:::::: CONGRESS ::::::

04/16/2013 Nativegrl77

The Senate stands in adjournment until 10:00am on Tuesday, April 16, 2013.

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be a period of morning business for one hour with the Majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the final half.
Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S.649, the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013 with the time until the recess for the caucus meetings for debate only.
The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.

The period for debate only on S.649, Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of
2013, has been extended until 3:30pm today. Senator Reid will then be
recognized. The Senate stands in recess until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly
caucus meetings. The Republicans need to have their caucus to discuss if an
agreement on amendments to the gun safety bill can be reached.

The period for debate only has been extended until 5:30pm and Senator Reid will
be recognized at that time. We are still working on an agreement to consider the
first amendments to S.649, the Safe Communities, Safe Schools
Act of 2013. However, no agreement has been reached yet.

The time until 6:00pm will be for debate only on S.649, the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013. At 6:00pm, the Senate will recess subject to the call of the Chair to allow for a Senators-only briefing.

When the Senate reconvenes, the Majority Leader will be recognized and another message will be sent.

The Senate has reconvened.

We hope to reach an agreement on amendments to S.649, the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013 this evening.

We expect votes in relation to those amendments to occur sometime tomorrow. When an agreement is reached, another message will be sent.

The Senate has reached an agreement for 8 additional amendments to be in order S.649, the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act of 2013. The Manchin-Toomey amendment #715 (background checks) is currently pending to the bill. The agreement results in a series of up to 9 roll call votes at approximately 4:00pm on Wednesday, April 17^th. The details of the agreement are below.

It is in order for the Manchin-Toomey amendment #715 to be set aside and the following amendments to be called up:

– Grassley substitute amendment consistent with the summary which is at the desk;

– Leahy-Collins amendment #713 (trafficking);

– Cornyn amendment #719 (conceal carry);

– Feinstein amendment #711 (assault weapons/clip bans);

– Burr amendment #720 (veterans/guns);

– Lautenberg-Blumenthal amendment #714 (high capacity clip ban)

– Barrasso amendment #717 (privacy) and

– Harkin-Alexander amendment relative to mental health, the text of which is at the desk.

Following Leader remarks on Wednesday, April 17^th, the time until 4:00pm will be equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees, to debate the amendments concurrently.

At approximately 4:00pm, the Senate will proceed to a series of up to 9 roll call votes in the order listed below. All amendments will be subject to a 60 affirmative-vote threshold. No other amendments or motions to commit are in order to any of these amendments or to the bill prior to these votes. There will be 2 minutes of debate equally divided prior to each vote. All votes after the first vote will be 10 minutes in duration.

– Manchin-Toomey amendment #715

– Grassley substitute amendment consistent with the summary which is at the desk;

– Leahy-Collins amendment #713 (trafficking);

– Cornyn amendment #719 (conceal carry);

– Feinstein amendment #711 (assault weapons/clip bans);

– Burr amendment #720 (veterans/guns);

– Lautenberg-Blumenthal amendment #714 (high capacity clip ban)

– Barrasso amendment #717 (privacy) and

– Harkin-Alexander amendment relative to mental health, the text of which is at the desk.

The Senate is in recess subject to the call of the Chair.

When the Senate
reconvenes, another message will be sent.

The Senate has reconvened. S.744, the Border Security, Economic
Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act was introduced.

WRAP UP

No ROLL CALL VOTES

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Adopted S.Res.98, Honoring the life, legacy, and example of British Prime Minister Baroness Margaret Thatcher.

Adopted S.Res.99, expressing the sense of the Senate that public servants should be commended for their dedication and continued service to the United States during Public Service Recognition Week.

Adopted S.Res.100, Commending the University of Louisville men’s basketball team for winning the NCAA championship and the women’s basketball team for being the runner up.

Began the Rule 14 process of S.743, the Marketplace Fairness Act. (Enzi)

Completed the Rule 14 process of S.729, the Disarm Criminals and Protect Communities Act. (Cruz)

Completed the Rule 14 process of S.730, the Firearm Straw Purchasing and Trafficking Prevention Act. (Cruz)

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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April 2013
S	M	T	W	T	F	S
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30

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Last Floor Action:
8:55:45 P.M. – The House adjourned. 4/15

The next meeting in the House is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on April 16, 2013.

