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Petition: Stop voter suppression in Florida

12/19/2013 Nativegrl77

Rick Scott’s administration has just made their next move in the attempt to suppress voting rights in Florida.

The Secretary of State issued a directive — without much (if any) input from regional election supervisors — that limits the locations at which Floridians can drop off absentee ballots to elections offices only, instead of remote drop off sites that are more convenient for voters.

Put simply: Rick Scott’s administration once again has just made it harder for folks in Florida to vote.

The next big election in Florida is coming up on January 14th — a special election primary to fill the vacant seat in Florida’s 13th congressional district. We have a great candidate in Alex Sink and it’s another prime pickup opportunity for Democrats.

Every Floridian in that district should be able to make their voice heard without worrying about these new restrictions. These limitations are unnecessary and can have a dramatic impact in suppressing the vote. For instance, in 2012, 42% of all ballots were dropped off at these remote sites closer to where voters live.

We cannot let slick Rick try to rig another election. Join me in calling on Rick Scott and Florida Republicans to retract these new voting restrictions immediately.

The right to vote in this country is non-negotiable. Any changes we make to our election structure should make it easier for people to vote, not harder.
Thank you for standing with me against these new restrictions.
Debbie

Black History

the Senate CONGRESS 12/19 the House

12/19/2013 Nativegrl77

The Senate stands adjourned until 10:00am on Thursday, December 19, 2013.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to concur in the House message to accompany H.R.3304, the National Defense Authorization Act, post-cloture.

All time during adjournment will count post-cloture on the motion to concur with respect to NDAA. Roll call votes are possible throughout the day. Senators will be notified when they are scheduled.

Senator Reid asked unanimous consent the Senate take up and pass S.1859, submitted earlier today by Senator Reid. The bill includes the following provisions:

– an extension of a provision to exclude mortgage debt forgiveness from taxable income;

– deductions for state and local sales taxes, qualified tuition expenses for students, and classroom expenses that teachers pay for out of their own pockets;

– a commuter benefit that helps workers who take mass transit to their jobs every day;

– the New Markets Tax Credit and the Low Income Housing Credit;

– tax benefits to encourage investment in our nation’s infrastructure, such as the Short Line Rail Tax Credit; provisions that encourage the development of renewable energy technology, including the production tax credit for wind, as well as credits to promote the development of biofuels, alternative fuel vehicles, and energy-efficient buildings; and

– tax incentives for small and large businesses, including Section 179 expensing, bonus depreciation and the R&D credit;

Senator McConnell asked that the request be modified and that the pending cloture motions on Executive nominations be withdrawn; and that following disposition of the Defense Authorization bill, the Senate proceed to the consideration of H.R.2668, and that the text of S.1859 be the first amendment in order, and that the Majority and Minority sides then be recognized to offer amendments in an alternating fashion.

Senator Reid objected and Senator McConnell objected to the original request.

The Senate has resumed consideration of the House Message on H.R.3304, the National Defense Authorization Act, post-cloture. If all time is used, at approximately 11:14pm tonight the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on the motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the House amendment to H.R.3304, NDAA (passage).

As a reminder, on Monday Senator Reid filed cloture on several Executive nominations. Upon disposition of the Defense bill, there will be a live quorum prior to a cloture vote on the Mayorkas nominations. If cloture is invoked, there would be up to 8 hours for debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination. Upon disposition of the Mayorkas nomination, there will be a mandatory live quorum prior to a cloture vote on the Koskinen nomination. If cloture is invoked, there would be up to 8 hours for debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination.

We’ll repeat the general sequence of a live quorum (unless we obtain consent to waive the quorum), a cloture vote, some debate time, and then confirmation vote until we’ve worked through the nominations listed below.

Senators will be notified if an agreement can be reached and the schedule changes, but at this time senators should be prepared for 2 votes at approximately 11:14pm. Additional procedural votes are possible today and during the voting sequence. Senators are encouraged to be on the floor for the live quorums so that a quorum can be established quickly.

11:14pm votes:

1) Adoption of the motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the House amendment to H.R.3304, NDAA (passage)

Live quorum

2) Cloture on Executive Calendar #456, Alejandro Mayorkas, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security

(up to 8 hours equally divided)

3) Confirmation of Mayorkas nomination

Live quorum

4) Cloture on Executive Calendar #459, John Andrew Koskinen, of the District of Columbia, to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service.

(8 hours equally divided)

5) Confirmation of Koskinen nomination

Live quorum

6) Cloture on Executive Calendar #382, Brian J. Davis, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the District of Florida

(2 hours equally divided)

7) Confirmation of Davis nomination

Live quorum

8) Cloture on Executive Calendar #452, Janet L. Yellen, of California, to be Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve

(30 hours)

9) Confirmation of Yellen nomination

Live quorum

10) Cloture on Executive Calendar #455, Sloan D. Gibson, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs

(8 hours equally divided)

11) Confirmation of Gibson nomination

Live quorum

12) Cloture on Executive Calendar #445, Sarah Sewall, of Massachusetts, to be an Under Secretary of State (Civility Security, Democracy, and Human Rights)

(8 hours equally divided)

13) Confirmation of Sewall nomination

Live quorum

14) Cloture on Executive Calendar #371, Michael L. Connor, of New Mexico, to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior

(8 hours equally divided)

15) Confirmation of Connor nomination

Live quorum

16) Cloture on Executive Calendar #457, Sarah Bloom Raskin, of Maryland, to be Deputy Secretary of the Treasury

(8 hours equally divided)

17) Confirmation of Raskin nomination

Live quorum

18) Cloture on Executive Calendar #356, Jessica Garfola Wright, of Pennsylvania, to be Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness

(8 hours equally divided)

19) Confirmation of Wright nomination

Live quorum

20) Cloture on Executive Calendar #189, Richard Engler, of New Jersey, to be a Member of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board

(8 hours equally divided)

21) Confirmation of Engler nomination

The Senate will recess from 12:45pm until 2:15pm. The time will count against post-cloture debate on NDAA.

