The Senate Convenes at 10:00amET May 25, 2011

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business for one hour with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each, with the time equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees, with the Majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the final half.

Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to concur in the House message to accompany S.990, the legislative vehicle for the PATRIOT Act extension.

Prior to adjournment on Tuesday, the Majority Leader filed cloture on the motion to concur in the House message to accompany S.990. Under the rule, the cloture vote on the motion to concur in the House message will occur one hour after the Senate convenes on Thursday, May 26th.

At 2pm, Senator Paul will be recognized for up to one hour for debate only. Following Senator Paul’s remarks, the Senate will proceed to a period of morning business until 5pm for debate only, with the time equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees, with the final 5 minutes controlled by the Majority Leader or his designee.

Unless further agreement is reached, at approximately 5pm, we anticipate Senator Reid to make a motion to proceed to Calendar #36, H.Con.Res.34 (House-passed budget) and ask for the yeas and nays.

Once this motion is disposed of, additional motions to proceed to other budget resolutions are possible.

Therefore, Senators should expect at least one and up to 4 roll call votes at approximately 5pm.

The other budget resolutions currently on the calendar are:

– Calendar #61, S.Con.Res.18 (Sessions)

– Calendar #65, S.Con.Res.21 (Toomey)

– Calendar #63, S.Con.Res.20 (Paul)

The Senate is in a period of morning business for up to 2 hours for debate only with Senator Sessions controlling the first hour and Senator Conrad controlling the final hour.

Votes:

77: the motion to proceed to Calendar #36, H.Con.Res.34 (House-passed budget); Not Agreed to: 40-57

78: McConnell motion to proceed to S.Con.Res.18 (Sessions); Not Agreed to: 0-97

79: the McConnell motion to proceed to S.Con.Res.21 (Toomey); Not Agreed to: 42-55

80: the McConnell motion to proceed to S.Con.Res.20 (Paul); not agreed to: 7-90

There will be no further roll call votes during today’s session.

Unanimous Consent:

Discharged Armed Services of and adopted S.Con.Res.13, A concurrent resolution honoring the service and sacrifice of members of the United States Armed Forces who are serving in, or have served in, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn and added all Senators as cosponsors.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE DAY OF MAY 25, 2011

112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION

H.R. 1540:

to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2012 for military activities of the Department of Defense and for military construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2012, and for other purposes

9:20 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Campbell amendment No. 54.

Amendment offered by Mr. Campbell.

An amendment numbered 54 printed in House Report 112-88 to reduce the baseline number of civilian employees at the Department of Defense by 1% every year for the next five years.

9:19 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Campbell amendment No. 53, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Campbell demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

9:09 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Campbell amendment No. 53.

Amendment offered by Mr. Campbell.

An amendment numbered 53 printed in House Report 112-88 to terminate the Human, Social, and Culture Behavior (HSCB) Modeling program at the Department of Defense.

9:08 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Amash amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. McKeon demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

8:42 P.M. –

DEBATE – By unanimous consent, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Amash amendment, equally divided and controlled.

Amendment offered by Mr. Amash.

An amendment numbered 50 printed in House Report 112-88 to strike section 1034 of the bill, relating to the authorization for use of military force.

8:41 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Langevin amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Langevin demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

8:32 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Langevin amendment.

Amendment offered by Mr. Langevin.

An amendment numbered 49 printed in House Report 112-88 to coordinate federal information security policy through the creation of a National Office for Cyberspace, updating information security management practices, and establishing measures for the protection of critical infrastructure from cyberattacks.

8:31 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Mack amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Andrews demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the Mack amendment until a time to be announced.

8:25 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Mack amendment.

Amendment offered by Mr. Mack.

An amendment numbered 48 printed in House Report 112-88 to make changes to the language of the Sunken Military Craft Act of H.R. 1540, (the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012)by clarifying the language of the Sunken Military Craft Act to restore its original intent, and would specify that a sunken military craft would be defined as a vessel only when on military noncommercial service when it sank.

8:24 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Maloney (NY) amendment the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the noes had prevailed. Mrs. Maloney (NY) demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

8:17 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Maloney (NY) amendment.

Amendment offered by Mrs. Maloney.

