Daily Archives: 07/11/2013

Black History

the Senate considers S.1238 ~~ CONGRESS ~~ the House considers HR2642


capitol30

The Senate stands in adjournment until 10:00am on Thursday, July 11, 2013.

  • Following the prayer and the pledge, the Majority Leader will be recognized.  It is expected he will renew the motion to proceed to S.1238, the Keep Student Loans Affordable Act of 2013.
  • Following the remarks of the two Leaders, the time until 12:30pm will be equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each with the Republicans controlling the first 30 minutes and the Majority controlling the second 30 minutes.
  • The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm to allow for caucus meetings.  At 2:15pm, the Majority Leader will be recognized.

The Senate will recess from 12:30 until 2:15pm today. At 2:15pm Senator Reid will be recognized. He intends to file cloture on several executive nomination this afternoon.

In order to file cloture on a series of nominations we need to go in and out of executive session. A motion to executive session to consider a nomination and a motion to return to legislative session are nondebatable motions. Typically we go in and out of legislative and executive session by consent. However, a senator could ask for a roll call vote on any or all of those motions.

As a result, we could see a series of procedural votes as early as 2:15pm today.

Senator Murray asked unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar #33, H.Con.Res.25; the amendment at the desk, which is the text of S.Con.Res.8, the budget resolution passed by the Senate, be inserted in lieu thereof; and that H.Con.Res.25, as amended, be agreed to. Further, that the Senate insist on its amendment, request a conference with the House on the disagreeing votes of the two Houses; and the Chair be authorized to appoint conferees on the part of the Senate; and that following the authorization, two motions to instruct conferees be in order from each side:

– Motion to instruct relative to the debt limit; and

– Motion to instruct relative to taxes/revenue;

That there be two hours of debate equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees, prior to votes in relation to the motions; further, that no amendments be in order to either of the motions prior to the votes; all of the above occurring with no intervening action or debate.

Senator Rubio asked that the request be modified so that it not be in order for the Senate to consider a conference report that includes reconciliation instructions to raise the debt limit. Senator Murray objected to Senator Rubio’s modification because she offered the senator a vote on a motion to instruct conferees on the debt limit. Finally, Senator Rubio objected to Senator Murray’s original request.

When we reconvened at 2:15pm, the Senate turned to a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each. We still expect a series of roll call votes this afternoon, potentially in the 3pm range.

Senator Reid filed cloture on the following nominations:

–          Exec. Cal. #51, Richard Cordray, of Ohio, to be Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection;

–          Exec. Cal #100, Richard Griffin, of the District of Columbia, to be Member of the National Labor Relations Board;

–          Exec. Cal #101, Sharon Block, of the District of Columbia, to be Member of the National Labor Relations Board;

–          Exec. Cal #104, Mark Pearce, of New York, to be Member of the National Labor Relations Board;

–          Exec. Cal #178, Fred Hochberg, of New York, to be President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States;

–          Exec. Cal #99, Thomas Perez, of Maryland, to be Secretary of Labor; and

–          Exec. Cal #98, Gina McCarthy, of Massachusetts, to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Senator McConnell then asked consent that on Tuesday at 2:15pm the Senate proceed to consecutive votes on 1 Democratic and 2 Republican nominees to the NLRB:

–          Exec. Cal #104, Mark Pearce, of New York, to be Member of the National Labor Relations Board

–          Exec. Cal. #102, Harry Johnson, of Virginia, to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board

–          Exec. Cal. #103, Philip Miscimarra, of Illinois, to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board

Further, that following those votes the Senate proceed to the cloture motion filed on Exec. Cal #99, Thomas Perez, of Maryland, to be Secretary of Labor, and that if cloture is invoked the Senate immediately proceed to a vote on confirmation of the nominations; further, the Senate then vote on the cloture motion filed on Exec. Cal #98, Gina McCarthy, of Massachusetts, to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and if cloture is invoked, the Senate proceed to vote on confirmation of the nomination. Further, that the Senate then vote on the cloture motion that was filed on Exec. Cal #178, Fred Hochberg, of New York, to be President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and if cloture is invoked, the Senate proceed to an immediate vote on confirmation of that nomination. Finally, that following the votes listed above the Senate proceed to the cloture votes on the remaining 3 filed cloture motions.

