Daily Archives: 07/01/2010

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Announcing HealthCare.gov …a new consumer website -White House.gov


Posted by Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on July 01, 2010 at 05:00 AM EDT

Today, our Administration is launching HealthCare.gov a new consumer website that provides unprecedented transparency into the health care marketplace.  Through HealthCare.gov, individuals will have more control over their health care as informed and empowered consumers.

This “first-of-its-kind” website is simple and easy to use, and provides one-stop shopping access to a wealth of information, including your new consumer rights and benefits under the Affordable Care Act, a timeline of when new programs under the new law will come online between now and 2014 and a new insurance finder that will make it easy to find both private and public health insurance option that works for you.

HealthCare.gov will help take some of the mystery out of shopping for health insurance. For too long, it was confusing to identify your options and compare plans. HealthCare.gov makes comparison shopping easier with a new insurance finder that allows users to answer a few basic questions and receive information about insurance options that could work for them. The site makes a system that thrived on complication and confusion easier to understand.  This kind of transparency helps create informed consumers which increases competition, reduces prices and improves quality.

Here are just some of the basics about what you can find when you visit:

  • Approximately 500 pages of content
  • Data for more than 1,000 insurance carriers  and 5,561 open products (2,030 in the individual health insurance market and 3,531 in the small employer health insurance market)
  • Information on every Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program in the country
  • Information on the Pre-Existing Condition Plan in every state.
  • Billions of choices. Answer a few basic questions, and the site’s insurance finder automatically sorts through a huge catalog of public and private coverage options to help you identify the ones that are right for you (with billions of potential personal scenarios supported).

HealthCare.gov will continue to get even better in the months ahead. In October, 2010, price estimates for health insurance plans will be available online, and the site includes easy ways for users to tell us how we can make HealthCare.gov more helpful and easier to use.

We’ll discuss these and other features of the site this afternoon at 1:00 PM EDT, when the HHS team and I will host a briefing for reporters and the public to discuss the new site. You can watch the briefing by visiting HHS.gov/live. We’re excited about demonstrating this important new tool, and enthused that so many organizations and individuals are already praising the new site.

Here’s what some folks have said about HealthCare.gov:

Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports magazine.
“For the first time, no matter where you live, you can go to one place and compare health plans available in your area. The site is nicely designed.  It’s easy to find information.  It tries to avoid the complicated language that you usually get when you’re shopping for a health plan.  Starting this fall, the site will have more information, like price and quality of service comparisons, which will be a big help for consumers.”

Young Invincibles
“Young adults represent the largest group of uninsured in the country.  Because of health care reform, many of us are about to get insurance for the first time.  This portal will help us and all Americans get the information we need about the benefits now available to us.  Our generation, more than any other, gets our information online and this portal puts it all together in one easy, intuitive site.  It is the kind of site young Americans will use and will come back to as they build their careers and their lives.  We are excited to help spread the word and to finally see our friends and family get covered.”

American Cancer Society
“Healthcare.gov offers consumers something they’ve never had in the health insurance marketplace – a transparent, one-stop site where they can compare benefits and services, and find the insurance options that work best for them.  Reducing confusion about coverage and introducing straightforward information about insurance options has always been a top priority for cancer patients and survivors, and this website will help in a major way. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network will be getting the word out to our volunteers and members about this valuable new resource.”

American Heart Association
“This new website, www.healthcare.gov, from the Department of Health and Human Services is a valuable resource for all Americans as they learn more about the health insurance options available to them and about new insurance protections that could help ensure access to needed care for themselves and their families.   For the first time, consumers faced with an array of choices will have a single site to go to help them understand their coverage options.  The American Heart Association will continue to work closely with Congress and the Administration to ensure that heart disease and stroke patients receive the best information available to make informed choices about their insurance needs.”

