Daily Archives: 07/15/2015

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Please sign this letter… VoteVets


VoteVets.orgHere’s the letter we’re submitting the Environmental Protection Agency to stop the big oil giveaway currently being considered by the agency.

Read it, and co-sign the letter before we submit it. You can do that here: http://action.votevets.org/epa-letter
  

To: Environmental Protection Agency
Docket ID Number: EPA-HQ-OAR-2015-0111

Please preserve a strong Renewable Fuel Standard — one that puts our national security, our environment, and American consumers ahead of the interests of Big Oil.

As veterans, military families, and VoteVets supporters, we know the cost of our dependence on foreign oil. The Renewable Fuel Standard has fostered a homegrown fuel industry that lessens our dependence on oil — the rising prices of which pay for weapons used against our men and women in uniform.

More than that, investing in cheaper, cleaner-burning renewable fuels has strengthened our economy — creating new jobs inside our borders, and saving Americans money with every fill-up.

Don’t allow oil industry lobbyists to put their interests ahead of the nation’s. Save the Renewable Fuel Standard, and keep our country on the road to a transportation future that depends less on the Middle East, and more on the Midwest.

Thank you,

[[Your Name]]

 

Sign the Letter here:
http://action.votevets.org/epa-letter

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

NY State Laws get an Upgrade–Know Your New Rights!


A Better Balance
Women’s Equality Advances in New York
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On July 8th, A Better Balance hosted a webinar, along with our colleagues at the New York Civil Liberties Union, to discuss major changes to the laws of New York to advance women’s equality.
Just this session, the legislature acted on measures to strengthen equal pay, family status, and sexual harassment protections in the workplace, guarantee reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers, assist victims of domestic violence filing temporary restraining orders, combat human trafficking and campus sexual assault, and more.
A Better Balance also has a new resource available to help women in New York understand their new workplace rights. Our know-your-rights booklet is available for free download on our website.
Please help us get the word out about these important new protections available in New York!

  1. Tag us on Twitter: @abetterbalance & @NYCLU
  2. Share the image at the right on Facebook
  3. Tweet about our webinar so others can watch:
–Learn more about new state laws to strengthen #equalpay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q74teIH7nXA via @ABetterBalance & @NYCLU
–Protect #pregnant workers and other new state laws to help women: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q74teIH7nXA via @ABetterBalance & @NYCLU
–NY laws now combat human trafficking, help domestic violence victims & more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q74teIH7nXA via @ABetterBalance & @NYCLU
Thanks so much for your support!
The ABB Team
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

“A hole-in-one on a 2-mile golf shot.”


The White House, Washington this post was 18hrs ago

Dr. John P. Holdren, The White House

This morning, the United States became the first country to reach Pluto — and the first country to explore the entire classical solar system: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

NASA’s New Horizons interplanetary probe has been making its way to Pluto since January 19, 2006, and has been providing the world with the sharpest photos ever seen of our Solar System’s most prominent “dwarf planet.” Today, it made its closest approach to Pluto yet — about 8,000 miles — at around 07:49:57 EDT.

Here’s the photo they took — which, despite traveling at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second), took four and a half hours to reach us here on Earth as it crossed the 3 billion miles between here and Pluto:

The closest photo we've taken of Pluto.

That we were able to get so close to Pluto today is a feat whose probability scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson likened to “a hole-in-one on a two-mile golf shot.” He’s right.

Every once in a while, a photo comes along that has the ability to shift not just how we see our place in the universe, but how we see ourselves — not just as Americans, but as citizens of Earth.

This is one of those photos, and I hope you’ll share it with someone today.

More soon —

John

Dr. John P. Holdren
Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy
The White House
@whitehouseostp

 

Black History

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 7/15 ~~ the House


Equality

Schedule for Wednesday, July 15, 2015

The Senate stands adjourned until 9:30am on Wednesday, July 15. Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of S.1177, Every Child Achieves Act. There will be 1 hour for debate equally divided prior to a cloture vote on Alexander amendment #2089 (substitute) If cloture is invoked, there would be up to 30 hours of post-cloture debate. If cloture is not invoked, there would be an immediate cloture vote on the underlying bill, S.1177. The filing deadline for second degree amendments to the substitute and underlying bill is 10:00am.

During Tuesday’s session, Senator McConnell moved to proceed to Calendar #19, H.R.22, Hire More Heroes Act, and filed cloture on the motion. We are told Senator McConnell intends to offer Highway legislation as a substitute amendment to the bill. The cloture vote on the motion to proceed would occur one hour after the Senate convenes on Thursday or upon disposition of S.1177, Every Child Achieves Act, if cloture is invoked on the education bill, whichever is later.

WRAP UP

Roll Call Votes:

  1. Motion to invoke cloture on Alexander-Murray SA #2089 (substitute); agreed to: 86-12
  2. Markey SA #2176 (climate) (60-vote threshold); not agreed to: 44-53
  3. Heitkamp SA #2171 (mental health) (60-vote threshold); not agreed to: 58-39
  4. Kirk SA #2161 (resource equity) (60-vote threshold); not agreed to: 46-50
  5. Murphy SA #2241 (accountability) (60-vote threshold); not agreed to: 43-54

No Legislative Business

 

No Executive Business

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Last Floor Action:
 12:45:16 P.M. -H. Res. 362
DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 362.