Senator Reid objected.

We were able to go in and out of Legislative and Executive session by voice votes. In light of this development, the series of procedural votes will no longer be necessary and there will be no further votes this week. The Senate is now in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each. Senator Reid announced there would be a procedural vote around 5:30pm on Monday and a joint Democratic and Republican caucus meeting at 6pm on Monday.

If no agreement on the nominations can be reached, the first cloture vote would occur early Tuesday morning. If cloture is invoked on any of the nominations, there would be up to 8 hours for debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination, except for the Perez nomination, which would have up to 30 hours of post-cloture debate. If cloture is not invoked on a nomination, the Senate would proceed to vote on cloture on the next nomination.

WRAP UP

No ROLL CALL VOTES

 

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Discharged the Finance committee and passed H.R.2289, to rename section 219(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as the Kay Bailey Hutchison Spousal IRA.

Adopted H.Con.Res.43, authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for a ceremony honoring the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of his birth.

Discharged the Judiciary committee and adopted S.Res.191, designating July 27, 2013, as “National Day of the American Cowboy.”

Began the Rule 14 process of S.1292, the Defund Obamacare Act of 2013. (Cruz)

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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July 2013
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__________________________________________________________________________

Last Floor Action:
3:12:37 P.M. -H.R. 2642
On motion to
recommit with instructions Roll Call 352 – Recorded vote pending.

__________________________________________________________________________

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

ThinkProgress ~~ Hasselbeck, Moochers and Armed Teachers?


FIVE REASONS WHY ELISABETH HASSELBECK WILL FIT RIGHT IN ON FOX AND FRIENDS

EXPECTING MOMS ARE MOOCHERS?

INSURERS WON’T COVER SCHOOLS WITH ARMED TEACHERS
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Zach Silk, Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility


What happens t‌omorrow afternoon could determine who has more power in our state — 80% of Washington‘s citizens, or a tiny group composed of the national NRA leadership and the local gun lobby.

Last week, after the secretary of state released the language that we will use on our petitions to ensure that Washington gets to vote on requiring anyone buying a gun to pass a simple background check, that tiny group of ideologues filed a lawsuit to change it.

So we have to go to court t‌omorrow afternoon — and the judge’s decision on how we word the ballot title could be the difference between passing a measure that 80% of us support, or letting the NRA leadership and the gun lobby have their way.

Help us win the first battle of this campaign by contributing $3 to fight for fair petition language!

I know, it doesn’t seem like much, but the wording of a petition will matter A LOT when voters decide if they want to help us get on the ballot.

With fair wording, it’s going to be up to the voters to make their own decision — and we have a great change to make our state a lot safer.

With unfair wording, the NRA leadership and the gun lobby can scare a lot of voters who support criminal background checks away — and who knows what could happen.

We can’t afford to take that chance. Contribute $3 today to help us fight for a fair chance!

That’s all we ask for — a fair chance to let the voters decide.

And it all starts t‌omorrow.

Thanks again,

Zach Silk

~ my 2cents ..., ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

A better tomorrow means less Tea in Congress


In March of 2010, a Gallup Poll report stated that if a vote from We the People for Congress were taken right now it would result in 47% voting for Democrats and 44% Republicans. My response, if this is true, organizers definitely need to get prepared for November 2010.  That the numbers were this close because the Democrats have not gone big bold and progressive as most of us want. Well, we all know what happened and granted the process of changing policy and or making better laws are not easy or pleasant but it should not be the reason for changing your attitude or your vote solely for hating the process.  The bills that are being considered or waiting in the Senate, could improve the lives of the many rather than a select few and we need to get beyond the status quo Republicans seem to have claimed as the best way to gain back Congress. I don’t know about you but what I hear and see just makes it clear that Republicans like Speaker Boehner and Senator Mitch McConnell do not represent America… period.  We need Senator Reid to find the will not only be tough but remember this is not just a historic moment for everyone it is the opportunity to move America into the 21st Century. The people spoke in 2008 and again in 2012 with 53% voting for Barack Obama for a 2nd term. Now,  it’s time for Congress to stop acting out earn their pay and do the right thing.