SEIU
Last year, SEIU members joined in a nationwide effort to win quality, affordable health care for all Americans. HealthCare.gov is an important step forward in ending insurance company abuse – once and for all.  This portal will increase both transparency and access for the uninsured and allow people to find quality, affordable health plans in their states. For the first time ever, Americans will be able to compare health plans and make educated decisions about the type of plan that best suits their needs. With today’s launching ofHealthCare.gov, we’re closer than ever to achieving quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

Families USA
 “Families USA applauds Secretary Sebelius for launching a ground-breaking new web site for consumers shopping for health coverage or seeking information about the Affordable Care Act. “Healthcare.gov will allow consumers to make informed choices about their health care coverage and encourage competition and transparency among health insurers. This first-of-its-kind web site will provide consumers with their health coverage options in a comprehensive and easy-to-navigate way. We congratulate the Department of Health and Human Services for creating this online tool in a timely and expeditious manner during the three short months since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act. Never before have consumers been able to view all their insurance options—including private market plans, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, Medicare, and the new Preexisting Condition Insurance Plans—all in one place. Implementing the Affordable Care Act will be no small feat. Americans will welcome a useful, consumer-friendly online resource that is sure to help ease the process as they reap the benefits of this historic legislation.”

National Women’s Law Center
“We’d like to express our appreciation and congratulate the team at HHS on their remarkable efforts to expeditiously implement key pieces of the Affordable Care Act. This week, two more key pieces of the new law come into effect, including the launch of the new web portal. Safe to say that all consumers will benefit from “healthcare.gov” to find helpful information about all available health coverage options. For all people looking for insurance coverage, your new web-based resource that launches this week is a first-of–its-kind one-stop resource that puts users one click away from combined information drawn from many sources about all different insurance options, including but not limited to private insurance, public insurance options for people with low income, as well as the new Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plans. Never before have consumers had available to them such a resource that combined so many different sources of information about different insurance options. As you no doubt know, women are health care decision makers for their families. The new information resources available at healthcare.gov will help millions of women and their families find health coverage options until the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented in 2014. We look forward to the many improvements to come to our health system as a result of the Affordable Care Act.”

AFL-CIO
“Health Care.gov”, the new HHS website, as called for under the Affordable Care Act going , represents a giant step towards shifting control of health choices in the private insurance market from insurance companies to working families. The AFL-CIO applauds Secretary Sebelius and her staff for such creating a user friendly website where consumers can find useful and timely information on health coverage, choice and quality. Nothing in the private sector is its equal. “HealthCare.gov” is an example of public service at its best in the internet age and it delivers on the Secretary’s promise that HHS will be America’s “Helpdesk” for health care decisions. The unprecedented range and depth of information on insurance plans far outstretches what insurers provide or, in many cases, even disclose on their offerings. In addition the balanced information conveys in plain language giving consumers the information that’s usually gets lost in the fine print. The cost comparison information on plans scheduled to be added in October will make the site an even more consumer friendly tool. While the site will be most immediately useful to those without employment-based insurance – the millions of unemployed working families who have lost their health coverage in the economic meltdown of the past two years will find this enormously helpful – it also conveys information about improvements down the road for workers with group coverage by explaining in plain language the multiple benefits under the Affordable Care Act.

Kathleen Sebelius is Secretary of Health and Human Services

Black History

Congress …Thursday July 1, 2010


On Thursday, July 1, 2010 Senator Byrd will lie in repose in the Senate Chamber from 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Senator Byrd’s family will be in the Chamber from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, and Members are encouraged to pay their respects from 10:15 a.m.-12:00 noon. Senate staff with floor privileges and a Congressional ID are invited to pay their respects from the Senate floor and should enter the Chamber via the North door. Members of the public and Senate staff without floor privileges are also invited to pay tribute to Senator Byrd from the Senate Galleries from 10:15 a.m.-3:45 p.m. The public and staff without floor privileges should enter via the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC).

The Senate will convene at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, July 12.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each. Senators should expect a roll call vote at approximately 5:30 p.m. on confirmation of a judge

—————————————————————————————–

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS
LEGISLATIVE DAY OF JULY 1, 2010
111TH CONGRESS – SECOND SESSION

The House votes to reinstate employment benefits 269yeas and 153nays.

