS

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Bathroom Bill Opens New doors As It Passes In The Senate

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By Kirsten Nielsen
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Senate passed legislation Thursday to ensure that people with medical conditions can use employee restrooms when public ones are not available.

Senate Bill 137 passed by a vote of 34-15.

Supporters of the bill say that having this assurance for people with diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn’s disease means they won’t have to fear to have accidents in public. Emotional distress from public embarrassment will no longer be an issue.

However, opponents of the bill, such as Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, say that most people are granted access to the restroom in most businesses.

“I don’t think it’s another regulation we need,” said Niemeyer.

SB 137 now goes to the House for consideration.

Kirsten Nielsen is a reporter with TheStatehousefile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

Senate Passes Bill Allowing Sunday Alcohol Sales

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 Indiana is one step closer to seeing carry out alcohol sales on Sunday. Today, the Senate passed a bill to allow Sunday sales.

The legislation passed 39 to 10 with no discussion.

The bill allows liquor, grocery and convenience stores to sell alcoholic beverages from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

Now the bill heads to the House for a vote.

Britney Taylor

Web Producer

More Posts - Website

OOPS! By Jim Redwine

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GAVEL GAMUT

By

Jim Redwine

Week of January 22, 2018

OOPS!

Say you finally found the time and money to go to Hawaii. It is a beautiful day. Slight ocean breeze. Swaying palm trees. Smoke from Kilauea Volcano languidly wafting into the sky. The aroma of a whole hog slowly roasting in a pit of sand while poi is being prepared by graceful hula dancers. A Mai Tai with a tiny umbrella calling your name as you lift the coconut shell to your lips. Life is good. Then, just as you finish your Mai Tai and head to the first tee you are accosted by a cacophony of blaring shrieks from every electronic device within earshot:

“BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL!”

Now you have a dilemma. You have already spent more money on airline tickets than you paid for your first car. A round of golf, paid in advance and unrefundable, cost more than the birth of your first child. You have schlepped your heavy golf clubs from Indiana to “an island sitting in the middle of the Pacific Ocean”.

You bought new golf shoes and enough $5.00 golf balls to lose one on each of the 18 holes. Your plaid shorts and black socks with little tassels look super cool with your flowered golf shirt.

You think to yourself, “Self, what should we do?” Options are cascading through your brain. Take cover. Dig a hole next to the luau pit and pull it over you. Run to the beach and hope the water doesn’t boil you alive. Find a basement not leaking full of seeping water. Curse. Pray. Beg. Scream.

After much negotiation with the gods over the unfortunately miasmic circumstances you make your decision:

“Well, at least the golf course is now devoid of other people. I think I might as well tee off and when the round is over, if I am still alive, follow the advice my drill instructor gave in Air Force Basic Training to prepare for a nuclear attack:

‘Put a chair in the middle of the room, bend over and kiss ….!’”

Oh, by the way, after 38 minutes an announcement came out, “Just kidding, someone pushed the wrong button”.

For more Gavel Gamut articles go to

www.jamesmredwine.com

Motorist Arrested for Drunk Driving on USI-Burdette Park Walking Trail

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An intoxicated motorist is in jail this morning after a sheriff’s deputy observed her driving a Jeep onto the USI – Burdette Park Trial and then striking a concrete safety pylon.

On Saturday, January 20, 2018 at 9:15 PM a sheriff’s deputy observed a white Jeep Wrangler speeding through a parking lot on the University of Southern Indiana campus near the entrance of the USI – Burdette Park Trail. The Jeep entered the pedestrian only trail and disregarded all attempts by the deputy to pull the vehicle over.

The Jeep continued driving at a high rate of speed until it slowed and then struck a concrete pylon in place to prevent motor vehicles from accessing the trail via Broadway Avenue. After striking the pylon, the driver shifted the vehicle into reverse and backed into the front of the deputy’s marked patrol unit.

The deputy made contact with the driver, who identified herself as Ms. Tara Evans. When asked if she knew where she was, Ms. Evans replied that she was “driving to a friends house off Schutte Road”. Ms. Evans appeared not to be aware that she was on the USI campus or that she was on a pedestrian trail.

Ms. Evans admitted to having consumed alcoholic beverages prior to the crash. Ms. Evans failed field sobriety testing on scene and agreed to perform a certified chemical breath test at a different location. The result of the certified chemical breath test determined that Evans’s blood alcohol level was .18%, which is more than double the legal limit of .08%. Ms. Evans was arrested and booked in the Vanderburgh County Jail

No pedestrians were on the trail at the time of the crash. Both vehicles sustained only minor damage.

ARRESTED:

Tara Denise Evans (pictured above), 33, of Eansville. Operating a Motor Vehicle while Intoxicated with a BAC Greater than .15 as a Class A Misdemeanor, Operating a Motor Vehicle while Intoxicated as a Class A Misdemeanor.

Presumption of Innocence Notice: The fact that a person has been arrested or charged with a crime is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

 

“READERS FORUM” JANUARY 22, 2018

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WHATS ON YOUR MIND TODAY?

We hope that today’s “Readers Forum” will provoke “…honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address in a rational and responsible way?”
Possible Issue For Discussion: What are the chances of former Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel being elected to Congress?

Todays “Readers Poll” question is: If the election was held today for the U. S. Senate in the Republican primary who would you vote for?

Please take time and read our articles entitled “STATEHOUSE Files, CHANNEL 44 NEWS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, READERS POLL, BIRTHDAYS, HOT JOBS” and “LOCAL SPORTS”.  You now are able to subscribe to get the CCO daily.

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EDITOR’S FOOTNOTE:  Any comments posted in this column do not represent the views or opinions of the City-County Observer or our advertisers.