Stuff in the News: E-Warranty, Iran, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fishery, U.S. Postal Service

On September 8, 2015, the House voted to pass S. 1359, the E-Warranty Act of 2015 by a vote of 388-2. This bill will bring America’s warranty rules into the 21st century by giving manufacturers the option to post written warranty terms online in an easily accessible electronic format. In doing so, the E-Warranty Act will increase consumer access to warranty information while also allowing companies to leverage new technologies and reduce waste.

Representative Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) introduced a joint resolution permitting the sitting President or his successors to use the armed forces of the United States, if necessary, to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, two days before the U.S. House of Representatives passed H. Res. 411, Finding that the President has not complied with section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015, requiring the State Department to turn over the entire nuclear agreement, including any agreements made between Iran and other parties. The President failed comply with the law and once again is prepared to move forward with a major policy without Congressional approval.

Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler announced that she and Congressman Kurt Schrader (D-OR) had introduced the Timely Permitting Accessibility Act to allow private entities to pay for additional U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff to help expedite the permitting process for important economic development projects. To maintain the integrity of the process and avoid unnecessary environmental risk, additional staff would be employed by the Army Corps – not the organization funding the position – and permits must meet the exact same standards as projects processed in the traditional way. In addition, the law specifically prohibits this program from interrupting or delaying traditional permitting, improving wait times for all permit applicants.

Jaime Herrera Beutler’s bill to permanently extend a 19-year fishery management agreement that has been vital to Washington state’s Dungeness crab fishery was approved by the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee. The next step in the legislative process would be a vote by the entire U.S. House of Representatives.

In a letter to the U.S. Postmaster General, Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) is calling on the United States Postal Service (USPS) to abandon plans to consolidate mail processing centers, including the facility on William Street in Buffalo, after a preliminary review by the USPS Office of Inspector General (OIG) finds significant delays in mail delivery following plant closings and service standard reductions.