11:59P.M –

Mr. Gohmert moved that the House do now adjourn.

On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.

The House adjourned pursuant to H. Con. Res. 293. The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on July 13, 2010.

11:01 P.M. –

SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.

10:58 P.M. –

ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.

10:56 P.M. –

The House received a communication from James L. Oberstar, Chairman. Mr Oberstar notified the House that on July 1, 2010, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure met in open session to consider 15 resolutions to authorize appropriations for the General Services Administration’s (GSA) FY 2010 Capital Investment and Leasing Program. The leases authorize $225.9 million for various agencies. The Committee adopted the resolutions by voice vote with a quorum present.

H.R. 4899:

making emergency supplemental appropriations for disaster relief and summer jobs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes

10:54 P.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion that the House concur in the Senate amendment to the text with the fifth portion of the divided question (amendment 5) Failed by recorded vote: 162 – 260 (Roll no. 433).

10:47 P.M. –

On motion that the House concur in the Senate amendment to the text with the fourth portion of the divided question (amendment 4) Failed by recorded vote: 100 – 321 (Roll no. 432).

10:41 P.M. –

On motion that the House concur in the Senate amendment to the text with the third portion of divided question [amendment 3] Failed by recorded vote: 25 – 376, 22 Present (Roll no. 431).

10:33 P.M. –

On motion that the House concur in the Senate amendment to the text with the second portion of the divided question [amendment 2]. Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 239 – 182, 1 Present (Roll no. 430).

10:05 P.M. –

The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

10:04 P.M. –

ORDER OF PROCEDURE – Mr. Obey moved to concur in the Senate amendment to the text to H.R. 4899 with amendments. Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 1500, the motion to concur in the Senate amendment with amendments shall be divided into each of its 5 portions. The first portion is considered as adopted pursuant to H.Res. 1500. The Chair shall put the question on adoption of each of portions 2 through 5 separately in their turn.

8:15 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 1500, the House proceeded with 90 minutes of debate on the motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the text with amendments.

8:14 P.M. –

Mr. Obey moved that the House agree to the Senate amendment to the text with amendments.

H. Res. 1462:

expressing support for the people of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador as they persevere through the aftermath of Tropical Storm Agatha which swept across Central America causing deadly floods and mudslides

8:13 P.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by recorded vote (2/3 required): 403 – 1 (Roll no. 429).

8:02 P.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

H. Res. 1493:

providing for budget enforcement for fiscal year 2011

Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1500, H. Res. 1493 is considered passed House.

H. Res. 1500:

providing for consideration of the Senate amendments to the bill ( H.R. 4899) making emergency supplemental appropriations for disaster relief and summer jobs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 215 – 210 (Roll no. 428).

7:37 P.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

7:36 P.M. –

UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on adoption of H.Res. 1500 and a motion to suspend the rules, both of which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.

Call of the House Quorum responded: 419 present (Roll no. 427).

H. Res. 1500:

providing for consideration of the Senate amendments to the bill ( H.R. 4899) making emergency supplemental appropriations for disaster relief and summer jobs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, and for other purposes

7:05 P.M. –

Mr. McGovern moved to a Call of the House.

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on H.Res. 1500, the Chair put the question on adoption of the resolution and by voice vote announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Dreier demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings on adoption of the resolution until later in the legislative day.

5:41 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 1500

5:40 P.M. –

Considered as privileged matter.

5:39 P.M. –

Mr. McGovern filed a report from the Committee on Rules on H. Res. 1500.

H. Con. Res. 290:

expressing support for designation of June 30 as “National ESIGN Day”

5:38 P.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution Agreed to by recorded vote (2/3 required): 397 – 15 (Roll no. 426).

5:29 P.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

H.R. 5609:

to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit any registered lobbyist whose clients include foreign governments which are found to be sponsors of international terrorism or include other foreign nationals from making contributions and other campaign-related disbursements in elections for public office

5:28 P.M. –

The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 408 – 4 (Roll no. 425).

5:21 P.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

5:20 P.M. –

UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question of adoption of motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.

