~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

We are the messengers we need


VoteVets.org

In 2012, campaigns and political organizations spent almost $7 billion dollars to get their message out — almost as much as the United States spent that year on the post-war effort in Iraq.

And as we steel ourselves for another onslaught of campaigns ads competing for our attention on our televisions, computers, and phones, you gotta wonder how anyone can cut through that amount of noise.

The answer: veterans can.

We are the messengers we need in the coming debate about how the current Congress — led by elected officials like Mitch McConnell — have let down veterans.

In the coming weeks, VoteVets is going to escalate its current ad campaign highlighting Senator McConnell’s repeated efforts to block VA health care improvements.

Your $5 contribution will make sure Kentucky’s 300,000 veterans receive the message loud and clear.

Mitch McConnell says the “denial of care to our veterans is a national disgrace.”

But he’s blocked a tax credit encouraging employers to hire veterans, blocked funding to improve veterans health care, blocked giving veterans in-state tuition across the country, and blocked job training programs for veterans.

That’s the disgrace.

Your $5 contribution will make sure Kentucky’s veterans get that message this fall.

http://action.votevets.org/we-are

Thanks for standing with VoteVets in this effort. It’s important.

All the best,

General (Ret.) Wesley Clark
 VoteVets.org

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

(Still) Broken


By

One Year After The Supreme Court Gutted The Voting Rights Act, We Need A Fix

50 years ago, the heroic participants of “Freedom Summer” paved the way for the national advancement of civil rights, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act one year later.

A year ago today, in a 5-to-4 ruling on Shelby County v. Holder, the Supreme Court invalidated a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. Jurisdictions with histories of racial discrimination subject to “preclearance,” or special review by the Justice Department or a federal court before enforcing any new voting laws, were now free to legislate as the wished. At the time, Think Progress’s Ian Millhiser wrote, “Although today’s opinion ostensibly would permit Congress to revive the preclearance regime by enacting a new formula that complies with today’s decision, that would require a functioning Congress — so the likely impact of today’s decision is that many areas that were unable to enact voter suppression laws under the Voting Rights Act will now be able to put those laws into effect.”

And that is precisely what ended up happening. Just 48 hours after the landmark decision, six of the nine states that had been covered in their entirety under the law’s “preclearance” formula had already taken steps toward restricting voting.

Though the conservative Justices may disagree, voting discrimination is not largely a thing of the past. Since 2010, nearly two-thirds of the states previously covered under Section 5 of the VRA, nine of fifteen, have passed new voting restrictions:

VRA4Today_2

And between 2000 and June 2013, there were 148 Section 5 objections or other VRA violations recorded in 29 states, mostly concentrated in the South.

VRA4Today

Meanwhile, Congress — which voted to renew the Voting Rights Act in 1970, 1975, 1982, and 2006, each time with increasingly larger margins — has yet to fix it this time around. The Senate has introduced the Voting Rights Amendment Act, and held a hearing on it today. In the House, it has languished. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte apparently thinks that a fix to the Supreme Court’s Shelby decision is not needed.

BOTTOM LINE: Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that we no longer need the Voting Rights Act. Today offers a good opportunity to remind them, and the legislators dragging their feet in Congress, that we do. States continue to pass laws designed to erect barriers to voting and suppress voter turnout, often targeted disproportionately at minority communities. There may no longer be literacy tests or poll taxes, but the modern voting restrictions are just as insidious and we need strong federal protections to prevent states from enacting them.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Ban Veal Crates


Diane J. Brisebois: Retail Council of Canada: Ban Veal Crates

by Mercy For Animals Canada | 60,771 supporters

I am an undercover investigator with Mercy For Animals Canada, and for eight weeks I worked at a calf factory farm that supplies veal to many major grocery retailers in Canada. Nothing could have prepared me for the horrors I witnessed. I saw…

Read more

Black History

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 6/26 ~~ the House


embassy attcks

The Senate stands adjournment until 9:30am on Thursday, June 26, 2014.

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

At noon, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session and proceed to a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #738, Cheryl Ann Krause, of New Jersey, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit.