10:00:00 A.M.		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
10:00:43 A.M.		The Speaker designated the Honorable Daniel Webster to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
10:01:19 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.
10:41:34 A.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 P.M. today.

12:00:50 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of April 16.
12:01:05 P.M.		Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.
12:02:44 P.M.		The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.
12:03:45 P.M.		PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. O’Rourke to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
12:03:50 P.M.		The House received a communication from the Honorable Keith J. Rothfus. Mr. Rothfus submitted his resignation from the Committee on the Judiciary and from the Committee on Homeland Security. The resignation was accepted without objection.
12:04:39 P.M.	H. Res. 162	Considered as privileged matter. H. Res. 162 — “Electing a Member to a standing committee of the House of Representatives.”
12:04:55 P.M.	H. Res. 162	On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to without objection.
12:04:58 P.M.	H. Res. 162	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
12:05:06 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.
12:30:49 P.M.		The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until a time to be announced.
12:31:05 P.M.	H.R. 1163	Mr. Issa moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 1163 — “To amend chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code, to revise requirements relating to Federal information security, and for other purposes.”
12:31:19 P.M.	H.R. 1163	Considered under suspension of the rules.
12:31:24 P.M.	H.R. 1163	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1163.
12:51:24 P.M.	H.R. 1163	At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
12:52:07 P.M.	H.R. 756	Mr. Smith (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. H.R. 756 — “To advance cybersecurity research, development, and technical standards, and for other purposes.”
12:52:35 P.M.	H.R. 756	Considered under suspension of the rules.
12:52:37 P.M.	H.R. 756	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 756.
1:20:01 P.M.	H.R. 756	At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
1:20:38 P.M.	H.R. 967	Mr. Smith (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended. H.R. 967 — “To amend the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 to authorize activities for support of networking and information technology research, and for other purposes.”
1:20:56 P.M.	H.R. 967	Considered under suspension of the rules.
1:20:58 P.M.	H.R. 967	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 967.

1:39:39 P.M.	H.R. 967	At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
1:40:13 P.M.		UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on motions to suspend the rules which were debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
1:40:30 P.M.	H.R. 1163	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 1163 — “To amend chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code, to revise requirements relating to Federal information security, and for other purposes.”
2:05:36 P.M.	H.R. 1163	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 416 – 0 (Roll no. 106).
2:05:37 P.M.	H.R. 1163	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2:05:51 P.M.	H.R. 756	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 756 — “To advance cybersecurity research, development, and technical standards, and for other purposes.”
2:13:24 P.M.	H.R. 756	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 402 – 16 (Roll no. 107).
2:13:25 P.M.	H.R. 756	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2:13:52 P.M.	H.R. 967	a Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 967 — “To amend the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 to authorize activities for support of networking and information technology research, and for other purposes.”
2:20:17 P.M.	H.R. 967	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 406 – 11 (Roll no. 108).
2:20:18 P.M.	H.R. 967	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2:20:30 P.M.	H. Res. 163	Considered as privileged matter. H. Res. 163 — “Electing a Member to certain standing committees of the House of Representatives.”
2:20:41 P.M.	H. Res. 163	On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to without objection.
2:21:02 P.M.	H. Res. 163	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2:22:01 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.
2:36:18 P.M.		SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.
3:35:14 P.M.		The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.
6:01:04 P.M.		The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of April 16.
6:01:25 P.M.		Mr. Woodall filed a report from the Committee on Rules on H. Res. 164.
6:02:43 P.M.		Mr. Woodall moved that the House do now adjourn.
6:02:55 P.M.		On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.
6:02:56 P.M.		The House adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on April 17, 2013.

——————————————————————–

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What limited access to safe affordable health care Choice means …

04/15/2013 Nativegrl77

Keep Abortion Safe, Legal & Accessible (Photo credit: World Can’t Wait)

Keep Abortion Safe and Legal (Photo credit: World Can’t Wait)

Why We Need to Talk About the Horrifying Gosnell Abortion Trial

By Katie J.M. Baker, Jezebel

His business was able to thrive because of limited access to reproductive choice, not because of reproductive choice itself. READ MORE»

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Keystone XL pipeline

04/15/2013 Nativegrl77

Keystone XL would be nine times larger than the Arkansas tar sands pipeline that spilled through backyards.
Ten days left to submit your official comment.
Take action!