Call of the House Quorum responded: 416 present (Roll no. 424).

H.R. 5609:

to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit any registered lobbyist whose clients include foreign governments which are found to be sponsors of international terrorism or include other foreign nationals from making contributions and other campaign-related disbursements in elections for public office

4:52 P.M. –

At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

4:17 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5609.

4:12 P.M. –

Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Conyers moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

H.R. 5503:

to revise laws regarding liability in certain civil actions arising from maritime incidents, and for other purposes

4:11 P.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.

3:29 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 5503.

Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Conyers moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

3:28 P.M. –

The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until a time to be announced.

H.R. 5618:

to continue Federal unemployment programs

3:27 P.M. –

Under clause 10(c)(3) of rule XXI, the Chair announced that the presiding officer was supposed to have put the question of consideration on H.R. 5618 but omitted to do so. That omission has been overtaken by the subsequent actions on the bill.

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On passage Passed by recorded vote: 270 – 153 (Roll no. 423).

3:03 P.M. –

On motion to table the appeal of the ruling of the chair Agreed to by recorded vote: 220 – 196 (Roll no. 422).

2:44 P.M. –

Mr. Levin moved to table the motion to appeal the ruling of the chair

Mr. Camp appealed the ruling of the chair. The question was then put on sustaining the ruling of the chair.

2:43 P.M. –

Mr. Levin raised a point of order against the motion to recommit with instructions. Sustained by the Chair.

Point of order sustained against the motion to recommit with instructions.

2:36 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to report the same back to the House with an amendment to use stimulus funds to offset spending in the bill.

Mr. Camp moved to recommit with instructions to Ways and Means.

Considered as unfinished business.

Pursuant to clause 1 of Rule XIX, the House continued with further proceedings on H.R. 5618.

H. Res. 1412:

congratulating the Government of South Africa upon its first two successful convictions for human trafficking

2:34 P.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 414 – 1 (Roll no. 421).

2:03 P.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

H.R. 5618:

to continue Federal unemployment programs

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – Pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule XIX, the Chair announced that further consideration of H.R. 5618 would be postponed.

The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

1:12 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 5618.

1:09 P.M. –

Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 5618 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Bill is closed to amendments. The resolution waives all points of order against consideration of the bill except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI. The amendment printed in this report shall be considered as adopted. The resolution waives all points of order against the bill, as amended.

Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1495.

H. Res. 1405:

congratulating the people of the 17 African nations that in 2010 are marking the 50th year of their national independence

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by recorded vote (2/3 required): 410 – 0 (Roll no. 420).

1:02 P.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

H. Res. 1321:

expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the political situation in Thailand be solved peacefully and through democratic means

The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by recorded vote (2/3 required): 411 – 4 (Roll no. 419).

12:53 P.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question of adoption of motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.

H. Res. 1495:

providing for consideration of the bill ( H.R. 5618) to continue Federal unemployment programs, and waiving a requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII with respect to consideration of certain resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules

12:52 P.M. –

On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 231 – 189 (Roll no. 418).

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

12:25 P.M. –

The previous question was ordered without objection.

11:18 A.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 1495

Considered as privileged matter.

H. Res. 1460:

recognizing the important role pollinators play in supporting the ecosystem and supporting the goals and ideals of National Pollinator Week

11:15 A.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution Agreed to by recorded vote (2/3 required): 412 – 0, 1 Present (Roll no. 417).

11:08 A.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

H.R. 2340:

to resolve the claims of the Bering Straits Native Corporation and the State of Alaska to land adjacent to Salmon Lake in the State of Alaska and to provide for the conveyance to the Bering Straits Native Corporation of certain other public land in partial satisfaction of the land entitlement of the Corporation under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act

11:05 A.M. –

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 410 – 0 (Roll no. 416).

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

10:57 A.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

H. Res. 1228:

honoring the veterans of Helicopter Attack Light Squadron Three and their families

10:56 A.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 410 – 0 (Roll no. 415).

10:30 A.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

10:29 A.M. –

UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on adoption of motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.