 

At 1:45pm, there will be up to 6 roll call votes (only one expected):

–        Executive Calendar #897 Stuart E. Jones, of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Iraq,

–        Executive Calendar #896 Robert Stephen Beecroft, of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Arab Republic of Egypt (expected voice vote),

–        Executive Calendar #654 Karen Dynan – to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (expected voice vote),

–        Executive Calendar #557 Esther Puakela Kia’aina, of Hawaii, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior (expected voice vote),

–        Executive Calendar #620 Vincent G. Logan, of New York, to be Special Trustee, Office of Special Trustee for American Indians, Department of the Interior (expected voice vote), and

–        Executive Calendar #503 Jo Emily Handelsman, of Connecticut, to be an Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (expected voice vote).

The previously scheduled vote at noon will now begin at 11:45am today. Therefore, there will be 1 roll call vote beginning at approximately 11:45am on the motion to invoke cloture Executive Calendar #738, Cheryl Ann Krause, of New Jersey, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit. There will also be at least 1 roll call vote at 1:45pm today along with several voice votes.

 

11:45am—1 roll call vote:

  1. Cloture on Executive Calendar #738, Cheryl Ann Krause, of New Jersey, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit.

 

1:45pm—up to 6 votes–at least 1 roll call vote and 5 voice votes expected:

  1. Executive Calendar #897 Stuart E. Jones, of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Iraq (roll call vote);
  2. Executive Calendar #896 Robert Stephen Beecroft, of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Arab Republic of Egypt (voice vote expected);
  3. Executive Calendar #654 Karen Dynan, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (voice vote expected);
  4. Executive Calendar #557 Esther Puakela Kia’aina, of Hawaii, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior (voice vote expected);
  5. Executive Calendar #620 Vincent G. Logan, of New York, to be Special Trustee, Office of Special Trustee for American Indians, Department of the Interior (voice vote expected); and
  6. Executive Calendar #503 Jo Emily Handelsman, of Connecticut, to be an Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (voice vote expected).

11:46am The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on cloture on Executive Calendar #738, Cheryl Ann Krause, of New Jersey, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit.

Invoked: 57-39

1:45pm—up to 6 votes–at least 1 roll call vote and 5 voice votes expected:

  1. Executive Calendar #897 Stuart E. Jones, of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Iraq (roll call vote);
  2. Executive Calendar #896 Robert Stephen Beecroft, of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Arab Republic of Egypt (voice vote expected);
  3. Executive Calendar #654 Karen Dynan, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (voice vote expected);
  4. Executive Calendar #557 Esther Puakela Kia’aina, of Hawaii, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior (voice vote expected);
  5. Executive Calendar #620 Vincent G. Logan, of New York, to be Special Trustee, Office of Special Trustee for American Indians, Department of the Interior (voice vote expected); and
  6. Executive Calendar #503 Jo Emily Handelsman, of Connecticut, to be an Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (voice vote expected).

1:45PM the Senate began a 15minute roll call vote on confirmation of Calendar #897 Stuart E. Jones, of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Iraq;

Confirmed: 93-0

The remaining nominations will be confirmed by voice vote.

 

  1. Executive Calendar #896 Robert Stephen Beecroft, of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Arab Republic of Egypt (voice vote expected);
  2. Executive Calendar #654 Karen Dynan, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (voice vote expected);
  3. Executive Calendar #557 Esther Puakela Kia’aina, of Hawaii, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior (voice vote expected);
  4. Executive Calendar #620 Vincent G. Logan, of New York, to be Special Trustee, Office of Special Trustee for American Indians, Department of the Interior (voice vote expected); and
  5. Executive Calendar #503 Jo Emily Handelsman, of Connecticut, to be an Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (voice vote expected).

The Senate confirmed the Beecroft, Dynan, Kai’aina, Logan and Handelsman nominations by voice votes.

Senators should expect 2 roll call votes at 5:30pm on Monday, July 7. Those votes would be on the following items:

 

–          Confirmation of Executive Calendar #738, Cheryl Ann Krause, of New Jersey, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit; and

–          Cloture on the motion to proceed to Calendar #384, S.2363, a bill to protect and enhance opportunities for recreational hunting, fishing, and shooting (Sportsman’s bill).

Senator Cruz asked unanimous consent to take up and adopt a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. should appoint a special counsel or prosecutor to investigate the targeting of conservative nonprofit groups by the Internal Revenue Service. Senator Wyden objected.

Senator Sessions then asked unanimous consent the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of S.202, Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act (e-verify), and the Senate then take up and pass the bill. Senator Durbin objected.

 

Senator Sessions asked unanimous consent to discharge the Finance Committee from further consideration of S.91, Child Tax Credit Integrity Preservation Act of 2013, and that the Senate then take up and pass the bill. Senator Durbin objected.

