~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Rep. Joe Wilson – a needed reminder


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Op-Ed Contributor

Joe Wilson’s War

 
By JOANNE B. FREEMAN
Published: September 18, 2009

New Haven

ON Tuesday, seven Republicans broke party ranks and voted to reprove Representative Joe Wilson, Republican of South Carolina, for calling President Obama a liar. One of the renegades was Bob Inglis, who upbraided his fellow South Carolinian for a breach of House rules. “That problem could have been fixed by an apology to the House,” Mr. Inglis explained.

And he was right. In fact, his comment reminds us that Congress has a long and storied culture of apology, to go along with its long and storied culture of insult — and that the two traditions are inextricably bound together.

Congressional insults — and apologies — had their heyday in the first half of the 19th century. Much as we envision the pre-Civil War era as the golden age of Congressional oratory delivered by the likes of Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun and Daniel Webster, alongside this eloquence was a generous helping of rough-and-tumble brawling.

Men pulled knives and guns on one another. There were shoving matches and canings — the most notorious being the 1856 attack by Representative Preston Brooks, Democrat of South Carolina, on Senator Charles Sumner, Republican of Massachusetts. Tables were flipped, inkwells and spittoons went flying. Occasionally there was a grand melee with dozens of congressmen pummeling one another, emerging after a few minutes of mayhem with torn clothing, assorted bumps and bruises, and toupees askew. Not surprisingly, accompanying all of this tumbling and punching was a slew of insults.

Most powerful of them all was “the lie direct.” According to the formal code of honor then in play, a man who didn’t keep his word was no man at all, so there could be only one response to such a charge: a duel (or very careful negotiations to avoid one). For that very reason, “throwing the lie” was a handy strategy in Congressional debate. The gasp-inducing drama of the moment was precisely the point. Nothing called an audience to attention as quickly as the threat of gunplay. Whether one was trying to attract attention from the press, derail a debate or humiliate an opponent, the lie direct was a grand slam in the game of politicking.

But untarnished victory required one final step: an immediate apology to the House or Senate — delivered on the floor. In part, this was the logic of the code of honor. The only way to offset a public insult was with a public apology; the audience that had witnessed the insult needed to witness the making of amends. And when a combatant voluntarily apologized as soon as a fight was reconciled, he prevented the opposition from milking his misbehavior for partisan gain.

In addition, a quick apology prevented an exchange of words from becoming something worse. In 1836, when a panicked speaker of the House began to adjourn the body after a tussle between two congressmen, several members instantly protested that this would prevent a public reconciliation. The result could have been ugly. As a House clerk put it, had “the speaker adjourned the House, as he was about to, there would have been a battle and blood would have been spilt upon the floor.”

These formal apologies nearly always followed the same script. After harsh language or fisticuffs, the combatants would rise to their feet and apologize in open session. The 1856 apology of Senator Andrew Butler, a South Carolina Democrat who was also the uncle of Preston Brooks, the assailant of Charles Sumner, is typical. In the flurry of outraged debate after the Sumner caning, Senator Henry Wilson of Massachusetts insulted Brooks. Butler immediately jumped to his feet and called Wilson a liar. Within minutes, Butler was on his feet again. “This mode of attacking my relative is very trying,” he said in apology. “I used a word which I hope will not be put down. I have never used an epithet on this floor, and therefore I ask that it may be excused. I make the request at the unanimous instance of my friends.”

As antebellum congressmen well knew, serious insults required serious apologies. So important were these rituals that they sometimes required hours or even days of negotiations for acceptable terms. In 1837, when Representative John Bell, an Anti-Jacksonian from Tennessee, called Leonard Jarvis, a Jacksonian from Maine, a liar during a debate, the outraged Jarvis first insisted that the matter would have to be settled “in another manner,” meaning in a duel. Jarvis also made clear that he wouldn’t retract the words that had prompted Bell to insult him in the first place. After several hours of wrangling by dozens of congressmen, Bell withdrew his words unconditionally.