10:04 A.M. –

ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches.

10:03 A.M. –

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Heinrich to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

10:02 A.M. –

The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.

10:01 A.M. –

Today’s prayer was offered by Reverend Bradford Braley, First Presbyterian Church, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

10:00 A.M. –

The Speaker designated the Honorable Jesse L. Jackson Jr. to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.

The House convened, starting a new legislative day

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President Obama on immigration


Organizing for America

This morning at 10:55 Eastern Time, President Obama will call on Congress to tackle comprehensive immigration reform in a major speech at American University.

This is a great opportunity for Americans to hear directly from the President on how his administration will address the need for common-sense, comprehensive immigration reform, grounded in the principles of responsibility and accountability.

Here are the details:

What: National town hall on immigration
With President Obama and Cecilia Munoz

Where: http://whitehouse.gov/live

When: 10:55 a.m. Eastern Time

Following the speech, Cecilia Munoz, a top advisor to the President on immigration issues will answers questions about the Obama administration’s immigration policies, so make sure to watch that, too.

You can see the whole speech here:

http://whitehouse.gov/live

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America
~ my 2cents ..., ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

thoughtful Thursday &some News


The President Obama will deliver an address at American University, hopefully giving Americans a clear plan for immigration reform that affects an estimated 11 million people who live in the U.S. undocumented. Reports are that Obama met with lawmakers this week to discuss a strategy for passing immigration reform but as we, all know other things have been happening and have taken his eye off immigration. We all know that immigration has been an issue that most people try to avoid; it also affects certain parts of our economy. Another fact is that elections are coming; and it would be in our President’s interest and for the rest of us if he finally addresses immigration in a way that can move us toward progress not exclusion like Republicans seem to want to do and require of their party members.  We need a new but comprehensive way for people to live and work just as all Americans want and strive for their own families. Apparently, Senator Coburn felt some folks more than others deserve to be free and strive for a better way of life. I for one do not want to go back to the days when women and minorities were expected to be seen not heard and failed to have rights like the white men who liked to control every aspect of people’s lives.

If anyone was listening or watching the Elena Kagan hearings yesterday, it was again another eye opening moment of what seemed to be racist behavior by senator Coburn. It went from asking about her background to what seemed like an attack on women that was then followed by an attack on people of colour and thank goodness, Senator Amy Klobuchar decided to not just challenge the comments she definitely schooled this man as well as the public who happened to be tuned in. It was one of many moments in this hearing that have been made a stage for comments filled with vitriol, Republican talking points,  just rude behavior on so many levels and so offensive to anyone who vaguely believes in compassion or true freedom for Americans.

Other News …

**Toyota: over 270thou faulty engines

**reports from cnn are that immigration advocates will use a strategy for comprehensive immigration and that is to challenge Republicans to come on board

C-SPAN …

watch Pres. Obama on Immigration

Panel Presses Goldman & AIG on Relationship During Financial Crisis

The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission continues its investigation into the 2008 Financial Crisis with a second day of testimony on how the institution used derivatives within the market and when they were used during 2007-2008. Witnesses include current and former executives of Goldman Sachs and AIG, as well as the chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

The financial crisis panel was created by Congress and is due to report its findings this December. Former California Treasurer Phil Angelides serves as chairman.

Questioning Wraps Up for Supreme Court Nominee

Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan finished her last day of questioning on Wednesday. Over the past two days Ms. Kagan was challenged over her treatment of military recruiters while dean of Harvard Law School, and asked to share her perspective on gun rights. When questioned on the subject of partial-birth abortion, Kagan described it as “an incredibly difficult issue.”Read More »

Outside witness testimony will begin Thursday afternoon at 4pm following the U.S. Senate’s adjournment for the arrival of Sen. Robert Byrd’s casket on Capitol Hill. These witness panels will include those both in favor of and opposed to Kagan’s nomination.The Committee hopes to approve her nomination and hold a floor vote in late July. If confirmed, she would replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens and become the fourth woman in the Supreme Court’s history.