The ExxonMobil tar sands pipeline spill — photo courtesy of the Sierra Club‘s Glen Hooks, on the ground in Arkansas.

There are two things you need to know right now.

First — stopping Keystone XL is key to stopping the deadly tar sands, no matter what Big Oil and its allies say. Alternative tar sands pipelines are running into equally stiff opposition and have been delayed. TransCanada executives openly admit that without Keystone, production will be slowed. So if the tar sands don’t need Keystone, why is Big Oil spending millions on lobbyists to ram it through? ^[1]

Second — there are only ten days left to submit your official comment against Keystone XL. Take action today and push the total to one million comments!

The tar sands are a disaster, from start to finish. Not only are they absolutely toxic for the climate, the mining process destroys the pristine Boreal Forest and threatens Canadian First Nations.

Then, because the tar sands are so heavy and corrosive, the export pipelines are more likely to spill than conventional pipelines ^[2] — we saw this just days ago when rivers of oil poured through Arkansas backyards where children usually play. Two other spills happened that same week in Canada and Texas, and the first Keystone pipeline spilled 12 times in its first year alone. The 2010 Michigan tar sands spill, which sickened children and killed family pets, still hasn’t been fully cleaned up. ^[3]

Ask yourself: Do you want this in your home? Do you want it in your town? Do any Americans deserve to live in a community with these risky pipelines — or in a world with a threatened climate?

TransCanada executives get the profits, the rest of us get the risks. Submit your official comment to the State Department against this toxic export pipeline today!

Over the next ten days, the Sierra Club will be partnering with top environmental allies to highlight ten reasons to oppose Keystone XL. Keep an eye on our blogs and social media to learn more about the climate, the families already harmed by tar sands pipelines, alternative energy solutions, the threats tar sands pose to American Indians and First Nations, wildlife issues, and much more.

Today, we’re reminded that tar sands will not help our energy security. Keystone XL is almost assuredly an export pipeline that would send oil through America, not to America — its destination refineries export 60% of their products. Furthermore, top scientists say the tar sands are “game over” for the climate ^[4] — and the Pentagon has routinely identified climate change as a threat to our national security. ^[5]

There are countless reasons to oppose the tar sands, one of the most extreme fuels on earth. Stopping Keystone XL will be a huge step forward in that effort — submit your comment today!

Thanks for all you do,

Michael Marx
Sierra Club Beyond Oil Campaign Director

P.S. After you take action, be sure to forward this alert to your friends and colleagues — five comments will have even more impact than one!

References

[1] Israel, Josh. “Supporters Of Keystone XL Outspend Opponents 35 To 1.” Climate Progress. 20 February 2013.

[2] Swift, Anthony. “Tar sands pipeline risks – examining the facts.” NRDC Switchboard. 30 March 2013.

[3] Rowan, Anne. “EPA Orders Enbridge to Perform Additional Dredging to Remove Oil from Kalamazoo River.” EPA. 14 March 2013.

[4] Hansen, James. “Game Over for the Climate.” New York Times. 9 May 2012.

[5] Fitzsimmons, Jill. “15 Military Leaders Who Say Climate Change Is A National Security Threat.” Media Matters. 30 May 2012.

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Is $300 justice? Brian, Campaign for a Fair Settlement

04/15/2013 Nativegrl77

Support the May 18-25 Week of Action!

Bringing Justice to Justice

Connect with the Campaign for a Fair Settlement

“Breaking the law is not a trade secret.” – Sen. Elizabeth Warren, April 11, 2013

