Monthly Archives: September 2015

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Virginia’s “ultrasound bill” a repost from 2012


Last week, I told you Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell was getting ready to sign the “ultrasound bill,” an atrocious proposal that would force all women considering abortions to get ultrasounds and require their doctors to ask if they’d like a picture.

Well, he signed it.

We didn’t stop the bill this time, but we did make sure the entire country knew exactly what was going down in Virginia.

There are still 450 other bills on birth control and abortion in state legislatures across the country. With a far-right faction of the GOP holding a majority in many of them, it’s unclear how many we can stop. But let me just say this: We need to be prepared to win in November.

As long as women’s rights are being attacked, we’re going to keep fighting back — in Congress and in the states.

Say that you’re ready to stand with Democrats as we stand up for women. Add your name today.

We’re taking on this fight both nationally and in the states. In Virginia, that meant helping to fund the state party’s rapid response communications team — they pushed back on the ultrasound legislation, supported the Democrats who opposed it, and publicized peaceful protests of it at the capitol. That work helped put this bill on the national radar.

Right now, New Hampshire, Florida, Arizona, Ohio, and many other states are considering similar legislation.

The Texas legislature is in the midst of a bitter fight to eliminate state support for a wide range of women’s health services. They’ve already eliminated two-thirds of their funding for women’s health, closing more than half of the state’s Planned Parenthood and other clinics. And now they’re voting to reject aid for the Medicaid Women’s Health Program. They claim they’re doing this to fight abortion, but what they’re actually doing is denying hundreds of thousands of women access to basic health care.

Clearly, this fight is about more than abortion and birth control.

I won’t stop speaking out across the country about a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions, and Democrats in the states won’t stop pushing back against these bills.

I hope you won’t stop fighting either.

Support the fight state by state and nationwide. Stand with the Democrats today:

http://my.democrats.org/Stand-for-Women

Thanks,

Debbie

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Chair
Democratic National Committee

Advertisement
~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

a message from Barack Obama … FEC deadline barackobama.org


ObamaSpeaksthetruthTonight we’ve got a major fundraising deadline, so let me tell you why it’s more important than ever that we do everything we can to work together and elect Democrats next year:

  1. Our economy is growing every day, but Republicans in Congress still refuse to make investments in the things that are important: Education, infrastructure, and job training programs. Democrats are ready to focus on the issues that matter, but we need your help to make sure we get those folks in office.
  2. More than 17 million Americans in all corners of the country have gained health care coverage because of the Affordable Care Act — and yet Republicans in Congress have voted more than 50 times to repeal a law that’s clearly working. The Democrats we elect next year with your help will put a rest to endless votes against policies that are helping hardworking, middle-class folks.
  3. We want to leave a planet for our kids and grandkids that’s healthy and secure. But Republicans continue to deny the science of climate change and won’t work to combat it.
  4. Democrats will.

Simply put, our country is great because of all the work folks like you do every single day to keep moving us forward. You deserve lawmakers who’ll work just as hard for you, so pitch in $3 or whatever you can before tonight’s fundraising deadline at midnight so we can elect Democrats who’ll do just that.

Black History

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 9/30 ~~ the House


WethePeopleThe Senate stands adjourned until 9:30am on Wednesday, September 30, 2015.

Following Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R.719, with further amendment (SA #2689 – Dec. 11th CR), post-cloture. All post-cloture time on the motion to concur will be considered expired at 10:00am, with the time until then equally divided between the two managers or their designees.

Wednesday, September 30 at 10:00am—1 roll call vote

  1. Adoption of the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R.719, with further amendment (SA #2689 – Dec. 11th CR)

WRAP UP

Roll Call Votes

  1. Adoption of the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R.719, with further amendment (SA #2689 – Dec. 11th CR); Agreed to: 78-20.

Legislative Business

Passed Calendar #238, S.2078 – to reauthorize the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Passed H.R.2617 – to reduce an increase in the minimum wage for American Samoa, with Isakson amendment.

Adopted S.Res.266 – designating September 2015 as National Kinship Care Month.

No Executive Business

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

Last Floor Action:
 5:07:43 P.M. – ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.

House Floor Activities
Legislative Day of September

Last Floor Action:
 5:09:34 P.M. – The House adjourned.

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on September 30, 2015.

