the other Washington … in the News ~~ June


PDF of today's Seattle Times front page

Seattle unanimously passes historic $15 minimum wage

Berry farm to hire only domestic pickers, not use guest program

Bus, riders stranded on I-90 ramp after ‘management screw-up’

Seager, Felix lead M’s to 10-2 rout of Yankees

NRA calls Texas gun open-carry rallies ‘downright weird’

 

Medical marijuana


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U.S. Senate: Stop the DEA’s Assault on Medical Marijuana Patients

By Jacqueline Patterson
bolinas, California

I have cerebral palsy that causes muscle and speech spasms that make me stutter severely. Without medical marijuana, I can barely speak and simply would not be able to be the mother I am to my four children.

Out of fear of arrest and that my children would be taken away from me because I used medical marijuana, I moved from Missouri to California. But even though medical marijuana is legal in California, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) still uses your tax dollars to arrest patients like me and our providers.

That’s why Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Rand Paul (R-KY) have just introduced a bipartisan bill that would prevent the DEA from spending tax dollars raiding and arresting medical marijuana patients in states where it’s legal. The House approved a similar measure on May 29th so now we need the Senate to take action! They could vote any day.

Not only will this bill help protect patients with serious diseases like cancer, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and many others, it will save a significant amount of tax dollars that the DEA would waste to go after people who are using marijuana for medical purposes.

Please join me in telling your Senator to support the Paul/Booker Medical Marijuana Amendment so that patients like me can live without fear of being arrested.

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 6/24 ~~ the House


FreedomRidersposter.72

The Senate stands in adjournment until 10:00am on Tuesday, June 24, 2014.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 11:00am with the time equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees.

At 11:00am, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session and proceed to a series of 5 roll call votes:

–          Confirmation of Paul G. Byron, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida,

–          Confirmation of Executive Calendar #780, Carlos Eduardo Mendoza, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida,

–          Confirmation of Executive Calendar #781, Beth Bloom, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida,

–          Confirmation of Executive Calendar #836, Geoffrey W. Crawford, of Vermont, to be United States District Judge for the District of Vermont, and

–          Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #742, Leon Rodriguez, of Maryland, to be Director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security.

11:02am, the Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #779, Paul G. Byron, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida.

Confirmed: 94-0

The next votes will be 10 minute votes.

 

Next:

  1. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #780, Carlos Eduardo Mendoza, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida;
  2. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #781, Beth Bloom, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida;
  3. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #836, Geoffrey W. Crawford, of Vermont, to be United States District Judge for the District of Vermont; and
  4. Cloture on Executive Calendar #742, Leon Rodriguez, of Maryland, to be Director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security.

At 11:33am, the Senate began a 10-minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #780, Carlos Eduardo Mendoza, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida.

Confirmed: 94-0

At 11:47am, the Senate began a 10-minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #781, Beth Bloom, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida;

Confirmed: 95-0

At 12:02pm the Senate began at 10-minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #836, Geoffrey W. Crawford, of Vermont, to be United States District Judge for the District of Vermont;

Confirmed: 95-0

12:21m The Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on cloture on Executive Calendar #742, Leon Rodriguez, of Maryland, to be Director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security;

Invoked: 52-44

Cloture was invoked on the Rodriquez nomination by a vote of 52-44. The Senate then reached an agreement to vote on confirmation of the Rodriquez nomination at 4:30pm today. The time from 2:15pm until 4:30pm will be equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees. The Senate stands in recess until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.

 

4:30pm—1 roll call vote:

 

  1. Confirmation of Executive Calendar #742, Leon Rodriguez, of Maryland, to be Director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security

 

Senator Hoeven asked unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar #371, S.2280, a bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, that there be up to four hours of debate and after the use or yielding back of time, the bill be read a third time and the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill with no intervening action or debate.

 

Senator Boxer objected.

 

Senator Shaheen then asked unanimous consent that at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader in consultation with the Republican Leader, the Senate resume consideration of S.2262, the Shaheen-Portman Energy Efficiency bill, that no amendments or motions be in order to the bill other than budget points of order and the applicable motions to waive, that there be up to 4 hours of debate equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees and that upon the use or yielding back of time the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill, as amended; further that the bill be subject to a 60 affirmative vote threshold.