An amendment numbered 47 printed in House Report 112-88 to clarify that the exemption from Freedom of Information Act for Data Files of the Military Flight Operations Quality Assurance Systems of the Military Departments is for “information contained in data files of the military flight operations quality assurance system of a military department that would reveal flight patterns or tactical techniques or tactical procedures from disclosure under section.”

8:16 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Buchanan amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Buchanan demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

8:08 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Buchanan amendment.

Amendment offered by Mr. Buchanan.

An amendment numbered 43 printed in House Report 112-88 to require all foreign terrorists, with links to terrorist networks, who attack the U.S. or the Government be considered enemy combatants to be tried by military tribunals, not in the civilian court system.

8:07 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Smith (WA) amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Smith (WA) demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

7:43 P.M. –

DEBATE – By unanimous consent, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the Smith (WA) amendment, equally divided and controlled.

Amendment offered by Mr. Smith (WA).

An amendment numbered 42 printed in House Report 112-88 to amend Section 1039 to allow transfer of detainees to the US to testify in federal court. The amendment strikes language barring transfer of detainees held abroad to the US. The amendment requires certification by the Attorney General prior to transfer.

7:42 P.M. –

On agreeing to the Schakowsky amendment Failed by voice vote.

7:34 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Schakowsky amendment no. 41.

Amendment offered by Ms. Schakowsky.

An amendment numbered 41 printed in House Report 112-88 to freeze Department of Defense funding at current levels until the Pentagon can successfully pass an audit. The amendment contains a national security waiver and exceptions for overseas contingency operations, defense personnel, and wounded warrior accounts.

7:33 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Flake amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Critz demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

7:22 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Flake amendment no. 40.

Amendment offered by Mr. Flake.

An amendment numbered 40 printed in House Report 112-88 to repeal the establishment of the National Drug Intelligence Center.

7:21 P.M. –

On agreeing to the Flake amendment Agreed to by voice vote.

7:17 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Flake amendment no. 39.

Amendment offered by Mr. Flake.

An amendment numbered 39 printed in House Report 112-88 to add a Sense of Congress indicating that the deployment of National Guard personnel along the southwestern border should continue through the end of fiscal year 2011.

7:15 P.M. –

On agreeing to the Richmond amendment Failed by recorded vote: (Roll No. 353).

7:10 P.M. –

On agreeing to the Andrews amendment Failed by recorded vote: (Roll No. 352).

7:07 P.M. –

On agreeing to the Jackson Lee (TX) amendment Failed by recorded vote: (Roll No. 351).

7:03 P.M. –

On agreeing to the Himes amendment Failed by recorded vote: (Roll No. 350).

6:56 P.M. –

On agreeing to the Maloney amendment Failed by recorded vote: (Roll No. 349).

6:52 P.M. –

On agreeing to the Garamendi amendment Failed by recorded vote: (Roll No. 348).

6:47 P.M. –

On agreeing to the Cole amendment Agreed to by recorded vote: (Roll No. 347).

6:41 P.M. –

On agreeing to the Murphy (CT) amendment Failed by recorded vote: (Roll No. 346).

6:37 P.M. –

On agreeing to the Sarbanes amendment Failed by recorded vote: (Roll No. 345).

6:33 P.M. –

On agreeing to the Hunter amendment Failed by recorded vote: (Roll No. 344).

6:29 P.M. –

On agreeing to the Woolsey amendment Failed by recorded vote: (Roll No. 343).

6:04 P.M. –

UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on adoption of amendments which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.

6:02 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Mica amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Mica demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

5:56 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Mica amendment no. 38.

Amendment offered by Mr. Mica.

An amendment numbered 38 printed in House Report 112-88 to require that the rules of engagement allow any military service personnel assigned to duty in a designated hostile fire area to have rules of engagement that fully protects their right to proactively defend themselves from hostile actions.

5:55 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Richmond amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Richmond demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

5:45 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Richmond amendment no. 37.

Amendment offered by Mr. Richmond.

An amendment numbered 37 printed in House Report 112-88 to prevent the payment of certain incentives with respect to a Navy shipyard in Avondale, Louisiana, saving the Department of Defense up to $310 million.

5:44 P.M. –

By unanimous consent, the Lee (CA) amendment was withdrawn.

5:39 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Lee amendment no. 33.

Amendment offered by Ms. Lee (CA).

