Monthly Archives: February 2014

Black History

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 2/27 ~~ the House


2ebe4-gulfwindsunsetThe Senate stands adjourned until 9:30am on Thursday, February 27, 2014. 

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.1982, the Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014 with the time until 2:00pm equally divided and controlled in the usual form with Sessions controlling 30 minutes of the Republican time and Senator Graham or his designee recognized at 1:45pm.

 During Wednesday’s session, cloture was filed on the Sanders substitute amendment #2747 and S.1982; as a result, the filing deadline for first degree amendments is 10:30am and the filing deadline for 2nd degree amendments is 1:30pm.

 At approximately 2:00pm, there will be at least 2 roll call votes:

–        Graham (or designee) motion to table the Reid second degree amendment #2766 (date change) and

–        Murray (or designee) motion to waive the Sessions (or designee) budget act point of order with respect to S.1982

If the motion to waive is successful, there will be up to 4 additional roll call votes:

–        Motion to invoke cloture on the Sanders substitute amendment #2747

–        If cloture is invoked on the substitute amendment, the next vote will be on adoption of amendment #2747

–        Motion to invoke cloture on S.1982, as amended, if amended and

–        If cloture is invoked on the bill, the final vote will be passage of S.1982, as amended, if amended.

 We expect to consider Executive Calendar #561, the nomination of Michael Connor, of New Mexico, to be Deputy Secretary of the Interior during Thursday’s session. The previous order provided for up to 20 minutes of debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination.  It is likely this vote could occur in the series at 2:00pm or before. Senators will be notified when votes are scheduled.

At 1:57pm, the Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on the Graham motion to table the Reid motion to commit S.1982 (majority vote threshold);

Not Tabled: 44-52

We expect a total of 3 roll call votes during this series of votes.

Next:

–          Sanders motion to waive all applicable Budget points of order (60-affirmative vote threshold)

(2 minutes for debate equally divided)

–          Confirmation of Calendar #561, Michael L. Connor, of New Mexico, to be Deputy Secretary of Interior (majority vote threshold)

Prior to the vote, Senator Graham asked unanimous consent to set aside the pending motion so that he may offer amendment #2752 (substitute with Iran Sanctions) to S.1982, Comprehensive Veterans bill.

Senator Sanders said this and ultimately objected: RESERVING THE RIGHT TO OBJECT. I DO

FIND IT INTERESTING THAT IN THE MIDST OF THIS IMPORTANT DEBATE

ABOUT THE NEEDS OF OUR VETERANS, MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES ARE

ON THE FLOOR AND HAVE NOTHING TO SAY, NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT

VETERANS. THIS BILL IS NOT ABOUT BENGHAZI. THIS VETERANS BILL

IS NOT ABOUT IRAN SANCTIONS. IT IS NOT ABOUT HILLARY CLINTON.

IT IS ABOUT PROTECTING THE NEEDS OF OUR VETERANS. SO SENATOR

BURR’S BILL DOES NOT GO ANYWHERE NEAR AS FAR AS WE NEED TO GO

IN TERMS OF VETERANS ISSUES. IT BRINGS THE IRAN SANCTIONS

ISSUES INTO A DEBATE WHERE IT SHOULD NOT BE BROUGHT INTO. I

OBJECT.

Senator Graham then made a parliamentary inquiry and asked if it is correct that no senator is permitted to offer an amendment to this bill while the majority leader’s amendments and motions are pending.

The Chair said that is correct.

He then made a further parliamentary inquiry and asked if a motion to table the Reid motion to commit is successful, would there be an opportunity to offer a motion to commit the bill to the veterans committee, to be reported back as a fully amendable bill with the Iran Sanctions language included?

The Chair stated that there would be an opportunity for a senator to offer another motion to recommit with instructions to which the senator’s amendment could be offered.

2:26pm The Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on the Sanders motion to waive all applicable Budget points of order with respect to S.1982, Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014;

Not Waived: 56-41

2:45pm The Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on confirmation of Calendar #561, Michael L. Connor, of New Mexico, to be Deputy Secretary of Interior;

Confirmed: 97-0

This will be the last vote of the week.

Senator Flake asked unanimous consent the Finance Committee be discharged from further consideration of S.2011, a bill to prohibit the Internal Revenue Service from modifying the standard for determining whether an organization is operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare for purposes of section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Senator Wyden objected.

This evening, Senator Reid asked unanimous consent to confirm 4 district judges (Hernandez, Reeves, Brooks, and Chhabria). Senator Moran objected on behalf of Senator Grassley. Senator Reid then filed cloture on 6 nominations, including those 4 district judges, and the motion to proceed to the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act. The number of post-cloture debate hours is listed next to each nomination.

