NMAAHC — SI folklife Festival 2013 starts June 26


NMAAHC -- National Museum of African American History and Culture

SI folklife Festival 2013 starts June 26

THE WILL TO ADORN: African American Diversity, Style, and Identity

home_slides_05.jpg Congregants from the Alfred Street Baptist church enjoy a Mother’s Day hat fashion show in Washington, D.C., 2012. Photo by Sharon Farmer, courtesy of National Museum of African American History and Culture

What is African American about African American dress and body art and why does it matter?

African American traditions of dress and body adornment are creative expressions grounded in the history of African-descended populations in the United States. Visit the Smithsonian Folklife Festival to learn more!

Smithsonian Folklife Festival June 26 — 30, 2013 & July 03 — 07, 2013 National Mall, Washington DC

To view the full festival program, please visit http://www.festival.si.edu/

The Will to Adorn: African American Diversity, Style, and Identity festival program is produced by the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in partnership with the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

A Texas-Sized Attack on Women


By  CAP Action War Room

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The GOP’s War on Women Marches On

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) called a special session of the Texas legislature to deal with redistricting (Texas’ redistricting plan was thrown out for violating the Voting Rights Act), but then subsequently added abortion to the agenda after Senate Democrats thwarted efforts to pass new restrictions during the legislature’s regular session.

The GOP’s assault on abortion rights includes measures similar to what we’ve seen in dozens of other states, including:

  • An unconstitutional ban on all abortions after 20 weeks with no exceptions for rape or incest.
  • Burdensome and unnecessary regulations that will have the effect of closing 37 of the states’s 42 abortion clinics.
  • A ban on medication abortions (abortions that use an abortion pill) via telemedicine.

In just the latest example of outrageous comments about rape and women’s bodies, the measure’s sponsor, Rep. Jody Laubenberg (R), bizarrely suggested that rape kits are a form of abortion. “In the emergency room they have what’s called rape kits where a woman can get cleaned out,” said Laubenberg.

The measure will leave women in rural Texas with almost no health care options. Some would have to drive 600 miles or more each way simply to consult with an abortion provider, meaning any procedure could take several days including transit time.

The session is over Tuesday at midnight and the Texas GOP is now trying to do everything it can to pass its sweeping attack on women’s rights before the deadline. Last night, hundreds of protesters flooded the Texas State Capitol as House Democrats tried unsuccessfully to block the bill, which was ultimately passed around 3:00 a.m.

Normally bills have to wait 24 hours after passage before they can be taken up the other chamber, but Senate Republicans sought to take advantage of the absence of one Democrat who was attending her father’s funeral to try and get around the limit and pass the bill immediately. While it appears that procedural maneuver will not be successful, a single Democrat will still have to filibuster the bill for the entirety of the remaining hours of the session in order to stop it from passing.

A poll out last week found that a majority of Texans oppose the bill and a whopping 80 percent of Texans don’t even think the legislature should be dealing with the issue during its special session.

We’ll keep you up to date as this story develops, but it’s clear that the GOP has no intention of halting their efforts to outlaw abortion nor their apparently endless series of insulting and offensive comments about rape.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

The Supreme Court’s stunning attack on workers’ rights.

Affirmative action survived its latest trip before the Supreme Court.

George Zimmerman’s lawyer begins murder trial with a knock knock joke.

Miami is doomed.

Justice Alito would like Justin Ginsburg to keep her opinions to herself.

Why you shouldn’t be surprised that the National Zoo lost a red panda.

Obama administration kicks off campaign to enroll millions using new health care marketplaces.

Immigration reform bill clears major hurdle, likely to pass the Senate by week’s end.

The Roberts Court almost always rules in favor of the nation’s top corporate lobbying group.

the Senate S.744 ~~ CONGRESS ~~ the House


Obama Launches DNC Campaign Tour At Illinois State Capitol

The Senate stands in adjournment until 10:00am on Tuesday, June 25, 2013.

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business for one hour with the Majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the final half.
  • Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S.744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act.  The Senate will consider the Leahy amendment #1183, as modified, post-cloture.
  • During Monday’s session of the Senate, cloture was filed on the committee-reported substitute amendment and S.744.  As a result, the filing deadline for first degree amendments to both the committee-reported substitute and S.744 is 12:00pm on Tuesday.
  • All time during adjournment, recess, morning business and Executive Session will count post-cloture on the Leahy amendment #1183, as modified (with the Corker-Hoeven language regarding border security).

Notwithstanding Rule XXII, at 2:15pm today, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #180, the nomination of Penny Pritzker, to be Secretary of Commerce. There will be 30 minutes for debate followed by a vote on the confirmation of Penny Pritzker to be Secretary of Commerce. If all time is used, the vote would occur at 2:45pm.

2:45pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #180 the nomination of Penny Pritzker, to be Secretary of Commerce.

Confirmed: 97-1

The Senate has reached an agreement to set up 3 votes for 11:30am tomorrow. Those votes would be in relation to the following items:

–       Leahy motion to waive all applicable Budget points of order;

–       Adoption of Leahy amendment #1183, as modified;

–       Cloture on the committee-reported substitute amendment, as amended.

If cloture is invoked on the committee-reported substitute the time will count as if cloture had been invoked at 1am on Wednesday, June 26th.

Senator Vitter made a point of order that the bill would violate the Senate pay-go rule. Senator Leahy moved to waive all points of order with respect to the bill and pending amendments.

Senators are still working on a potential agreement to consider amendments to the bill, however, additional votes today seem to be unlikely.

The filing deadline for all 2nd degree amendments to the committee-reported substitute and S.744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act is 10:30am Wednesday. Germane second degree amendments to the committee-reported substitute amendment and the

underlying bill must be filed at the desk prior to the deadline to be considered in order post-cloture.

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTE

1)      Confirmation of Executive Calendar #180, the nomination of Penny Pritzker, to be Secretary of Commerce; Confirmed: 97-1

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Adopted S.Res.186, Congratulating the Miami Heat for winning the 2013 NBA finals.

No additional EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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Last Floor Action: 6/24
11:03:20 A.M. – The Speaker announced
that the House do now adjourn.

The next meeting in the House is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on June 25, 2013.

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