Congress: the Republican-led House tries to force their Family Values Platform on Americans -no right 2choose&affordable hc at risk – the Senate confirms Pres O’s nominees 3yrs later &Joint mtg with Pres/Republic Of Korea


the Senate Convened at 10:00amET October 13, 2011

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until
    12:00pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each with
    the time equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their
    designees with the Republicans controlling the first 30 minutes and the Majority
    controlling the second 30 minutes.
  • At 12:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the
    following nominations:

  • There will be up to 2 hours of debate on the nominations equally divided and
    controlled between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees.  Upon the use
    or yielding back of time (approximately 2:00pm), the Senate will vote on
    confirmation of the nominations.  Two roll call votes are expected; the third
    nomination is expected to be confirmed by consent.

Upon the use or yielding back of time (at approximately 2:00pm), the Senate proceed to vote on confirmation of the nominations. The Forrest nomination is expected to be confirmed by voice vote. Therefore, 2 roll call votes are expected at approximately 2:00pm on confirmation of the Nathan and Hickey nominations.

  • At 4:00 p.m., His Excellency Lee Myung-bak, the President of the Republic of
    Korea, will address a Joint Meeting of Congress from the Hall of the House of
    Representatives in the U.S. Capitol. Senators should begin to gather in the
    Senate Chamber at 3:30 p.m. to depart at 3:40 p.m. for the procession to the
    Hall of the House.
  • The Senate has confirmed Executive Calendar #287, Sung Y. Kim to be
    Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to
    the Republic of Korea by unanimous consent.
  • Also by unanimous consent, at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader,
    in consultation with the Republican Leader, the Senate will proceed to Executive
    Session to consider Executive Calendar #78, Heather Higginbottom to be Deputy
    Director of the Office of Management and Budget with four hours for debate
    equally divided in the usual form.  Upon the use or yielding back of time, the
    Senate will proceed to vote without intervening action or debate on confirmation
    of the Higginbottom nomination.

VOTES

2:00pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of the nomination of
Alison Nathan, of New York, to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District
of New York; Confirmed: 48-44

2:25pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of the nomination of
Susan Owen Hickey, of Arkansas, to be U.S. District Judge for the Western
District of Arkansas. Confirmed: 83-8

LEGISLATIVE
ITEMS

Adopted S.Con.Res.31, Directing the Secretary of the Senate to make a
correction in the enrollment of S.1280.

Adopted S.Res.293, celebrating the 10-year commemoration of the Underground
Railroad Memorial, comprised of the Gateway to Freedom Monument in Detroit,
Michigan and the Tower of Freedom Monument in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

EXECUTIVE
ITEMS

Confirmed Calendar #253, Katherine B. Forrest, of NY, to be US District Judge
for the Southern District of New York by voice vote

Confirmed #287 Sung Y. Kim – to be Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Korea