WRAP UP

Roll Call Votes

1)     Motion to invoke cloture on Executive Calendar #738, Cheryl Ann Krause, of New Jersey, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Third Circuit; Invoked: 57-39

2)     Confirmation of Executive Calendar #897 Stuart E. Jones, of Virginia, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Iraq; Confirmed: 93-0

 

Legislative items

Passed S.2076, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy Board of Visitors Enhancement Act with a Boozman amendment.

 

Passed S.1799, Victims of Child Abuse Act Reauthorization Act with a Coons substitute amendment.

 

Passed H.R.2388, To take certain Federal lands located in El Dorado County, California, into trust for the benefit of the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians, and for other purposes.

 

Adopted S.Res.490, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Cape May-Lewis Ferry.

 

Adopted S.Res.491, congratulating the Los Angeles Kings on winning the 2014 Stanley Cup Championship.

 

Adopted S.Res.492, Congratulating “A Prairie Home Companion” on its 40 years of engaging, humorous, and quality radio programming.

 

Adopted S.Res.493, designating July 11, 2014, as “Collector Car Appreciation Day” and recognizing that the collection and restoration of historic and classic cars is an important part of preserving the technological achievements and cultural heritage of the United States.

 

Adopted S.Res.494, relative to the death of Howard H. Baker, Jr.

 

Began the Rule 14 process of the following bill in order to place it on the calendar: ­­­S.2562, the Bring Jobs Home Act (Stabenow and others).

 

Completed the Rule 14 process of the following bill in order to place it on the calendar: H.R.3301, the North American Energy Infrastructure Act (Republican request).

 

Additional Executive items

Confirmed the following by voice vote:

–        Executive Calendar #896 Robert Stephen Beecroft, of California, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Arab Republic of Egypt,

–        Executive Calendar #654 Karen Dynan, of Maryland, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury,

–        Executive Calendar #557 Esther Puakela Kia’aina, of Hawaii, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Interior,

–        Executive Calendar #620 Vincent G. Logan, of New York, to be Special Trustee, Office of Special Trustee for American Indians, Department of the Interior, and

–        Executive Calendar #503 Jo Emily Handelsman, of Connecticut, to be an Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

 

 

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

Last Floor Action:
11:04:01 A.M. -H.R. 4899
On agreeing to the Wittman amendment (A001) Roll Call 360 – Recorded vote pending.