No one assumed that such apologies were heartfelt. As The New York Times groused in 1859, these “Congressional rowdies” seemed to “have got it somehow into their heads that they can descend to any depth of blackguardism, if they only make an apology immediately afterwards.” Even so, these apologies meant something. By publicly apologizing to his colleagues, a congressman not only paid obeisance to the dignity and order of the House or Senate, but he also upheld the civility of Congressional proceedings as a whole.

This sentiment was perhaps explained best by Senator Louis McLane, a Jacksonian from Delaware, in an 1828 debate over the vice president’s right to call men to order. Written parliamentary rules were useful, he said, but the Senate’s tradition of “liberal comity” was “more efficient than any written rule.” What would preserve the Senate was “the great moral influence of the power of the body for its own preservation.” For this reason, the Congressional culture of insult was necessarily accompanied by one of apology. Whether it exists today remains an open question.

Joanne B. Freeman, a professor of history at Yale, is writing a book on Congressional violence in the first half of the 19th century.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Congress: the Republican led House – pro forma session – the Senate **both back on 11/22**


The Senate will convene at 11:00am on Tuesday, November 22, 2011 for a pro forma session only, with no business conducted and at 10:30am on Friday, November 25, 2011 for a pro forma session, with no business conducted.

The Senate will convene at 1:00pm on Monday, November 28, 2011. Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of S.1867, the Department of Defense Authorization Act.

At 5:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Calendar #270, the nomination of Christopher Droney, of Connecticut, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Second Circuit with 30 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees. Upon the use or yielding back of time (at approximately 5:30pm), the Senate will conduct a roll call vote on confirmation of the Droney nomination.

Additional roll call votes in relation to amendments to the DoD Authorization act are possible Monday evening.

———————————————————————————

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on November 22, 2011.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

In the past month, eight Buddhist monks and nuns have self-immolated to protest a growing Chinese crackdown in Tibet.


Days ago, Tenzin Wangmo walked out of her nunnery, covered herself in petrol and set herself on fire while pleading for a “free Tibet”. Minutes later she died — she was just 20 years old. In the past month, seven other monks have self-immolated to protest a growing Chinese crackdown on the peaceful Tibetan people.

These tragic acts are a desperate cry for help — machine gun toting Chinese security forces are beating and disappearing monks, laying siege to monasteries, and even killing elderly people defending them — all in an effort to suppress Tibetan rights. China severely restricts access to the region. But if we can get key governments to send diplomats in, break the blackout, and expose this growing brutality, we could save lives.

We have to act fast — this horrific situation is spiraling out of control behind a censorship curtain. Over and over we have seen that when diplomats themselves bear witness to atrocities, they are motivated to act, and increase political pressure. Let’s build a massive petition to the six leaders with the most influence in Beijing to send a mission to Tibet and speak out against the repression. Sign the urgent petition and send this to everyone:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_tibetan_lives/?vl

Tibetans are suffocating under China’s stranglehold. They are unable to practice their religion freely — just downloading a photograph of the Dalai Lama can land a Tibetan in prison. And it is getting worse: columns of Chinese troops have blockaded the largest monasteries and are abducting monks in “patriotic re-education” programmes. This horrific situation is spiraling out of control.

Just yesterday another monk, Dawa Tsering, was rushed to hospital after setting himself ablaze, and with every protest China tightens it’s grip. For Tibetans, self immolations are a very severe sacrifice and reveal their level of despair. They are deeply religious and believe that if you commit suicide it has a devastating impact on the cycle of re-incarnations and may even put you back 500 lifetimes. But their situation is so horrific that they are forfeiting their position in the cycle in exchange for the hope of international attention and freedom for their brothers and sisters.

The Chinese government won’t allow journalists and human rights monitors into the region — Sky news and AFP journalists were forced out last week. But diplomats can request access and get in and, as we have recently seen in Syria, they are the best way to get first hand reports, let China know that the world is watching and start high level political conversations on Tibetans’ human rights.