An amendment numbered 33 printed in House Report 112-88 to return Defense Department spending to 2008 level, with exemptions for personnel and health accounts.

5:38 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Andrews amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Andrews demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

5:31 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Andrews amendment no. 32.

Amendment offered by Mr. Andrews.

An amendment numbered 32 printed in House Report 112-88 to temporarily suspend the implementation and enforcement of workforce management and sourcing policies pursuant to the DODs efficiency initiative.

5:30 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Jackson Lee(TX) amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Ms. Jackson Lee(TX) demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

5:22 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Jackson Lee(TX) amendment no. 31.

Amendment offered by Ms. Jackson Lee (TX).

An amendment numbered 31 printed in House Report 112-88 to require the Secretary of Defense, prior to awarding of defense contracts to private contractors, to conduct an outreach program to benefit minority and women-owned businesses.

5:21 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Himes amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Forbes demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

5:12 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Himes amendment no. 30.

Amendment offered by Mr. Himes.

An amendment numbered 30 printed in House Report 112-88 to require any savings as a result of shifting to civilian employees from contractors within the Department of Defense be directed towards deficit reduction.

5:11 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Maloney amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mrs. Maloney demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

5:02 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Maloney amendment no. 26.

Amendment offered by Mrs. Maloney.

An amendment numbered 26 printed in House Report 112-88 to require public disclosure of information submitted under Section 847 of this act.

5:01 P.M. –

The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.

Considered as unfinished business.

5:00 P.M. –

ORDER OF PROCEDURE – Mr. McKeon asked unanimous consent that during further consideration of H.R. 1540 pursuant to H.Res. 276, amendment number 26 printed in House Report 112-88 may be considered out of order. Agreed to without objection.

H.R. 1540:

4:59 P.M. –

Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 1540 as unfinished business.

On motion that the Committee rise Agreed to by voice vote.

Mr. McKeon moved that the Committee rise.

4:58 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Garamendi amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Garamendi demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

4:47 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Garamendi amendment no. 28.

Amendment offered by Mr. Garamendi.

An amendment numbered 28 printed in House Report 112-88 to require the Secretary to ensure that each contractor of the Department of Defense performing a prime contract at a military installation in the United States to set aside 40 percent, by dollar value, of its subcontracting work under the contract for local qualified subcontractors. For purposes of the preceding sentence, a subcontractor shall be considered local if its headquarters is within 60 miles of the military installation.

4:46 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Cole amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Cummings demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

4:37 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Cole amendment no. 27.

Amendment offered by Mr. Cole.

An amendment numbered 27 printed in House Report 112-88 to preclude an executive agency from requiring an entity submitting an offer for a Federal contract to disclose political contributions as a condition of participation.

4:36 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Murphy(CT) amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Murphy(CT) demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

4:28 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Murphy(CT) amendment no. 25.

Amendment offered by Mr. Murphy (CT).

An amendment numbered 25 printed in House Report 112-88 to give manufacturers the opportunity to provide information to DoD regarding how their bid for a contract will affect domestic employment. It allows DoD to take this information into consideration, but does not mandate that DoD consider this information when awarding the contract.

4:27 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Sarbanes amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Sarbanes demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

4:17 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Sarbanes amendment no. 24.

Amendment offered by Mr. Sarbanes.

An amendment numbered 24 printed in House Report 112-88 to strike Section 937 of the bill relating to Modification of Temporary Suspension of Public-Private Competitions for Conversion of Department of Defense Functions to Contractor Performance.

4:16 P.M. –

On agreeing to the McKeon amendments Agreed to by voice vote.

4:08 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the McKeon en bloc #2 amendments as modified.

Amendments en bloc offered by Mr. McKeon.

An amendment comprised of the following amdnements printed in House Report 112-88 offerd as en bloc #2: Nos. 44, 45, 51, 52, 58, 68, 73, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 98, and 99 with appropriate modifications submitted to the desk.

4:07 P.M. –

On agreeing to the Carson (IN) amendment Agreed to by voice vote.

4:01 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Carson amendment no. 19.

Amendment offered by Mr. Carson (IN).

An amendment numbered 19 printed in House Report 112-88 to direct the Department of Defense to provide mental health assessments to service members during deployment. When possible, these assessments would include review of all past health records originated by the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

4:00 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Hunter amendment no. 12, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Smith(WA) demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

3:49 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Hunter amendment no. 12.

