Congress: the Republicans : the Democrats

11/26/2012 Nativegrl77

the Senate Convenes: 2:00pmET November 26, 2012

Following the prayer and pledge, the Majority Leader will be recognized.
It will be in order for Senator Sessions or his designee to recognized to make a Budget Act point of order with respect to S.3525, the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012. Subsequently, it will be order for Senator Reid or his designee to move to waive the point of order.
At 5:30pm, all post-cloture time on S.3525, the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 will be considered expired. The Senate will then proceed to up to two roll call votes:

Motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to S.3525 (if a point of order and motion to waive are raised)
Passage of S.3525, as amended by the Tester substitute amendment #2875

Senators should expect up to 2 roll call votes to begin at approximately 5:30pm today. Those votes would be in relation to the following items:

– Motion to waive Budget Act point of order with respect to Tester amendment #2875 (substitute) (if point of order is raised as expected);

– Then, if the motion to waive the Budget Act is agreed to, passage of S.3525, Sportsmen’s Act of 2012, as amended.

During his opening remarks on the floor this afternoon, Senator Reid announced that while the Republicans discuss among themselves on what they want to do on the Defense Authorization bill, he intends to move to proceed to S.676, a bill to amend the Act of June 18, 1934, to reaffirm the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to take land into trust for Indian tribes (commonly referred to as the “Carcieri Fix”), and will file cloture on the motion to proceed for a Wednesday cloture vote.

On Tuesday, he intends to turn to Executive Session to consider Treaty document #112-7, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We will seek an agreement to consider a reasonable number of amendments to the treaty.

If cloture is not invoked on the motion to proceed to the Carcieri Fix legislation on Wednesday, Senator Reid will continue to work, with the help of Senators Levin and McCain, on a reasonable agreement to move forward on the Defense Authorization bill.

5:31pm The Senate began a roll call vote on the Tester motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to the Tester substitute amendment #2875 to S.3525, the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012; Not Waived: 50-44

The motion to waive the Budget point of order was not agreed to 50-44. The point of order was well taken and the Tester substitute amendment fell. The Senate then reached an agreement that the Reid amendment #2878 (technical) was withdrawn, the vote on passage of the bill was vitiated, and the bill was returned to the Calendar status quo. Further, at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader after consultation with the Republican Leader, it be in order for the Majority Leader to resume consideration of the bill.

Senator Reid then moved to proceed to S.3254, National Department of Defense Authorization.

There will be no further roll call votes tonight

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTE

1) Tester motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to the Tester substitute amendment #2875 to S.3525, the Sportsmen’s Act; Not Waived: 50-44

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Discharged the Judiciary committee and passed H.R.6063, the Child Protection Act of 2012.

Began the Rule 14 process of S.3637, FDIC TAG Extension bill. (Reid)

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on November 27, 2012.

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EXCLUSIVE: Morgan Freeman’s marriage equality message

11/26/2012 Nativegrl77 1 Comment

Morgan Freeman is the voice behind equality in a new ad for HRC – our team was so moved to work with Morgan on it, and the ad gives me chills.

Here’s part of what Morgan had to say:

“Freedom, justice and human dignity have always guided our journey toward a more perfect union.

Now across our country, we are standing together for the right of gay and lesbian Americans to marry the person they love. And with historic victories for marriage, we’ve delivered a mandate for full equality.”

Check out Morgan Freeman’s entire ad now, and then share the video far and wide with your friends, family, and neighbors.

There’s so much left to do, and it’s up to each of us to keep our momentum going.

Together, we fight so full equality reaches every single person in every corner of this vast country. 

For equality everywhere,

Chad Griffin
President, Human Rights Campaign

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Black Friday: We Stand with Walmart Workers

11/24/2012 Nativegrl77

We are writing you today to let you know that on this Black Friday, we join thousands of people of faith who are gathered at different Walmart stores across the country in support of Walmart associates and Walmart-contracted warehouse workers demanding respect, better wages and safer working conditions.

We see an endless stream of customers and thousands of items flying off the shelves. By the end of the day, Walmart will make millions
in sales and profits. The hardworking associates and warehouse workers, however, will go home with barely enough to make ends meet.

There is no reason for those who work at your stores and your contracted warehouses to go without basic necessities such as food and shelter. Yet, many of them live in poverty because Walmart does not pay fair wages.

As people of faith, we call for a Jubilee at Walmart as the company celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Jubilee is the biblical covenant requiring the cancellation of debts, freeing of slaves and redistribution of resources every 50 years to limit inequality.

Walmart is the glaring example of inequality, and for 50 years it helped legitimize an economy benefiting the interests of a few wealthy executives at the expense of working people.

This year, as you and your company celebrate the values of “hard work, “entrepreneurship,” and “the American dream,” we remember and pray for the 1.4 million Walmart workers in the United States earning poverty wages while having to work in dangerous environments with limited access to insurance and benefits.

We call on Walmart to share its corporate wealth with workers by providing what is due to store associates and to those contracted to provide and move Walmart goods: a living wage, benefits and a safe workplace.

Thank you,
The Black Institute

Campaign Materials

Black Friday Tumblr

The Black Institute
http://www.theblackinstitute.org/

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Don’t let Republicans Cut Your Social Security!

11/24/2012 Nativegrl77

Right now, some politicians in Washington are considering cramming cuts to our Social Security benefits into a last-minute budget deal.

Don’t Let Washington Cut Your Social Security Check!

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Between now and the holidays, the President and Congress are considering a deal that would change Social Security cost of living increase calculations and lower benefits by $112 billion in the next 10 years alone. That’s money directly out of the pockets of those American’s who need it the most.

The proposal assumes that when the cost of something you normally buy goes up, you will substitute a lower-cost item. Many seniors, though, spend much of their money on prescription drugs, utilities and heath care costs that don’t have a lower-cost substitute.

It’s time Congress took a serious look at how short-sighted budget deals like this will affect seniors across America.

Take action today: Urge your representative not to make devastating changes to Social Security as part of a last minute budget deal!