It’s up to us to raise the global alarm. If we can get the US, UK, Australia, India, France and the EU to send a delegation now, they could push China to action. We have no time to lose — sign the urgent petition and share this email:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_tibetan_lives/?vl

Avaaz members have supported projects that are piercing the blackout and defending Tibetan culture and religious practice. But China’s ruthless crackdown is escalating. It’s time for our whole community to take a stand together with these peaceful people sacrificing their own lives for basic rights. Let’s show them that the world has not forgotten them.

With hope and determination,

Emma, Iain, Dalia, Ricken, Diego, Shibayan, Giulia, and the whole Avaaz team

More information:

Tibetan Nun Who Set Herself On Fire Dies (Sky)
http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16095074

Self-immolation ‘trend’ at restive Tibetan monastery (BBC)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15169007

Study points to heavy handed repression of Tibetan area in China (The New York Times) (including HRW report)
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/13/world/asia/study-points-to-heavy-handed-repression-of-tibetan-area-in-china.html

China is fuelling the fires of Tibetan resistance (Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/oct/17/china-tibetan-resistance-self-immolation?newsfeed=true

Graph showing China’s increased spending in Tibetan regions:http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/10/12/china-end-crackdown-tibetan-monasteries

~ my 2cents ...

TGIF &some News …and locked out of twitter


just another rant

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that the Supreme Court will hear the HCR Affordable Health Care Law during the Presidential Election Campaign2012. The Supreme Court will have the responsibility of deciding if HCR merits or meets the constitutionality rules policies and procedures under what we all hope to be based on the favorable outcomes from the lower courts, compassion of what the new law will provide, healthy debate yet unbiased opinions with a strong use of the facts . Unfortunately, the big news is not that more people have an opportunity to be covered, people under 26 can be covered under parents insurance, or that the awful rule about pre-conditions will be no more least we forget HCR is also a JOBs bill. The fact that HCR enrollment will increase by 30million, which is a whole lot more people to serve and all those who do, will be cashing in as well as employing many more Americans. The fact is more Teapublicans, which includes Washington State’s AG McKenna; who happens to be running for Governor other current Governors some in the midst of recall efforts and Teapublican leaders of Congress are still challenging HCR. Though reports and or polls from MSM state most Americans do not want HCR they, if given the details of HCR like it.  The poeple in Massachuetts did not like their Universal Health Care at first but after awhile 80% did and do not want to repeals theirs.  The fact is …the law is so similar to the Massachusetts because then Governor Romney‘s staff helped formulate it. While Romney and his fellow Teapublicans keep stating they want to repeal health care reform even after three years of debate, stalling, and refusal to cooperate; the hcr Bill passed and is the new law of the land. It is not lost on most … well, now anyway, that Teapublicans will do and say just about anything to set themselves apart from the President of the US; even as offensive as it is they continue to push forward on the McConnell mission which is to make President Obama a one term President. I have to say as a voter the first Mission is to get America back on track though McConnell has tunnel vision gotta hope it all backfires with a sudden burst of Sanity Please just like in 2008 when we all faced the idea of a Palin/McCain in the White House. The current group of Teapublicans running for President of the US of A are far from being qualified almost amusing though scary considering what they say they have to offer. If you have been watching and or listening to the crap coming from Teapublican lawmakers in Congress it is obvious Party and Profit over People is a pledge they took and little room for compromise. The facts regarding HCR have been twisted turned and avoided by most Teapublicans and unfortunately, some of my fellow Americans believe the noise coming from the right, frankly, Teapublicans would rather fight moving into the 21st Century while attempting to bring the President down than help others and our economy by bringing down the cost of health care/insurance. The problem we have was not created by the current President yet these Corporatists are still trying to convince their supporters that big government equals the sitting President. It is with great sadness that there are so many of our fellow Americans drinking the kook-aid because the best example of big government was during the house of Bush and the lack of regulation which really means the people hired to do their jobs …did not. The economy slipped into a ditch created by the spending that Bush did and if anyone is willing to listen… the facts the truth is a close as your nose. Then President43 did not pay for the 2wars President Obama has to draw down or those bush tax bonus $$ and left an incredible deficit hole that has yet to be fixed; while it is true that the solution was to throw money at it and most economists believe it had to be done. There was not only a problem with how much money to throw but like all legislation on the Hill since President Obama took office and most if not all efforts were blocked, changed, scaled down or nasty amendments attached to great bills that no one could vote for in good consciousness. The idea that we keep the status quo is to say nothing needs to be changed but what better time is it than now to improve upon a system that has long been broken. If not now when and what better group than Democrats to fix the problems… because Republicans are proving on a daily basis that not only are they fiscally irresponsible they also practice overt class warfare, exclusion and some might say the current words are laced with hate and or racism …

