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ICYMI: No postcards from Paris, no embassy for Jerusalem

ICYMI: No postcards from Paris, no embassy for Jerusalem

In case you missed it, a lot happened on and around Capitol Hill this week, even though Congress is out of session.

Here’s a recap of what went down during this past week’s recess and a look at what’s coming when Congress returns next week.

The Obamacare clock is ticking

Don’t get your hopes up about the GOP’s health-care bill passing out of the Senate, guys. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is now managing expectations on how the bill will perform, Newsmax reports.

Keep in mind that even if the bill does pass, its potential to bring your premiums down by much is dubious, according to the Congressional Budget Office score released last week.

This is primarily because the bill, while stronger than the original version, only seeks to lessen the impact of some of the worst aspects of President Obama’s signature legislation while keeping the major cost-raising regulations in place.

Additionally, a lot of people are seeing that the GOP’s health-care bill falls short of the deal they were promised during the campaign. A recent poll shows that 75 percent of people surveyed think the current version of the measure doesn’t live up to Trump’s campaign promises.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for an app-based, market solution to your health-care needs, well … tough. These are the medical apps that the Food and Drug Administration is keeping you from trying.

Get ready for some budget déjà vu

Keep an eye on this over the next few weeks, because when it comes to federal spending, it’s almost like Obama never left. Republicans now control the House, the Senate, and the Oval Office, but are still apparently pulling from their Obama-era playbook when it comes to spending your tax dollars.

A story at Roll Call explains how, rather than try take on the fight necessary to pass a regular budget now that they have the White House, GOP congressmen are preparing to pass yet another omnibus spending package before August recess.

Knock knock knocking on the debt ceiling

The ceiling was suspended until mid-March of this year, and the deadline to either cut spending, grow the debt, or find some combination of the two will be fast approaching when Congress comes back to town next week.

Congress needs to cut some spending if it’s going to raise the limit again, according to Trump’s budget boss. In an interview, Office of Management and Budget director Mick Mulvaney pushed back against his fellow cabinet member, Steve Mnuchin, who has been pushing a cut-free debt hike.

Trump’s border tax loses more support

Yet another GOP congressman has stood up against the proposed border adjustment tax, and he’s concerned that the proposal could mean bad news for lowering your annual bill with the IRS.

"I think on policy it’s bad, but even more importantly, I think it will sink tax reform if it’s in there," said Freedom Caucus member Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., of the proposed hike Thursday.

But there’s more than one way to fund a wall. One alternative to wall funding comes from Sen. Ted Cruz: Make cartel kingpin ‘El Chapo’ pay for it.

No postcards from Paris

"I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris," Trump said in his Thursday afternoon speech explaining his decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement, promising to negotiate a deal that puts America’s interests first. The news comes, naturally, amid a rash of complaints from European leaders and American environmentalists.

Not so fast, though; getting out of the Paris deal is going to take a while. The administration will be complying with set withdrawal protocols, which will take about four years.

Also, former President Obama decided to weigh in on the decision.

No embassy for Jerusalem

President Trump officially broke a major campaign promise Thursday when he confirmed that his administration, as others before it, deferred moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Jordan Schachtel has the details on how the president’s move looks like a cave to “shallow state” advisors taking up for Palestinian authorities.

Planned Parenthood is still making bank … out of your tax dollars

Republicans in Congress are still trying to make good on their promises to defund Planned Parenthood, and the group’s financials show that such a move would take a sizeable chunk out of the abortion provider’s massive piggy bank.

Here’s a list of other takeaways from Planned Parenthood’s latest annual report.

Trump impeachment watch

A lot more people want Congress to impeach Trump now, apparently. The question remains, “Over what?”

A new POLITICO/Morning Consult poll highlights that a 43 percent plurality of Americans want to see Congress remove our commander-in-chief from office – a five percent increase from the previous week. According to the Constitution, you need high crimes, misdemeanors, or treason to begin the process.

That still hasn’t stopped Democrat politicians like Reps. Al Green and Maxine Waters from pushing the idea, however, regardless of how few serious allies they’ve mustered to the cause.

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