Amendment offered by Mr. Hunter.

An amendment numbered 12 printed in House Report 112-88 to create a five-year pilot program to provide opportunity scholarships to dependent children with special education needs. Opportunity scholarships are set at $7,500 a year and would be available to approximately 250 children under the pilot program for the purpose of attending a private, public or charter school of choice. The Department of Defense would administer the program, in coordination with the Secretary of Education

3:48 P.M. –

On agreeing to the Carter amendment Agreed to by voice vote.

3:38 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Carter amendment.

Amendment offered by Mr. Carter.

An amendment numbered 6 printed in House Report 112-88 to expand existing military whistleblower protections, from retaliatory personnel actions, to include communications by Armed Forces Members of ideologically based threats or actions of another Member that the reporting Member reasonably believes could be counterproductive or detrimental to United States interests or security.

3:37 P.M. –

On agreeing to the McKeon amendments as modified Agreed to by voice vote.

3:23 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the McKeon en bloc #1 amendments as modified.

McKeon amendment modified by unanimous consent. Various amendments contained in the en bloc were modified by unanimous consent.

3:22 P.M. –

Amendments en bloc offered by Mr. McKeon.

An amendment comprised of the following amendments printed in House Report 112-88 offered as en bloc # 1: Nos. 3,4,5,7,8,9,10,11,13, 14,15,17,29,34,35, and 36 with appropriate modifications submitted to the desk.

3:21 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Woolsey amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Ms. Woolsey demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

3:09 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Woolsey amendment.

Amendment offered by Ms. Woolsey.

An amendment numbered 2 printed in House Report 112-88 to eliminate the availability of funds for procurement of the Navy and Air Force V-22 Osprey aircraft.

On agreeing to the Wittman amendment Agreed to by voice vote.

3:06 P.M. –

DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 276, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Wittman amendment.

3:05 P.M. –

Amendment offered by Mr. Wittman.

An amendment numbered 1 printed in House Report 112-88 to allow the Secretary of the Navy to enter into multiyear contracts for the start of major construction of the Ford-class aircraft carriers designated CVN 79 and CVN 80 and for the construction of major components, modules, or other structures related to such carriers subject to appropriations. Allows the Secretary of the Navy to enter into a contract for the construction of FORD Class Carriers CVN 79 and CVN 80 to be funded on a five year centers.

3:03 P.M. –

The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.

3:02 P.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

3:01 P.M. –

Mr. McHenry asked unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9:00 a.m. on May 26. Agreed to without objection.

H. Res. 276:

providing for further consideration of the bill ( H.R. 1540) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2012 for military activities of the Department of Defense and for military construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2012, and for other purposes

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by recorded vote: 243 – 170 (Roll no. 342).

2:52 P.M. –

On agreeing to the Bishop (UT) amendment Agreed to by voice vote.

2:50 P.M. –

On ordering the previous question Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 239 – 181 (Roll no. 341).

2:38 P.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

H.R. 1216:

to amend the Public Health Service Act to convert funding for graduate medical education in qualified teaching health centers from direct appropriations to an authorization of appropriations

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On passage Passed by recorded vote: 234 – 185 (Roll no. 340).

2:31 P.M. –

On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 184 – 236 (Roll no. 339).

2:11 P.M. –

The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.

2:00 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Clyburn motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to report the same back to the House with an amendment to require that the Secretary prioritize qualified teaching health centers in underserved areas, when determining the amounts payable to such centers in a given fiscal year.

Mr. Clyburn moved to recommit with instructions to Energy and Commerce.

1:59 P.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

1:50 P.M. –

The Speaker and Democratic leader were recognized for one minute to introduce Father Patrick J. Conroy as the new Chaplin of the House of Representatives.

1:49 P.M. –

The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 1216.

On agreeing to the Foxx amendment Agreed to by recorded vote: 234 – 182 (Roll no. 338).

1:25 P.M. –

UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on adoption of a amendment which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.

The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.

Considered as unfinished business.

H. Res. 278:

electing Chaplain of the House of Representatives

1:24 P.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by voice vote.

Considered as privileged matter.

1:23 P.M. –

The House received a communication from Father Daniel Coughlin wherein he resigns as the Chaplin of the House of Representative effective at 6:00 p.m. April 30, 2011.