—————–

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE DAY OF OCTOBER 13,

2011 112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION

-The House adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on October 14, 2011.9:59:29 P.M. -On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.9:59:11 P.M. -Mr. Gohmert moved that the House do now adjourn.7:59:52 P.M. -SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.7:56:37 P.M. -ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.7:55:35 P.M. -H.R. 2250Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.7:55:35 P.M. -H.R. 2250On passage Passed by recorded vote: 275 – 142 (Roll no. 791).7:48:27 P.M. -H.R. 2250On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 170 – 246 (Roll no. 790).7:32:01 P.M. -H.R. 2250The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.7:22:05 P.M. -H.R. 2250DEBATE – The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Castor motion to recommit. The instructions in the motion seek to report the same back to the House with an amendment to require the EPA Administrator not delay action to reduce air pollution from waste incinerators that are within 5 miles of any nursing home, assisted living facility or hospital. The amendment also states that any facility that will have regulation of its air pollutant emissions delayed is required to notify affected communities no later than 90 days after the date of enactment.7:20:43 P.M. -H.R. 2250Ms. Castor (FL) moved to recommit with instructions to Energy and Commerce.7:19:06 P.M. -H.R. 2250Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 2250 — “To provide additional time for the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to issue achievable standards for industrial, commercial, and institutional boilers, process heaters, and incinerators, and for other purposes.”7:18:51 P.M. -H.R. 358Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.7:18:50 P.M. -H.R. 358On passage Passed by recorded vote: 251 – 172 (Roll no. 789).7:12:12 P.M. -H.R. 358On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 173 – 249 (Roll no. 788).6:47:55 P.M. -H.R. 358The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.6:40:17 P.M. -H.R. 358DEBATE – The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Capps motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions in the motion seek to report the same to the House with an amendment to add language stating that no hospital or health care provider can be exempted from any Federal or State law that requires them to provide any medical examination, treatment, referral, or transfer to prevent the death of a pregnant woman with an emergency medical condition.6:39:54 P.M. -H.R. 358Mrs. Capps moved to recommit with instructions to Energy and Commerce.6:39:31 P.M. -H.R. 358The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.5:20:54 P.M. -H.R. 358DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 358.5:20:15 P.M. -H.R. 358Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 358 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Bill is closed to amendments. The resolution provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Energy and Commerce now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted.5:20:10 P.M. -H.R. 358Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 430. H.R. 358 — “To amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to modify special rules relating to coverage of abortion services under such Act.”5:19:50 P.M. -PRINTING OF PROCEEDINGS IN RECORD – Mr. Pitts asked unanimous consent that the proceedings had during the recess be printed in the Congressional Record of today. Agreed to without objection.5:19:40 P.M. -The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of October 13.4:53:59 P.M. -The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.4:53:34 P.M. -JOINT MEETING DISSOLVED – The Speaker announced that the Joint Meeting was dissolved. The House remains in recess subject to the call of the Chair.3:49:33 P.M. -JOINT MEETING – The House has reconvened in Joint Meeting with the Senate to receive an address by His Excellency Lee Myung-bak, President of Republic of Korea.3:48:00 P.M. -The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of October 13.2:27:32 P.M. -The Speaker announced that the House do now recess The House will reconvene in Joint Meeting with the Senate for the purpose of receiving His Excellency Lee Myung-bak, President of the Republic of Korea. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.2:26:50 P.M. -H.R. 2250POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – Pursuant to clause 1(c) of Rule 19, further proceedings on H.R. 2250 were postponed.2:25:38 P.M. -H.R. 2250The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.2:25:24 P.M. -H.R. 2250The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 2250.2:25:00 P.M. -H.R. 2250On agreeing to the Energy and Commerce amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.2:25:00 P.M. -H.R. 2250Amendment in the nature of a substitute reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.2:24:23 P.M. -H.R. 2250On agreeing to the Cohen amendment; Failed by recorded vote: 174 – 250 (Roll no. 787).2:07:59 P.M. -UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on the adoption of an amendment which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.2:07:19 P.M. -H.R. 2250The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.2:07:08 P.M. -H.R. 2250Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 2250 — “To provide additional time for the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to issue achievable standards for industrial, commercial, and institutional boilers, process heaters, and incinerators, and for other purposes.”2:06:20 P.M. -H. Res. 430Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.2:06:18 P.M. -H. Res. 430On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 248 – 173 (Roll no. 786).1:43:01 P.M. -H. Res. 430The previous question was ordered without objection.12:24:59 P.M. -H. Res. 430DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 430.12:24:58 P.M. -H. Res. 430Considered as privileged matter. H. Res. 430 — “Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 358) to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to modify special rules relating to coverage of abortion services under such Act.”12:23:12 P.M. -H. Res. 430On motion to consider the resolution Agreed to by voice vote.12:22:09 P.M. -H. Res. 430At the conclusion of debate on the Moore point of order, the Chair put the question on consideration of the resolution.12:01:48 P.M. -H. Res. 430POINT OF ORDER AGAINST CONSIDERATION – Ms. Moore stated that the provisions of H. Res. 430 violate section 426(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 by imposing an unfunded mandate and made a point of order against consideration of the resolution. Subsequently, the Chair noted that the required threshold of identifying the specific language in question had been met, and the House proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the question of consideration. At the conclusion of debate on the question of consideration, the Chair will put the question to wit: Will the House now consider the resolution?12:00:48 P.M. -H. Res. 430By direction of the Committee on Rules, Ms. Foxx called up the resolution, H. Res. 430, and asked for its immediate consideration.11:33:47 A.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.11:33:37 A.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 October 13, 2011 at 9:20 a.m.: That the Senate passed H.R. 3078, H.R. 3079, and H.R. 3080.11:32:21 A.M. -The Speaker recognized Rep. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan for one minute for the purpose of introducing the guest Chaplain.11:31:39 A.M. -PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Ms. Hochul to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.11:31:34 A.M. -The Speaker announced approval of the Journal.  Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.11:31:23 A.M. -Today’s prayer was offered by Reverend Jesse Reyes, San Jose Catholic Church, Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands.11:30:17 A.M. -The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of October 13.10:44:00 A.M. -The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. today.9:30:42 A.M. -MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House proceeded with Morning-Hour Debate. At the conclusion of Morning-Hour, the House will recess until 11:30 a.m. for the start of legislative business.9:30:27 A.M. -The Speaker designated the Honorable Steven M. Palazzo to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.9:30:14 A.M. -The House convened, starting a new legislative day.