–          Exec. Cal.#659, Debo Adegbile, of New York, to be an Assistant Attorney General (8 hours equally divided);

–          Exec. Cal.#568, Pedro A. Delgado Hernandez, of Puerto Rico, to be U.S. District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico (2 hours equally divided);

–          Exec. Cal.#569, Pamela Reeves, of Tennessee, to be U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee (2 hours equally divided);

–          Exec. Cal.#565, Timothy Brooks, of Arkansas, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western District of Arkansas (2 hours equally divided);

–          Exec. Cal.#571, Vince Chhabria, of California, to be U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of California (2 hours equally divided);

–          Exec. Cal.#636, Rose Gottemoeller, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security (8 hours equally divided); and

–          Motion to proceed to Calendar #309, S.1086, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act (30 hours).

The first cloture vote will occur at 5:30pm on Monday, March 3. As a reminder, when cloture is filed sequentially on several items, the Senate will consider one motion at a time. If cloture is invoked on the Adegbile  nomination, there would be up to 8 hours for debate equally divided prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination. If cloture is not invoked or upon disposition of the nomination, we would immediately proceed to the cloture vote on the Hernandez nomination. If cloture is invoked on the Hernandez nomination, there would be up to 2 hours for debate prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination. We will continue through the list until we get to cloture on the motion to proceed to S.1086, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act. We hope to vitiate the cloture motion and adopt the motion to proceed by consent and begin legislating on the bill.

The mandatory quorums under Rule 22 were waived by consent.

WRAP UP

Roll Call Votes

1)     Graham motion to table the Reid motion to commit S.1982, the Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014; Not Agreed to: 44-52

2)     Sanders motion to waive all applicable Budget points of order with respect to S.1982; Not Waived: 56-41

3)     Confirmation of Executive Calendar #561, Michael L. Connor, of New Mexico, to be Deputy Secretary of Interior; Confirmed: 97-0

Additional Legislative items

Adopted S.Res.366, Expressing support for the goals and ideals of Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week.

Adopted S.Res.367, Designating March 3, 2014, as “Read Across America Day”.

Adopted S.Res.368, Designating February 28, 2014, as “Rare Disease Day”.

Began the Rule 14 process of the following items in order to place the bills on the Legislative Calendar:

–        S.2066, Prohibit Intentional Discrimination by IRS Employee (Cruz)

–        S.2067, Prohibit Treasury from assigning tax status to organizations based on political beliefs and activities (Cruz)

–        S.2062, the Constitutional Check and Balance Act (Paul) and

–        H.R.3865, the Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act (Republican request)

 

No additional Executive items

===============================================

Last Floor Action:2/27
12:00:48 P.M. – Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.

=========================================

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline V Woodland Caribou other wildlife, land and water


Dear Activist,The Keystone XL tar sands pipeline is a serious threat to wildlife and our efforts to curb climate change.Secretary of State John Kerry has the first word on the pipeline and will be one of the key factors President Obama uses when making his final decision on the pipeline.

Help protect caribou and many more at-risk wildlife by sending a message urging Secretary Kerry to say no to the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline.

Thanks for all you do!

Bob Fertik

National Wildlife Federation

Woodland Caribou Habitat at Risk of Destruction

Caribou

Dear Friend of Wildlife,
A few weeks ago, the U.S. State Department released their final assessment on the environmental risks of the proposal to build the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline.
Following the release of the final environmental impact statement, Secretary of State John Kerry will have an opportunity to make a decision on the pipeline before it reaches President Obama’s desk.
The survival of thousands of woodland caribou in Alberta, Canada and many more wildlife is at stake with this pipeline decision, so it is absolutely critical that Secretary Kerry hear the strong opposition from America’s wildlife advocates.
Please help save woodland caribou’s habitat by telling Secretary of State John Kerry to say no to the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline today.
Sadly, the woodland caribou’s boreal forest habitat is already rapidly disappearing due to timber, oil and gas development. And now, what remains of their fragile habitat is threatened by massive expansion of tar sands if the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline is approved.
Woodland caribou require large tracts of relatively undisturbed old growth forest for their food and shelter. We know that if the Keystone XL pipeline is approved, the associated tar sands strip mining would destroy a 1,200 square mile swath of forest and devastate the fragile eco-system on which they depend. In fact, if habitat destruction from tar sands is not stopped, scientists predict that some herds in the region could disappear in as little as 30 years!
We only have a few weeks to demonstrate to Secretary Kerry the significant public concern there is about the risks—to wildlife and the environment—of building the Keystone XL pipeline. Hearing from wildlife advocates will be crucial as Secretary Kerry’s initial decision will weigh heavily into President Obama’s final decision on this destructive pipeline proposal.
Protect woodland caribou and urge Secretary Kerry to take a stand against the dangerous Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.
In addition to the dramatic loss of habitat, the pipeline would also significantly increase the carbon pollution that is fueling climate change and already harming wildlife across the country.
Secretary Kerry has spoken out about environmental issues that imperil wildlife and has been a champion for strong climate change action in the past.
Now it is critical that Secretary Kerry hears from as many people as possible about how harmful this dirty pipeline would be for woodland caribou and many more wildlife—so he and President Obama can reject Keystone XL once and for all.
We only have a small window to voice our concerns to Secretary Kerry about the risks to wildlife.
Please take action today to save threatened woodland caribou.
Thanks for all you do to protect wildlife.
Sincerely,
AndyAndy Buchsbaum Interim Executive Director, NWF Action Fund info@nwa.org Join us on Facebook
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

