Congress returns from vacation, Dennis Cardoza (CA-18) resigns, President Obama continues the 9/11 State of Emergency, FISA is reauthorized, veterans benefits are held hostage, mining companies get a gift from Congress, solar power is attacked, and more from this week in Congress... Executive Producer: William Monroe  Dennis Cardoza (CA-18) Resigns Why he said he was resigning: "In light of the fact that nothing is going to happen for the rest of the year, and in light of the fact that (my wife) and I are facing increasing parenting challenges, this seemed the right time to make this move," Cardoza said in an interview published Tuesday by the Sacramento Bee's Capitol Alert (8/14/2012) The real reason he resigned: “Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, today announced that U.S. Congressman Dennis Cardoza (D-CA) has joined the firm as a Managing Director in the firm's rapidly growing federal government affairs and public policy practice. Cardoza, a former co-chair of the moderate Blue-Dog Coalition, key member of the House Agriculture and Foreign Affairs Committees, and former California State Assemblyman, will utilize his extensive federal and state government experience to advise and strategize with clients on agriculture, energy, foreign affairs and other legislative and regulatory matters. Cardoza will be based in Washington, D.C. but will advise clients facing issues in California and Washington.” (8/14/2012) Manatt, Phelps, & Phillips, LLP is a lobbying firm. No special election will be held because resignation is so close to election 2012. 9/11 State of Emergency Letter to both houses of Congress from President Obama: “Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within the 90- day period prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date…” “The emergency declared with respect to the terrorist attacks on the United States of September 11, 2001, is to continue in effect for an additional year” Because… “The crisis constituted by the grave acts of terrorism and threats of terrorism committed by foreign terrorists, including the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, in New York and Pennsylvania and against the Pentagon, and the continuing and immediate threat of further attacks on United States nationals or the United States that led to the declaration of a national emergency on September 23, 2001, has not been resolved” FISA Reauthorization Brief History of FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) Created in 1978- established secret courts for getting warrants for spying on foreign communications Needed probable cause Needed to show that foreign intelligence was main objective FISA Reauthorization of 2008 No warrant needed anymore as long as they say a foreigner is involved What is being done with warrentless wiretapping authority? Building the Utah Data Center “Utah Data Center” being built for NSA Collects emails, phone calls, texts, internet searches, parking receipts, travel itineraries, bookstore purchases, etc. Will be completed in September 2013 Costs 2 billion tax dollars Introduced by Glenn Gaffney, spent most of his career at CIA "The Program" by The New York Times. Watch this. The FISA reauthorization was signed into law. H.R. 4057: Veterans’ Jobs Bill Good things - States to give credit to job applicants for military training - Online description of financial aid opportunities - Online information about schools (see below) - Burn pit registry - No more than $1 million per year in VA executive “performance awards” Passed the House. Blocked in Senate. Who killed it? Senate Republicans. Attached random killers - Keystone pipeline approval - Elimination of public campaign financing - Eliminated wealthy deductions: mortgage interest, rental expense