Catching up the the bills that passed the House of Representatives in February, this episode details a bill designed to keep campaign donors secret, a bill to make all regulations more difficult to enact, a bill that makes unlocking your cell phone legal, a bill that prohibits states from seizing your land for another private interest's gain, a bill that sets up the defunding of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau... and more. H.R. 3308: “Taxpayer Transparency Act of 2014” Introduced by Rep. Billy Long of Missouri Advertisements and/or information provided by the government on radio, TV, internet, and through the mail need to clearly state that it is paid for and distributed “at taxpayer expense”. Representatives Quoted [caption id="" align="alignright" width="268"] “I sometimes have to Google what some of the agencies in the Federal Government do.” – Rep. Blake Farenthold of Texas[/caption] Gerald Connolly of Virginia Blake Farenthold of Texas H.R. 3865: Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act of 2014 Introduced by Rep. Dave Camp of Michigan Would prohibit the Treasury Department from changing the rules that allow social welfare groups to claim tax exempt status. Representatives Quoted Rob Woodall of Georgia Chris Van Hollen of Maryland Sandy Levin of Michigan Dave Camp of Michigan Lynn Jenkins of Kansas Charles Boustany of Louisiana Kevin Brady of Texas HR 2804: “All Economic Regulations are Transparent Act of 2014” Introduced by Rep. George Holding of North Carolina Title I: All Economic Regulations are Transparent Act of 2014 Makes every Federal agency submit monthly reports on the status of every rule they are working on. Rules can’t go into effect until they have been published on the Internet for at least 6 months. Exemption for national security, emergencies, or implementing international trade agreements. Title II: Regulatory Accountability Act Agencies must justify the rules they make and provide alternatives including “no action” alternatives, eliminating existing rules, and “specifying performance objectives” instead of giving specific actions necessary for compliance Agencies must do a cost-benefit analysis of the proposed rules and all alternatives. There must be a 60 day mandatory comment period (120 days for a major rule - which they changed the definition of to basically mean any rule that costs companies money). There will be no judicial review allowed of an agency’s decision to withdraw a proposed rule. The agencies must adopt the “least costly rule considered”. None of these new procedures will apply to monetary policies made by the Federal Reserve. Title III: Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2014 Rule makers must list alternatives that cost businesses the least or benefit “small businesses" the most financially. Every rule needs to be reviewed every 10 years. Title IV: Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act Changes the rules for suing the government in regards to their rule making decisions. HR 1944: “Private Property Rights Protection Act” Introduced by Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin A State that uses it’s power of eminent domain to seize a person’s private property for “economic development” will be barred from receiving Federal economic development funds for two years after a court rules that the State took the property for this purpose. States can get Federal money is they return the land. Additional Information Wikipedia:: Kelo vs. New London Supreme Court decision Yahoo NewsNebraska law that allowed Keystone XL struck down SF Gate: Richmond mortgage eminent domain battle expanding, December 9, 2013. NY Times: Richmond, CA a long shot against blight, January 12, 2014. Representatives Quoted Bob Goodlatte of Virginia Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina "Dozens of communities across the country are considering a vulture fund- developed investment scheme by which the municipality’s eminent domain power is used to acquire underwater— but otherwise p