9:00:33 A.M. The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
9:00:37 A.M. The Speaker designated the Honorable Virginia Foxx to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
9:00:51 A.M. Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.
9:02:13 A.M. The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.
9:02:17 A.M. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Yoder to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
9:02:34 A.M. ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches, which by direction of the Chair would be limited to 5 per side of the aisle.
9:13:37 A.M. H.R. 4899 Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 4899 — “To lower gasoline prices for the American family by increasing domestic onshore and offshore energy exploration and production, to streamline and improve onshore and offshore energy permitting and administration, and for other purposes.”
9:15:01 A.M. H.R. 4899 The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
9:16:51 A.M. H.R. 4899 An amendment, offered by Mr. Wittman, No. 1 printed in House Report 113-493 to grant the Secretary of the Interior the ability to add a lease sale area to a finalized 5 year plan, as long as all of the National Environmental Policy Act requirements have been met on that specific area within the last 5 years.
9:16:53 A.M. H.R. 4899 DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 641, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Wittman amendment No. 1.
9:28:05 A.M. H.R. 4899 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Wittman amendment No. 1, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. DeFazio demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
9:28:26 A.M. H.R. 4899 prohibits BOEM and BSEE from coordinating coastal and marine spatial planning under the National Ocean Policy.
9:28:30 A.M. H.R. 4899 DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 641, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Lowenthal amendment No. 2.
9:40:24 A.M. H.R. 4899 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Lowenthal amendment No. 2, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Lowenthal demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
9:40:58 A.M. H.R. 4899 An amendment, offered by Mr. Duncan (SC), No. 3 printed in House Report 113-493 to direct the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to include Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia into an administrative planning area for offshore leasing purposes.
9:41:01 A.M. H.R. 4899 DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 641, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Duncan (SC) amendment No. 3.
9:46:43 A.M. H.R. 4899 On agreeing to the Duncan (SC) amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
9:46:55 A.M. H.R. 4899 An amendment, offered by Mr. Wittman, No. 4 printed in House Report 113-493 to foster STEM education in the South Atlantic states by allowing colleges, universities and historically black colleges and universities (with a preference to military veteran serving institutions of higher education) to partner with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to train the next generation of geological and geophysical scientists to better understand the oil, gas and other hydrocarbon potential of the offshore South Atlantic.
9:46:57 A.M. H.R. 4899 DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 641, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Wittman amendment No. 4.
9:51:46 A.M. H.R. 4899 On agreeing to the Wittman amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
9:52:07 A.M. H.R. 4899 An amendment, offered by Mrs. Capps, No. 5 printed in House Report 113-493 to require the Secretary of the Interior to notify all relevant state and local regulatory agencies and publish a notice in the Federal Register, within 30 days after receiving any application for a permit that would allow the conduct of any offshore oil and gas well stimulation activities.
9:52:09 A.M. H.R. 4899 DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 641, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Capps amendment No. 5.
10:01:40 A.M. H.R. 4899 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Capps amendment No. 5, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mrs. Capps demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
10:01:56 A.M. H.R. 4899 An amendment, offered by Mr. Deutch, No. 6 printed in House Report 113-493 to strike the provision that an action involving a covered energy decision shall take precedence over all other pending matters before the district court.
10:01:59 A.M. H.R. 4899 DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 641, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Deutch amendment No. 6.
10:11:34 A.M. H.R. 4899 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Deutch amendment No. 6, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Deutch demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
10:12:04 A.M. H.R. 4899 The Committee of the Whole rose informally to receive a message from the Senate.
10:12:35 A.M. The House received a message from the Senate. The Senate passed H.R. 803 amended.
10:12:36 A.M. H.R. 4899 The Committee of the Whole resumed its sitting.
10:13:05 A.M. H.R. 4899 An amendment, offered by Mr. Blumenauer, No. 7 printed in House Report 113-493 to require companies holding leases, which allow them to drill on public lands off-shore without paying a royalty, to renegotiate those leases prior to bidding on new leases issued pursuant to Title I of the Act.
10:13:07 A.M. H.R. 4899 DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 641, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Blumenauer amendment No. 7.
10:23:50 A.M. H.R. 4899 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Blumenauer amendment No. 7, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Hastings (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.
10:24:12 A.M. H.R. 4899 An amendment, offered by Mr. Bishop (UT), No. 8 printed in House Report 113-493 to prohibit the Secretary from canceling, deferring or withdrawing any lease previously announced to be auctioned based on public comments received by the Department after the public comment period has expired.
10:24:14 A.M. H.R. 4899 Bishop (UT) amendment No. 8.
10:36:12 A.M. H.R. 4899 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Bishop (UT) amendment No. 8, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. DeFazio demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
10:36:37 A.M. H.R. 4899 An amendment, offered by Ms. Jackson Lee, No. 9 printed in House Report 113-493 to establish an Office of Energy Employment and Training to ensure that veterans, women, and underrepresented minorities are fully included in the hiring and training efforts of the Department of the Interior’s energy planning, permitting, and regulatory agencies.
10:36:40 A.M. H.R. 4899 DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 641, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Jackson Lee amendment No. 9.
10:44:08 A.M. H.R. 4899 On agreeing to the Jackson Lee amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
10:45:05 A.M. H.R. 4899 An amendment, offered by Mr. DeFazio, No. 10 printed in House Report 113-493 to authorize $10 million of the revenue generated by the underlying bill for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to use existing authority to limit speculation in energy markets.
10:45:14 A.M. H.R. 4899 DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 641, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the DeFazio amendment No. 10.
10:52:54 A.M. H.R. 4899 POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the DeFazio amendment No. 10, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. DeFazio demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
10:53:21 A.M. H.R. 4899 Mr. Hastings (WA) moved to rise.
10:53:38 A.M. H.R. 4899 On motion to rise Agreed to by voice vote.
10:53:46 A.M. H.R. 4899 Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 4899 as unfinished business.
10:53:56 A.M. The Speaker announced that the House do now recess for a period of less than 15 minutes.
11:02:26 A.M. The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of June 26.
11:02:27 A.M. H.R. 4899 Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 4899 — “To lower gasoline prices for the American family by increasing domestic onshore and offshore energy exploration and production, to streamline and improve onshore and offshore energy permitting and administration, and for other purposes.”
11:02:39 A.M. H.R. 4899 The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
11:02:42 A.M. H.R. 4899 UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that, pursuant to clause 6 of Rule XVIII, the unfinished business was the question of adoption of amendments which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
11:04:01 A.M. H.R. 4899 On agreeing to the Wittman amendment (A001) Roll Call 360 – Recorded vote pending.