H. Res. 276:

1:21 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – The Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and on ordering the previous question on the resolution, and by voice vote announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. McGovern demanded a recored vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on adoption of the amendment and order the previous question until later in the legislative day.

1:18 P.M. –

Amendment offered by Mr. Bishop (UT).

An amendment to provide that the amendment specified in section 6 shall be in order in lieu of amendment number 5 in House Report 112-88.

12:39 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 276.

12:38 P.M. –

Point of order raised by Mr. Garamendi on the content of the measure. Mr. Garamendi made point of order against the measure and the Chair announced that the disposition of the point of order would be resolved by the question of consideration on H.Res. 276. The House proceeded with 20 minutes of debate on the point of order, and if necessary, the Chair will put the question on consideration. Point of order overruled by the Chair.

12:28 P.M. –

Considered as privileged matter.

12:04 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.

12:03 P.M. –

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Clarke of MI to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

12:02 P.M. –

The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.

12:01 P.M. –

Today’s prayer was offered by Reverend Gene Mills, Louisiana Family Forum, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

12:00 P.M. –

The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of May 25.

11:08 A.M. –

The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 P.M. today.

10:02 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.

10:01 A.M. –

The House received a message from the Senate. The Senate passed H.R. 1893.

The Speaker designated the Honorable Daniel Webster to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.

10:00 A.M. –

The House convened, starting a new legislative day.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Wisconsin update -Kristina Powell, Democracy for America

05/24/2011 Nativegrl77

Wisconsin Republicans know they went too far in their attacks on unions and middle class families — so they’re changing election laws to protect themselves.

With six Republican State Senators facing recall, the right-wing Republican majority forced through a new voter ID law that would disenfranchise students, the poor, and the elderly — all groups who vote Democratic — ahead of this summer’s elections.

This is just another Republican attack in their war on working families. That’s why we’re building a people-powered campaign to beat them. We’re putting staff on the ground to organize volunteers, knock on doors, make phone calls and run radio and TV ads featuring real Wisconsin families.

Their campaign is fueled by big corporate money. But our campaign is fueled by grassroots volunteers and small contributions from thousands of DFA members. We can’t afford to wait any longer to start building our campaign. We need to hit the ground running and we can’t do it without you.

http://act.democracyforamerica.com/go/769?akid=851.1480546.vsV5iY&t=1

This Republican attack on their constituents’ right to vote is shameful not just because it’s wrong, but also because it’s so blatant.

They’re not only requiring college students to bring a photo ID — they’re requiring them to bring recent tuition receipts if they’re using a college ID.

They’re not only imposing new residency requirements on voters — they’re also not providing any time or money to local offices to educate voters on the new laws.

Republicans are scared — that’s why they’re launching this attack on people’s voting rights. They know that they crossed a line and that they’re in for a tough fight this summer. Please contribute today and help send a clear message to right-wing Republicans in Wisconsin and across the country — attack the middle class and you lose.

http://act.democracyforamerica.com/go/769?akid=851.1480546.vsV5iY&t=1

Thank you for everything you do.

-Kristina

Kristina Powell, Finance Director

Democracy for America

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Don’t Discount Women -Demand Fair Change, Not Spare Change

05/24/2011 Nativegrl77

Demand Fair Change, Not Spare Change

Take Action: Tell your Senator TODAY to say NO to budgets that cut supports for women and families to give tax breaks to millionaires.

www.nwlc.org/fairbudget

This week, the Senate is expected to vote on two budget proposals that would devastate women and their families while putting trillions of dollars in the pockets of corporations and the wealthy. Both the proposals — one passed by the House Republican majority (introduced by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)) and one introduced in the Senate by Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) — would hurt women and families at every stage of their lives.

We need your help to keep these damaging proposals at bay. Ask your Senator to vote NO on these types of harmful budget proposals!

www.nwlc.org/fairbudget

Both the House Republican budget and the Toomey budget:

•Cut, then cap, Medicaid. Seniors would lose long-term care services, women with disabilities would lose crucial services, and millions of vulnerable women would lose their health coverage.

•Cut, then cap, other core safety net programs, such as SNAP (formerly Food Stamps), which are especially important to women and children.