Official Google Blog


 

One-hundred and fifty years ago today, on October 13, 1860, James Wallace Black shot the earliest still-existing aerial photograph in the U.S. He took the picture from a hot air balloon suspended above Boston Common, and the result, titled “Boston as the Eagle and the Wild Goose See It,” is truly beautiful. The photo is part of the archive at the venerable Boston Public Library, along with other important historical images of the Boston area, and is particularly significant because most of the area visible in the photo was destroyed by the Great Fire of 1872.

James Wallace Black, Balloon View of Boston, 1860.
From the collections of the Boston Public Library, Print Department, Boston Pictorial Archive.

Flash forward 150 years: Aerial imagery is widely available and used in countless professions, from archaeology to conceptual art. The folks who created Google Earth devised a way to stitch aerial and satellite imagery together into a seamless, searchable map of the world and make it available to anyone with a computer. On top of that basemap of imagery, Google Earth users have contributed to the creation of a 3D, photo-realistic virtual world by using tools like Google Building Maker, which makes it easy for anyone to use aerial imagery to model 3D buildings for display in Google Earth.

We at Google owe James Wallace Black a debt of gratitude; without his early experimentation with aerial imagery, Google Earth may never have come to be.

In a happy coincidence, October 13 is also the first anniversary of Building Maker, and we’re taking the opportunity to celebrate the contributions of a dedicated community of 3D modelers in the 101 cities around the world where Building Maker is available. Here’s a look at two of our top modelers and their creations:

Peter Sih (aka PeterX), lives in San Jose, Calif., but has created models all over the world. He tells us: “Modeling with Building Maker you get almost instant gratification. I learn a lot by modeling places I don’t know as well as places I know well. Modeling for GE ties together my lifelong fascination with geography, architecture, travel, photography and computers.”

Pavilhão Carlos Lopes – Lisbon, Portugal

Grant Firl (aka Grant F) lives in Fort Collins, Colo., but concentrates most of his modeling efforts on Albuquerque, N.M. He tells us: “I choose to model with 3D Building Maker for many reasons. Principally, I think that the 3D buildings layer is a very worthwhile tool and I view it as both a privilege and a kind of duty to help fill in content. Secondly, it is both fun and rewarding to create models of physical buildings, especially given the opportunity to share them to Google’s users for their use and enjoyment. Thirdly, the 3D buildings layer provides a unique way to preserve and share the hard work and inspiration of actual builders and architects.”

Albuquerque Plaza – Albuquerque, N.M.


If you haven’t tried Building Maker yet, it’s very easy and fun. You pick a building and construct a model of it using aerial photos and simple 3D shapes—both of which we provide. When you’re done, we take a look at your model. If it looks right, and if a better model doesn’t already exist, we add it to the 3D Buildings layer in Google Earth. You can make a whole building in a few minutes.

Technology has come a long way since James Wallace Black took his photo of Boston, and glass-plate-negative box cameras in hot air balloons have given way to airplanes with mounted camera arrays. But what hasn’t changed is how technology gives us new ways to look at out world. Check out Google Building Maker and build the picture of your world.

Posted by Nicole Drobeck, Building Maker Community Advocate

Alex Odeh – In Memory


naacpOn October 11, 1985, civil rights activist Alex Odeh was killed in a terrorist attack in Santa Ana, California. As he opened the door to the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee office, a pipe bomb exploded. He died from his injuries.

That’s the tragic part of the story. The deplorable: nearly two decades later, the three chief suspects remain free.

Today is the anniversary of Alex Odeh’s assassination. Join us in calling on the Department of Justice to hold his murderers responsible for their crime.

Demand justice for Alex Odeh

Alex Odeh was living the definition of the American dream.

Having immigrated to the United States from the West Bank, he was a lecturer and a poet. He had started a family and was working for a cause he believed in: protecting and defending the civil rights of Arab Americans.

The lack of action on his case is inexplicable. The FBI almost immediately identified the people behind the bombing, yet no indictments or charges have been made.

As you can imagine, this situation has been heartbreaking for Alex Odeh’s loved ones. But it should also disturb all of us who rely on this country’s criminal justice system. We don’t have to stand for it.

Tell the Department of Justice to demonstrate a strong commitment to justice for all Americans in their stance on terrorism, and bring Alex Odeh’s killers into custody:

http://action.naacp.org

Thank you,

Benjamin Todd Jealous
President and CEO
NAACP