The 1% and Fracking Drilling Gasland Pipelines


fracking

So, main stream media has exposed the 1% again.  We have been hearing the rural, middle to lower class complain, object and provide negative evidence about the impact of drilling, fracking and pipelines that leak but have either been patted on the head, subjected to eminent domain for nominal amounts of money in some cases and definitely ignored by the 1%. Now, the possibility of fracking, drilling and all that comes with it is now in the back yard of the 1%.  Most of us believe the 1% invests in extracting oil in all its forms, I guess assuming it’s on other people s land and neighborhoods but that cliché … Not in my back yard syndrome is now a big slap of reality to some 1%ers too and some have decided they aren’t having it … or will they.  Anyway, the definition of NIMBY is spot on!

The so-called NIMBY (not in my backyard) syndrome reflects the propensity of local citizens and officials to insist on siting unwanted but necessary facilities anywhere but in their own community. The term has gained currency in relation to the siting of facilities that have a potential for adverse impacts on the environment, such as municipal waste incinerators and hazardous waste facilities. But it is equally applicable to the siting of prisons, methadone clinics, and psychiatric halfway houses— all of which are often subject to intense local opposition. For all of these examples, the best approach to the problem is that of primary prevention, which would lessen the need for such facilities. Success in siting an unwanted but needed facility requires that authorities fully involve the public with openness and integrity in all aspects of the planning process.

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Read more:  http://www.answers.com/topic/not-in-my-backyard-nimby#ixzz2uOSJeqnm

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Taking the Navy to court to protect whales


           NRDC -- Save Whales from Navy Sonar

We’re taking on the Navy’s legal guns for the sake of whale survival.Help us wage and win this courtroom battle — and save thousands of marine mammals from needless suffering and death.

                                DONATE

We’ve just launched a historic courtroom battle against the Navy to stop its heartless and deadly assault on whales.The Navy estimates it could kill nearly 1,000 marine mammals over the next five years during routine training and testing with dangerous sonar and explosives. There will be more than 13,000 serious injuries, such as permanent hearing loss or lung damage.

NRDC has moved swiftly to file suit against the Navy in federal court.

We need your immediate financial support in order to wage and win this legal fight on behalf of our planet’s whales.

The Navy’s ships will be blasting ocean waters with nearly 300,000 hours of deafening mid-frequency sonar — the kind of lethal noise that has been shown to cause whales’ internal organs to hemorrhage.

They’ll also be conducting torpedo tests, bombing exercises and underwater explosions — some 1.1 million of these events overall. That’s an average of about one detonation every two minutes for the next five years … many of them in and around sensitive whale habitat.

Here’s the kicker: the Navy has adamantly refused to take precautions that would help save whales — such as avoiding vital areas where whales are known to migrate and raise their young. Mind you, putting these simple safeguards in place would not compromise military readiness one iota.

Please make an emergency donation to help NRDC challenge the Navy’s plan and win the kind of protections that whales so urgently need and deserve.

Our legal challenge takes direct aim at the Navy’s plans to test and train off the coasts of Southern California and Hawaii — some of our country’s most biologically rich and diverse waters, home to at least 39 species of marine mammals, including endangered blue whales and fin whales, as well as vulnerable populations of beaked whales.

Make no mistake: the Navy’s wholesale assault on whales is almost certainly illegal. Our environmental laws obligate the Navy to take steps to prevent whales from stranding, suffering and dying.

But unless compassionate citizens like you and me take the whales’ plight to heart and hold the Navy accountable, the killing of whales will continue unabated — for five long years.

Your contribution will help ensure that we can stay in court for as long as it takes to protect whales from this tragic and senseless attack. With your help, we will defend our environment in the most effective way possible.

I’m sure you agree: not a single whale should have to die for military practice, much less hundreds of them. The courts are their best and last line of defense. I hope you will stand alongside NRDC as we wage this legal fight for the sake of whale survival.

Sincerely,Frances Beinecke
President
Natural Resources Defense CouncilP.S. It makes me heartsick to think of the pain the Navy is needlessly inflicting on some of our planet’s most majestic creatures — and I know you must feel the same way. Please donate now to help us fight and win on their behalf. Thank you.