•Slash funding for other critical programs like child care, Head Start, education, Pell grants, women’s preventive health care, domestic violence prevention and much, much more.

•Give trillions of dollars in new tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations by cutting tax rates for millionaires and corporations on top of permanently extending Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest.

In addition, the House Republican budget would end Medicare as we know it, forcing seniors in the future to pay substantially more for less coverage. Sen. Toomey did not include this proposal in his budget, because it focuses on just the next 10 years — but the Toomey budget makes even deeper cuts to Medicaid and non-defense programs over the next 10 years than the House-passed budget.

Sincerely

Joan Entmacher

Vice President, Family Economic Security

National Women’s Law Center

Judy Waxman

Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights

National Women’s Law Center

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

BREAKING: Why I’m on a smokestack in Chicago

05/24/2011 Nativegrl77

Community activists in Chicago are fighting for their lives right now against Edison International — the giant utility company that owns the city’s two coal-fired power plants.

Pollution from the Fisk and Crawford plants prematurely kills 42 people every year. That human cost is paid entirely by the communities who live in the shadows of these two aging plants. You won’t find it on Edison International’s bottom-line.

But Chicagoans are fighting back. And Greenpeace is supporting them. That’s why I’m on the smokestack at the Fisk power plant today taking action with other Greenpeace activists. We’re sending a simple message to Edison International: Shut down these plants and quit coal.

The corporate bottom-line for Edison International says that they can’t make money on these plants if they can’t poison the local community for free. Simple as that. It’s why they’re fighting city efforts to reduce toxic pollution and it’s why they really can’t afford the bad publicity right now. Which is why it’s so important you speak out.

Join us and tell Edison International CEO Ted Craver to shut down Fisk and Crawford.

www.greenpeaceusa.org

What’s happening in Chicago isn’t unique. It plays out again and again every day in communities just like yours from Texas to Colorado to Pennsylvania. In fact, coal is costing Americans up to an extra HALF A TRILLION DOLLARS every year. Meanwhile, companies like Edison International are making a killing.

It has to stop and it’s why what these community activists in Chicago are doing is so important.

Edison International can make this change. They’ve already done it in California where their local subsidiary has become the largest purchaser of renewable energy among American utility companies and has plans to phase out ALL coal power by 2016.

Chicago deserves the same. Every community affected by a dirty coal-fired power plant deserves the same. That’s why Greenpeace is working and will continue working with communities across the country to make sure that coal companies like Edison International are no longer allowed to poison people for profit.

You can help support these communities by sending a message to Edison International CEO Ted Craver today. Let’s quit coal.

Sincerely,

Kelly Mitchell

Greenpeace Coal Campaigner

P.S. Please forward this to your friends and family

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Education: The Billionaires Who Want To Privatize Our Schools

05/24/2011 Nativegrl77

There is a vibrant debate going on about how to improve our system of public education. While there is reasonable debate about various reforms, there has historically been one right-wing policy which Americans have opposed — giving students taxpayer-subsidized school vouchers to use at private schools, which undermines and undercuts the public education system. Between 1966 and 2000, vouchers were put up for a vote in states 25 times, and voters rejected the program 24 of those times. Yet despite this historic unpopularity, voucher programs are exploding across the United States, with legislators from Pennsylvania to Indiana to Wisconsin championing the scheme. So what’s responsible for the current shift? A handful of billionaires, corporate-backed foundations and non-profits, and Political Action Committees (PACs) are using their influence to set up front group after front group, determined to spread voucher progra ms across the country, taking aim at the heart of our public education system. It is up to Americans to educate themselves about this assault on public education and defend our public schools.