$300. For having your home taken from you illegally.
Is that your idea of justice? The federal bank regulators think it is. Want to know why? Sorry, they can’t tell you – that would mean revealing “trade secrets” of the banks.
It’s true. This week some 4 million families whose homes were stolen by Wall Street criminals in 2009 and 2010 will be getting a total of $3.6 billion in compensation. Most will receive less than $1000. For losing their homes. That amount was arbitrarily determined by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and when asked why in a Senate hearing yesterday, they said turning over the information would mean turning over confidential “trade secrets”.
To which Sen. Warren responded, “Breaking the law is not a trade secret.” [1]
Exactly. That’s why hundreds of homeowners from around the country are going to DC this May to demand an end to Too Big to Jail. You can support their fight by signing on to this call to AG Eric Holder and President Obama to start criminal prosecutions of criminal Wall Street bankers.
If our system of justice worked, two things should have happened: (1) those responsible should have been prosecuted for their crimes, and (2) borrowers should have been compensated for these violations. You already know that Attorney General Holder and the Justice Department have given the bankers get out of jail free cards. Now the federal regulators have allowed them to pay pennies on the dollar to people who lost their homes. That’s what happens with Too Big to Jail.
In hearings on April 10th, Senator Warren posed the right question: “Have the families been protected, or have the banks been protected?” So far the regulators and Justice Department have thrown down with the banks, not with families. That’s what happens with Too Big to Jail.
We’ve made calls, sent petitions, written letters – and we’re still not seeing the change we need. So next month members of the Home Defenders League, supported by the Campaign for a Fair Settlement, are taking things right to the steps of the Justice Department in DC.
Add your voice to those going to DC by signing on to the petition to the Administration here. We can guarantee your signature will be delivered as part of dramatic and bold actions at the very heart of law enforcement in the United States.
Delivering the 333,000 signatures on April 2 was just the beginning. And we’ve got Too Big to Jail in our sights.

In solidarity,
Brian Kettenring Executive Director, Action for the Common Good Campaign Director, Campaign for a Fair Settlement

PS. If YOU want to go, you can register your interest by clicking HERE. Home Defenders League staff will contact you with more details.

[1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD7zM9K0X4c http://www.campaignforfairsettlement.org/
-=-=- Campaign for a Fair Settlement · 11 Dupont Cir, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20036, United States CFS is a multi-sectoral coalition. Common Good and Action for the Common Good staff provide strategic and logistical support to the effort. This email was sent to ynative77@gmail.com. To stop receiving emails, click here. You can also keep up with Brian, Campaign for a Fair Settlement on Twitter or Facebook. -=-=-
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Affordable Safe and Accessible Health care

04/15/2013 Nativegrl77

I hope you saw this important message. Join me and stand with the women of Mississippi to keep the last abortion provider open in the state. We can’t let back-door bans take away women’s rights.

Thanks,

Ilyse.

Anti-choice politicians in Mississippi are trying to close the state’s last remaining abortion provider.

If we don’t stop them, the last clinic in that state could shut its doors for good.

Stop the bans big

Contact the state health officer to say that Mississippi women and families deserve access to abortion care.

Your help is needed to take a stand for choice right now. As states like North Dakota and Kansas pass unconstitutional bills directly aimed at banning abortion, others are using a sneakier approach. We call them “back-door bans” and they use regulations clearly designed to block women’s access to abortion in their states.

Next week is the culmination of a relentless campaign by lawmakers in Mississippi to put the Jackson Women’s Health Organization out of business. It’s the one remaining abortion provider in that state. Send a message that you won’t stand for these back-door abortion bans.

We call these back-door bans TRAP laws, short for “Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers.” Like all medical professionals, abortion providers already comply with important health and safety regulations. But TRAP laws are something different: they create a costly and confusing mine-field of additional requirements and regulations not imposed on other medical providers. Anti-choice politicians pretend that TRAP laws are about protecting women’s health, but their real goal is to close down clinics.

And that’s just what’s happening next week in Mississippi. For more than a year, the Jackson Women’s Health Organization has fought for survival in the face of 35 pages of new requirements designed to shut it down. On April 18, the state health department will hold what may be the final hearing on the future of the clinic. Send a message now that Mississippi women and families should be able to make their own reproductive choices without the interference of these burdensome and unnecessary regulations.

In many cases, providers targeted by back-door abortion bans are the sole resource for women in their communities or even their entire state. And yet, they come under extraordinary scrutiny from politicians whose only goal is to deny services to women.

Help us fight for this clinic and the women in Mississippi who depend on its services. Send a message now that these back-door bans are wrong. Tell leaders in Mississippi that the women of their state must have the right to control their futures. For the sake of women’s health and women’s rights – let’s keep the Jackson Women’s Health Organization open for business.

Thank you for helping make choice real for all women.

Ilyse Hogue Ilyse G. Hogue President, NARAL Pro-Choice America