 

Senator Shaheen also asked unanimous consent that if S.2262 (Energy Efficiency) is passed, the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar #371, S.2280 (Keystone XL Pipeline) at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, after consultation with the Republican Leader, but no later than Thursday, July 17, 2014 and that there be no amendments, points of order or motions in order to the bill other than budget points of order and the applicable motions to waive, that there be up to 4 hours of debate on the bill equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees and that upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill; finally, that the bill be subject to a 60 affirmative vote threshold.

 

Senator Inhofe objected.

4:33pm The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #742, Leon Rodriguez, of Maryland, to be Director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security;

Confirmed: 52-43

WRAP UP

Roll Call Votes

1)     Confirmation of Paul G. Byron, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida; Confirmed: 94-0

2)     Confirmation of Executive Calendar #780, Carlos Eduardo Mendoza, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida; Confirmed: 94-0

3)     Confirmation of Executive Calendar #781, Beth Bloom, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Florida; Confirmed: 95-0

4)     Confirmation of Executive Calendar #836, Geoffrey W. Crawford, of Vermont, to be United States District Judge for the District of Vermont; Confirmed: 95-0

5)     Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #742, Leon Rodriguez, of Maryland, to be Director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security; Invoked: 52-44

6)     Confirmation of Executive Calendar #742, Leon Rodriguez, of Maryland, to be Director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security; Confirmed: 52-43

 

No Legislative items

 

No Additional Executive items

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

Last Floor Action:6/23
9:04:45 P.M. – The House adjourned.

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on June 24, 2014.

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

 

Debunked


By

The Senate GOP “Working Families” Agenda Is Out Of Touch

In anticipation of the White House Summit on Working Families taking place next Monday (and co-sponsored by the Center for American Progress!), Senate Republicans unveiled a “working families” policy package of their own today. And while they may trick some people by adopting progressive language, the actual policy proposals leave a lot to be desired. Here’s a few of them:

  • Working Parents Home Office Act: introduced by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), this bill would allow parents to deduct home office costs from their taxes if they have a baby crib in the office. Which begs the question: what happens if you happen to work outside of the home?
  • Forty Hours is Full Time Act: introduced by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), this bill would repeal the Affordable Care Act’s 30-hour workweek rule. Doing that would mean 500,000 people losing health care coverage and going uninsured.
  • Working Families Flexibility Act, which Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) is now pushing and which Republicans tried to pass last April. Instead of requiring that employers pay workers higher wages when they work more than 40 hours a week, as under current overtime laws, the bill would instead give them the option of compensating employees with “comp time” off of work. But rather than giving working parents some relief, it would likely end up putting employer pressure on them to take comp time instead of extra pay and loosen the disincentive employers currently have to make workers stay past 40 hours.
  • An unnamed alternative to Democrats’ Paycheck Fairness Act, endorsed by Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE), is similar to Democrats version in that it would end the practice of employers banning their employees from discussing their salaries. However, it lacks the enforcement mechanism by dropping the part of the Democratic bill that raises punitive damages for employers found guilty of pay discrimination against women.

Even with this calculated rollout, the GOP stepped on their feet thanks to Rep. Tim Huelskamp. Earlier today, the Kansas Congressman spoke about the need for husbands to step up and become “real men” by explaining that their wives are “desperately looking for a husband.”

Earlier this year, Senate Democrats offered their own legislative agenda for working families and, in particular, working women. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and other House Democrats have pushed their agenda to address equal pay, work/family balance, and childcare. It includes the Paycheck Fairness Act to help enforce equal pay for equal work; a minimum wage increase, which would benefit millions including the increasing share of workers who live off of it as their primary source of income; the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which protects pregnant women in the workplace from common discrimination; investment in job training programs; and support for women entrepreneurs and small businesses.

BOTTOM LINE: Fifty years ago, 25 percent of women were their family’s primary breadwinner or co-breadwinner. Today, that number is nearly two thirds of women. Working families don’t need policies that give them a tax credit for putting a crib in their home office; they need 21st century reforms that acknowledge the changing role of women — and men — in the workplace and at home.

Meet James


For James, a 29 year old in Pensacola, FL, a normal week involves hunting, welding, fishing, and before January 1st, worrying about his lack of health insurance.

“I’ve always been able to afford health insurance—they just wouldn’t cover me, because I’m a diagnosed diabetic. Being without health insurance was terrifying because you could be bankrupted by someone else not paying attention on the road. Or what if something bad happened in the shop?”

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, James was able to enroll in coverage without worrying about his pre-existing condition.

James Image: A 29 Year Old Floridian On Getting Covered