11:34:21 A.M. H.R. 4899 On agreeing to the Wittman amendment; Agreed to by recorded vote: 244 – 172 (Roll no. 360).
11:43:15 A.M. H.R. 4899 On agreeing to the Lowenthal amendment; Failed by recorded vote: 179 – 232 (Roll no. 361).
11:47:15 A.M. H.R. 4899 On agreeing to the Capps amendment; Failed by recorded vote: 183 – 227 (Roll no. 362).
11:51:02 A.M. H.R. 4899 <action_description>On agreeing to the Deutch amendment; Failed by recorded vote: 188 – 223 (Roll no. 363).
11:54:43 A.M. H.R. 4899 <action_description>On agreeing to the Blumenauer amendment; Failed by recorded vote: 179 – 229 (Roll no. 364).
11:58:37 A.M. H.R. 4899 On agreeing to the Bishop (UT) amendment; Agreed to by recorded vote: 241 – 173 (Roll no. 365).
12:02:01 P.M. H.R. 4899 On agreeing to the DeFazio amendment; Failed by recorded vote: 189 – 223 (Roll no. 366).
12:02:15 P.M. H.R. 4899 The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 4899.
12:02:54 P.M. H.R. 4899 The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
12:03:13 P.M. H.R. 4899 The 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.
12:04:38 P.M. H.R. 4899 Mr. Bishop (NY) moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on Natural Resources.
12:05:52 P.M. H.R. 4899 DEBATE – The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Bishop (NY) 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 prohibit major integrated oil companies from receiving new leases in the areas covered by the underlying bill unless they enter into an agreement under which they are prohibited from claiming the domestic production activities deduction under Section 199 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The amendment also requires that any lease issued pursuant to the underlying bill specify that crude oil or natural gas produced under such lease may be exported only if the Secretary of the Interior determines that exporting such commodities will not increase the price of gasoline or home heating oil for American consumers.
12:10:05 P.M. H.R. 4899 The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.
12:17:00 P.M. H.R. 4899 On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 177 – 235 (Roll no. 367).
12:27:26 P.M. H.R. 4899 On passage Passed by recorded vote: 229 – 185 (Roll no. 368).
12:27:27 P.M. H.R. 4899 Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
12:28:24 P.M. Mr. Jolly asked unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet on June 30 at 11:30 a.m. Agreed to without objection.
12:29:22 P.M. ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.
12:41:17 P.M. SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.
1:54:01 P.M. Mr. Scott, Austin moved that the House do now adjourn.
1:54:24 P.M. On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.
1:54:25 P.M. <action_description>The House adjourned pursuant to a previous special order. The next meeting is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on June 30, 2014.

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

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Target … just does NOT get it


Target just doesn’t get it.

More than 300,000 of the company’s customers have asked Target to stand up for customer safety and prohibit people from openly carrying guns in its stores, yet the company’s leaders still haven’t taken any action.

So, it’s time to turn up the heat. Maybe Target will heed our call if some of the influential moms and women who sell products on its shelves speak out.

Using our Fast Tweet tool, please take a minute to tweet at Jessica Alba, Bethenny Frankel and Rachael Ray and ask them to urge Target to enact a gun sense policy

Tweet Now

When these businesswomen teamed up with Target, they probably didn’t expect customers flaunting semiautomatic rifles to be part of the deal.

  • Jessica Alba is a mom of two, and founder of Honest Company, which started selling its products at Target just this month.
  • Bethenny Frankel is a mom of one; her Skinny Girl products, including Skinny Girl Cocktails, are sold at Target.
  • Rachael Ray is a celebrity chef and entrepreneur who is famous for her fast, easy, family-friendly recipes. Her line of cookware and other products are sold at Target.

 

Target — and its brand partners — need to know that we want a safe shopping environment for our families. If Target wants our business, its leaders need to act.

Please visit our Fast Tweet page today and invite Jessica Alba, Bethenny Frankel and Rachael Ray to join our effort to make shopping at Target a safer experience for everyone.

Thank you for continuing to put pressure on Target. Together, we’ll get the company’s leaders to make this right.

Shannon Watts
Founder
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America

politics,pollution,petitions,pop culture & purses