10:00:22 A.M. The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
10:00:57 A.M. The Speaker designated the Honorable John R. Moolenaar to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
10:01:18 A.M. MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House proceeded with Morning-Hour Debate. At the conclusion of Morning-Hour, the House will recess until 12:00 p.m. for the start of legislative business.
11:14:00 A.M. The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 P.M. today.
12:00:42 P.M. The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of July 15.
12:01:03 P.M. Today’s prayer was offered by Reverend Dr. William Langford, Great Bridge Baptist Church, Chesapeake, Virginia
12:02:46 P.M. POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS ON APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL – The Chair announced that he had examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and had approved it. Mr. LaMalfa demanded that the question be put on agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal and by voice vote, the Chair announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. LaMalfa objected to the voice vote based upon the absence of a quorum and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of agreeing to the approval of the Journal until a time to be announced.
12:03:07 P.M. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Kilmer to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
12:03:08 P.M. H.R. 2722 UNANIMOUS CONSENT – Mr. Luetkemeyer asked unanimous consent that the text of H.R. 2722, as proposed to be passed under suspension of the rules, be modified by the amendment at the desk. Agreed to without objection.
12:06:50 P.M. The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received the following message from the Secretary of the Senate on July 15, 2015 at 9:05 a.m.: That the Senate passed S. 1300, S. 756 and S. 1482.
12:08:18 P.M. ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches which by direction of the Chair, would be limited to 15 per side of the aisle.
12:42:02 P.M. H. Res. 362 Considered as privileged matter. H. Res. 362 — “Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2898) to provide drought relief in the State of California, and for other purposes, and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3038) to provide an extension of Federal-aid highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund, and for other purposes.”
12:45:16 P.M. H. Res. 362 DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 362.
2:23:08 P.M. H. Res. 362 On ordering the previous question Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 245 – 182 (Roll no. 438).
2:31:21 P.M. H. Res. 362 On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by recorded vote: 245 – 183 (Roll no. 439).
2:31:21 P.M. H. Res. 362 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2:33:08 P.M. H.R. 3038 Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 362. H.R. 3038 — “To provide an extension of Federal-aid highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund, and for other purposes.”
2:33:13 P.M. H.R. 3038 The rule provide for consideration of the bills H.R. 2898 and H.R. 3038. The rule provides for 1 hour of general debate on both bills. The resolution makes in order further amendments printed in the report on H.R. 2898. For H.R. 3038, the resolution provides for consideration under a closed rule. The resolution provides for one motion to recommit with or without instructions on both bills.
2:33:46 P.M. H.R. 3038 DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 3038.
3:35:31 P.M. H.R. 3038 The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
3:36:03 P.M. H.R. 3038 Mr. Van Hollen moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on Ways and Means.
3:38:29 P.M. H.R. 3038 Floor summary: DEBATE – The House proceeded with ten minutes of debate on the Van Hollen motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to raise an additional $41 billion in revenue that could fund infrastructure by preventing U.S. corporations from inverting their corporate residence from the United States to other low tax countries, such as Bermuda or the Cayman Islands.
3:46:25 P.M. H.R. 3038 The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.
4:14:01 P.M. H.R. 3038 On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 185 – 244 (Roll no. 440).
4:21:46 P.M. H.R. 3038 On passage Passed by recorded vote: 312 – 119 (Roll no. 441).
4:21:47 P.M. H.R. 3038 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
4:21:55 P.M. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on adoption of a motion to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
4:22:02 P.M. H.R. 2722 Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 2722 — “To require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in recognition of the fight against breast cancer.”
4:29:25 P.M. H.R. 2722 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 421 – 9, 1 Present (Roll no. 442).
4:29:25 P.M. H.R. 2722 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
4:29:55 P.M. The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.
4:30:31 P.M. Mr. Graves (LA) asked unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9:00 a.m. on July 16. Agreed to without objection.
4:31:00 P.M. The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until a time to be announced.
4:32:21 P.M. S. 984 Mr. Ryan (WI) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. S. 984 — “To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide Medicare beneficiary access to eye tracking accessories for speech generating devices and to remove the rental cap for durable medical equipment under the Medicare Program with respect to speech generating devices.”
4:32:46 P.M. S. 984 Considered under suspension of the rules.
4:32:50 P.M. S. 984 DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 984.
4:56:04 P.M. S. 984 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
4:56:07 P.M. S. 984 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
4:56:16 P.M. S. 971 Mr. Ryan (WI) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. S. 971 —Mr. Ryan (WI) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. S. 971 to provide for an increase in the limit on the length of an agreement under the Medicare independence at home medical practice demonstration program.”
4:56:30 P.M. S. 971 Considered under suspension of the rules.
4:56:34 P.M. S. 971 DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 971.
5:11:48 P.M. S. 971 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
5:11:51 P.M. S. 971 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
5:12:02 P.M. ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.
5:16:53 P.M. SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.
7:38:50 P.M. Mr. Gohmert moved that the House do now adjourn.
7:38:53 P.M. On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.
7:38:54 P.M. The House adjourned pursuant to a previous special order. The next meeting is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on July 16, 2015.

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