10:00:22 A.M. The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
10:00:27 A.M. The Speaker designated the Honorable David W. Jolly to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
10:00:45 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.
10:59:46 A.M. The House received a message from the Senate. The Senate concurred in the House amendment to the Senate amendment with an amendment to H.R. 719.
11:00:56 A.M. The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 P.M. today.
12:00:59 P.M. The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of September 30.
12:02:02 P.M. Today’s prayer was offered by Reverend William Vanderbush, Cathedral of Praise, Austin, Texas.
12:03:00 P.M. POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – 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 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 later in the legislative day. The point of no quorum was considered as withdrawn.
12:03:46 P.M. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Carney to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
12:04:26 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.
12:28:50 P.M. The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until a time to be announced.
12:29:04 P.M. S. 2082 Mr. Miller (FL) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. S. 2082 — “To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain expiring provisions of law administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.”
12:29:34 P.M. S. 2082 Considered under suspension of the rules.
12:29:35 P.M. S. 2082 DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2082.
1:09:25 P.M. S. 2082 At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
1:10:00 P.M. The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.
2:09:25 P.M. The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of September 30.
2:09:53 P.M. Mr. Cole filed a report from the Committee on Rules on H. Res. 448.
2:11:00 P.M. H. Res. 448 Considered as privileged matter. H. Res. 448 — “Providing for consideration of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 79) directing the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make corrections in the enrollment of H.R. 719, and providing for consideration of the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 719) to require the Transportation Security Administration to conform to existing Federal law and regulations regarding criminal investigator positions, and for other purposes.”
2:12:10 P.M. H. Res. 448 DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 448.
2:28:56 P.M. H. Res. 448 The previous question was ordered without objection.
3:01:07 P.M. H. Res. 448 On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 239 – 187 (Roll no. 525).
3:01:09 P.M. H. Res. 448 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
3:01:15 P.M. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on a motion to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
3:02:31 P.M. S. 2082 Considered as unfinished business. S. 2082 — “To amend title 38, United States Code, to extend certain expiring provisions of law administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.”
3:08:19 P.M. S. 2082 On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 423 – 0 (Roll no. 526).
3:08:19 P.M. S. 2082 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
3:08:38 P.M. Mr. Byrne filed a report from the Committee on Rules on H. Res. 449.
3:09:39 P.M. H.R. 719 ORDER OF PROCEDURE – Mr. Rogers (KY) asked unanimous consent that the question of adopting a motion to concur pursuant to H. Res. 448 may be subject to postponement as though under clause 8 rule XX. Agreed to without objection.
3:13:59 P.M. H.R. 719 Mr. Rogers (KY) moved that the House concur in the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment.
3:15:26 P.M. H.R. 719 DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 448, the House proceeded with one hour of debate on the Rogers (KY) motion that the House concur in the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 719.
3:54:59 P.M. H.R. 719 The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
3:55:26 P.M. H.R. 719 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Rogers (KY) motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 719, the Chair put the question on adoption of the motion and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Rogers (KY) demanded the yeas and nays which were ordered and pursuant to a previous order of the House, further proceedings on the question of adoption of the motion were postponed until a time to be announced.
3:55:57 P.M. H. Con. Res. 79 Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 448. H. Con. Res. 79 — “Directing the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make corrections in the enrollment of H.R. 719.”
3:56:02 P.M. H. Con. Res. 79 Rule provides for consideration of H. Con. Res. 79 and H.R. 719. Rule provides for 20 minutes of debate on H. Con. Res. 79. Section 2 provides for one hour of debate on a motion for the House to agree to the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 719.
3:56:28 P.M. H. Con. Res. 79 DEBATE – Pursuant to H. Res. 448, the House proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on H. Con. Res. 79.
4:18:52 P.M. H. Con. Res. 79 The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
4:47:49 P.M. H. Con. Res. 79 On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 241 – 185, 1 Present (Roll no. 527).
4:47:50 P.M. H. Con. Res. 79 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
4:48:08 P.M. UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question of adoption of the motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 719 and on agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal, on which further proceedings had been postponed.
4:58:10 P.M. H.R. 719 On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment to the House amendment to the Senate amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 277 – 151 (Roll no. 528).
4:58:11 P.M. H.R. 719 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
4:58:25 P.M. On approving the Journal Agreed to by voice vote.
5:03:58 P.M. Mr. Davis, Rodney asked unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9:00 a.m. on October 1. Agreed to without objection.
5:07:43 P.M. ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.
5:15:36 P.M. SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.

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