The fact is while Congress ignores passing legislation the Sequester is moving into the living rooms of families all over the country … invisible to those on tv from commentary reporters or journos offering entertainment judgments advice as well as conservative politicians who we call public servants seemingly acting extreme … are bad actors

The Media continues to speculate or re-enforce the negative and mocking President Obama’s so-called improbable agenda of climate change, immigration overhaul as well as stating that Democrats are wavering on a vote that could quite possibly bring all that is Democratic down.   It is at this moment that the Democratic Party should be willing to create change that has been needed for quite some time and like the President has stated…

My question for you voters is … if not now when, because we may never get this chance for a long time if ever.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

A Whiter Shade of Fail


By CAP Action War Room

The House GOP’s Epic Miscalculation

“A whiter shade of fail,” is how Nobel Prize-winning economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman described the latest efforts to deny the numerical and political reality that the GOP is in “a demographic death spiral,” as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) put it, unless the party gets behind comprehensive immigration reform in order to help get right by Asian and Latino voters.

It’s clear that some House Republicans are looking for an excuse, any excuse really, to get out of passing immigration reform with a pathway to earned citizenship. Some say they don’t have many Latinos in their gerrymandered conservative districts, so there’s no personal political benefit to them but there is potential political risk in the form of a primary from the right. Others, however, have seized on a recent analysis that purported to show that the GOP doesn’t actually need to improve its standing among minority voters if it simply manages to magically find and turn out “missing white voters.” And voila, there’s an excuse for the GOP to continue the status quo of alienating nearly every demographic segment outside of its increasingly old, increasingly white base.

Unfortunately for the GOP, this analysis was all wrong. In a post entitled, “No, Republicans, ‘Missing’ White Voters Won’t Save You,” Alan Abramowitz and Ruy Teixeira run through the numbers explaining just how wrong this “missing white voter” theory is. You should read the whole thing, but here’s their conclusion:

So: GOP phone home! Your missing white voters have been found, and it turns out they weren’t really missing. They were simply sitting out a relatively low turnout election along with a large number of their minority counterparts. They may be back next time if it’s a higher turnout election — but then again so will a lot of minority voters. Bottom line: your demographic dilemma remains the same. The mix of voters is changing fast to your disadvantage and there is no cavalry of white voters waiting in the wings to rescue you.

The New Republic’s Nate Cohn offers additional analysis underscoring that there is no easy way out of the GOP’s demographic dilemma. Indeed, he writes that since the GOP’s gains among white voters have been concentrated in the South and Appalachia, not battleground states, current trends among white voters actually “would cement the Democratic edge in the Electoral College.” Cohn concludes, “the GOP has a tough road ahead.”

Finally, a new round of polls out today shows that voters want immigration to be addressed this year and that several House Republicans in swing districts could face a serious voter backlash if immigration reform fails.

BOTTOM LINE: There’s no easy way out for the GOP. If House Republicans decide to kill immigration reform with a pathway to earned citizenship, their chances of staying a national party with the possibility of winning the White House are likely to die along with it.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

No governing, only sabotage.

The GOP’s number on obstruction is about to be up.

Georgia is set to ignore the Constitution and execute an intellectually disabled man anyway.

State troopers forcibly remove Texas woman during epic testimony on anti-abortion bill.

Over 60 abortion rights activists arrested yesterday during North Carolina’s Moral Monday protest.

Company advertises bleeding shoot-a-gun-control-lobbyist target with photo of an actual gun massacre victim.

GOP governor: Pregnant women and breast cancer patients are free health care moochers.

Hedge funder writes op-ed accusing homeless shelter volunteers of being the real cause of homelessness.

The sequester is still hurting families and children across the country.