The time from 2:15 until 2:35pm will be controlled by the Majority Leader, or his designee, and the time from 2:35pm until 3:15pm will be controlled by the Republican Leader, or his designee.

At 3:15pm, we expect Senator Cornyn to make a motion to table with respect to the Defense bill in order to offer an amendment.

Expected 3:15pm vote:

– Cornyn motion to table the Reid motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R.3304, with Reid amendment #2552.

Senator Reed (RI) asked unanimous consent the Senate take up and pass Calendar #265, S.1845, a bill to extend unemployment insurance benefits for 3 months.

Senator Cornyn asked that the request be modified that that all pending cloture motions on Executive nominations be withdrawn, and that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S.1845, and that the Majority Leader and Minority Leader be recognized to offer amendments in an alternating fashion.

Senator Reed declined to modify his request and Senator Cornyn objected to the original request.

Senator Cornyn asked unanimous consent to set aside the pending motion to concur with Reid #2552 amendment in order to make a motion to concur with Cornyn amendment #2606 (to provide for the award of medals for members of the Armed Forces and civilian employees of the Department of Defense who were killed or wounded in an attack perpetrated by a homegrown violent extremist who was inspired or motivated by a foreign terrorist organization.

Senator Levin objected.

Cornyn parliamentary inquiry #1: is it correct that no senator is permitted to offer an amendment to the House passed Defense bill while the Majority Leader’s motion to concur with a further amendment is pending?

Chair: The senator is correct

Cornyn parliamentary inquiry #2: If a motion to table the Reid motion to concur with a further amendment is successful, would there be an opportunity to offer my amendment #2602?

Chair: The senator is correct.

Senator Cornyn then moved to table the pending Reid motion to concur with a further amendment.

3:29pm The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on the Cornyn motion to table the Reid motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R.3304, National Defense Authorization Act;

Not Tabled: 45-55

The News

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid released the following statement today:

“Republicans owe an apology to the more than one million Americans whose unemployment insurance will expire due to Republican gridlock and obstruction. In the past, Democrats and Republicans have worked together to extend unemployment insurance for those still looking for work. Sadly, Republicans have now decided that they would rather let this program expire than cooperate with Democrats.

“With just a little cooperation, we could complete all of the work before us and vote to extend unemployment benefits before Christmas Eve. Without Republican cooperation, we cannot. I hope my Republican colleagues will change course, and put the millions of Americans who are struggling this holiday season ahead of partisan gridlock. If Republicans choose to continue their obstruction, I will ensure that extending unemployment insurance is the first thing we vote on after the holiday.

“Congress is finishing this year less popular than a cockroach, and this kind of mindless, knee-jerk obstruction from Republicans is exactly why.”

The Senate has reached an agreement with respect to several nominations. Under the unanimous consent agreement, there will be 2 roll call votes at 11:14pm this evening, 6 roll call votes at 10:00am Friday and one roll call vote at a time to be determined on Monday, January 6^th. The details of the agreement are below.

Today, Thursday, December 19^th at 11:15pm, 2 Roll Call Votes:

– Motion to concur in the House message to accompany H.R.3304, the National Defense Authorization Act and

– Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #456, Alejandro Mayorkas, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security.

Following the cloture vote on the Mayorkas nomination, the Senate will be in period of morning business for debate only with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.

When the Senate convenes on Friday, December 20^th, all but one hour of post-cloture debate will be expired with the one remaining hour equally divided and controlled between Senators Carper and Coburn.

Friday at approximately 10:15am, 6 roll call votes:

– Confirmation of the Mayorkas nomination,

– Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #459, John Koskinen, of the District of Columbia, to be Commissioner of Internal Revenue

– Confirmation of the Koskinen nomination

– Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #382, Brian Davis, of FL, to be US District Judge for the Middle District of Florida

– Confirmation of the Davis nomination and

– Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #452, Janet Yellen, of California, to be Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

Monday, January 6^th at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader in consultation with the Republican Leader:

– Confirmation of the Yellen nomination.

The cloture motions on the following nominations were withdrawn:

– Executive Calendar #455, Sloan D. Gibson, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs

– Executive Calendar #445, Sarah Sewall, of Massachusetts, to be an Under Secretary of State (Civility Security, Democracy, and Human Rights)

– Executive Calendar #371, Michael L. Connor, of New Mexico, to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior

– Executive Calendar #457, Sarah Bloom Raskin, of Maryland, to be Deputy Secretary of the Treasury

– Executive Calendar #356, Jessica Garfola Wright, of Pennsylvania, to be Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness

– Executive Calendar #189, Richard Engler, of New Jersey, to be a Member of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.

11:14pm The Senate began a 15-minute roll call vote on the Motion to concur in the House message to accompany H.R.3304, the National Defense Authorization Act.

Agreed to: 84-15

11:38pm The Senate began a 15-minute roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #456, Alejandro Mayorkas, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security.

Invoked: 55-45