PRIVATIZING EDUCATION, NOT HELPING OUR KIDS: Voucher advocates, who often refer to their movement as about “school choice,” say that the purpose of pushing their programs is to ensure that “low-income families can access the best schools for their children.” Yet the historical record of vouchers shows that there has been little to no improvement in student achievement among kids who attended private schools with vouchers versus those who attended traditional public schools. The longest-running voucher program in the country is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Started in 1998 “in response to the low academic performance of African-American students, the voucher program survived legal challenges and now serves some 20,000 low-income students in 111 non-public, mainly religious, schools.” Yet the latest state test scores, released in March, show that students in Mi lwaukee’s “school choice program performed worse than or about the same in Milwaukee Public Schools in math and reading on the latest statewide test.” Additionally, the voucher schools had a student body with far less special education children — only “1.5 of voucher students are in special education, while in the public schools, the figure is about 19 percent.” Shortly after the release of state data on Milwaukee’s voucher program, a University of Arkansas study was released that found that “voucher-school students in Milwaukee” were “achieving lower levels of reading and math proficiency than students in Milwaukee Public Schools.” The much-touted Washington, D.C. voucher program, the Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP), got similar results, despite claims by right-wing legislators and former D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee that it improved student performance. The Department of Education’s 2010 final report on OPS found that there was “no statistically significant overall impact of the Program on reading or math achievement after at least four years.” Yet despite these failures, conservatives continue to push vouchers. Joseph Bast, the president and CEO of the Heartland Institute, may’v e explained the real thinking behind vouchers in 2002, saying, “The complete privatization of schooling might be desirable, but this objective is politically impossible for the time being. Vouchers are a type of reform that is possible now, and would put us on the path of further privatization.”

RAPID EXPANSION: Despite the lack of evidence that they actually comprehensively improve our education system, voucher programs are exploding across the country, as newly-elected conservative legislators are drawing up voucher schemes and signing voucher legislation into law. Two weeks ago, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) set off “a new era for education in Indiana” when he signed into law one of the most expansive school voucher laws in the country, opening up a huge fund of tax dollars for private schools. A few days later, the Wisconsin state Assembly vastly expanded school vouchers, freeing up tax dollars even for private religious schools. GOP legislators in the Pennsylvania Senate say they have the votes to pass a sweeping voucher bill of their own. And on Capitol Hill, House Republicans successfully revived Washington, D.C.’s voucher system after it was killed off two years ago. Meanwhile, school choice movements in Florida, Kansas, and elsewhere continue to make progress in advancing legislation friendly to vouchers. This rapid expansion of voucher programs is perhaps unprecedented in recent history. One major defeat for vouchers occurred in Tennessee, where the state Senate passed sweeping voucher legislation yet the House decided to table it, wanting to study the effect of v ouchers elsewhere before diving into untested waters. “We have a lot of reform going on. We have made an extreme amount of changes in education,” said Richard Montgomery (R), urging caution and studying the effects of vouchers elsewhere before passing any legislation.

BILLIONAIRES VS. OUR SCHOOLS: This rapid expansion of voucher programs is not occurring simply because of some grassroots uprising. A small clique of wealthy individuals and their foundations are pushing these pieces of legislation. The most prominent of these individuals are Dick and Betsy DeVos, the power couple who inherited their fortune from billionaire Amway co-founder Richard DeVos, Sr. In a speech before the Heritage Foundation in 2002, Dick DeVos explained that conservatives should start referring to public schools as “government schools” instead to undermine public support for them. The DeVos family has poured millions of dollars into the school choice movement, launching a variety of front groups, including but not limited to Children First America, the Alliance for School Choice (ASC), Kids Hope USA, and the American Federation for Children (AFC). AF C spent $820,000 — the seventh-largest single PAC spender during the election — in Wisconsin during the last election, a huge sum which included $40,000 donations to each of several Republicans who were elected and then proceeded to champion radical voucher legislation. Its clout was strong enough to bring Govs. Scott Walker (R-WI) and Tom Corbett (R-PA) together with former D.C. School Chancellor Michelle Rhee together for a school choice event in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, the organization’s sister organization, ASC, handed out gigantic grants to school choice organizations across the country, effectively hiding the DeVos’s role, granting $530,000 to the “Black Alliance for Educational Options” in Washington, D.C., for example. ASC is funded by powerful right-wing and corporate ideologues, thousands of dollars from Charles Koch, and hundreds of thousands of doll ars from the Jaquelin Hume Foundation, the brainchild of an ultra-wealthy California businessman who helped bring Ronald Reagan to power. Meanwhile, the Bill and Susan Oberndorf Foundation, set up by an investment firm fortune couple, has been siphoning money off to school choice groups across the country. In 2009, it gave $376,793 to AFC and $50,000 to the Brighter Choice Foundation. At a recent education panel, Bill Oberndorf was credited with giving “tens of millions” of dollars to the school choice movement, and called the Indiana voucher law the “gold standard” for what should be done across America. Americans have to arm themselves with the facts to avoid that fate.