Other News …

Lawmakers Look at Drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

NASA Leaders Testify on Future of Human Space Exploration

President Obama Addresses Australian Parliament

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi Weekly Legislative Briefing

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) Weekly Legislative Briefing

Black History

Congress: the Republican led House – the Senate


the Senate Convened at 9:00amET November 18, 2011

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of S.1867, the Department of Defense Authorization Act.
  • Senators are encouraged to offer their amendments during Friday’s session.
  • There will be no roll call votes on Friday. The next roll call vote will be at approximately 5:30pm on Monday, November 28, 2011.

The following amendments are pending to S.1867, the DoD Authorization Act:

  • Levin amendment #1092 (counterfeit electronic parts)
  • Kirk amendment #1084 (Iran Sanctions)
  • Leahy amendment #1072 (National Guard)
  • Paul amendment #1064 (repeal of Military Force Against Iraq Authorization Resolution)
  • Merkley amendment #1174 (Afghanistan)
  • Feinstein amendment #1125 (limiting military custody of detainees to those captured abroad)
  • Feinstein amendment #1126 (prohibiting military authority to indefinitely detain US citizens)
  • Udall (CO) amendment #1107 (review of military custody of detainees)
  • Landrieu amendment #1115 (SBIR)
  • Franken amendment #1197 (small business contractors)
  • Cardin amendment #1073 (DC National Guard Youth Challenge Expansion)
  • Begich amendment #1114 (National Guard and Survivors)
  • Begich amendment #1149 (Land conveyance, AK)
  • Shaheen amendment #1120 (access to reproductive healthcare for servicewomen)
  • Collins amendment #1105 (certification requirements for transfer detainees)
  • Collins amendment #1155 (education assistance for physical therapy programs)
  • Collins amendment #1158 (Gitmo)
  • Collins amendment #1180 (man-portable air-defense systems originating from Libya)
  • Inhofe amendment #1094 (Dept of Commerce in contract authority)
  • Inhofe amendment #1095 (mental health counseling)
  • Inhofe amendment #1096 (treatment options for TBI and PTSD)
  • Inhofe amendment #1097 (psychological programs and TBI)
  • Inhofe amendment #1098 (foreign boycotts)
  • Inhofe amendment #1099 (hearing injuries/loss)
  • Inhofe amendment #1100 (products/services produced in Latvia)
  • Inhofe amendment #1101 (C-12 aircraft)
  • Inhofe amendment #1102 (unmanned aerial systems performing airborne inspections)
  • Inhofe amendment #1093 (long term requirements for detainment of high-volume enemy combatants)
  • Casey amendment #1215
  • Casey amendment #1139 (subcontractor notification)
  • Cornyn amendment #1200 (Multirole fighter aircraft to Taiwan)
  • Ayotte amendment #1066 (Audit Readiness Plan)
  • Ayotte amendment #1067, as modified (Congress notification of custody/disposition of Al Qaeda members and affiliate)
  • Ayotte amendment #1068 (Authorize lawful interrogation methods)
  • Brown (MA) amendment #1119 (To protect child custody rights of deployed service members)
  • Brown (MA) amendment #1090 (Housing allowance, Nat’l Guard)
  • Brown (MA) amendment #1089 (Disclosure from institutions providing tuition assistance programs from DOD)
  • Wicker amendment #1056 (Military Chaplains, marriage choice)
  • Wicker amendment #1116 (Career assistance re: commercial motor vehicles)
  • Udall (NM) amendment #1153 (Aviation smuggling provisions re: ultralight vehicles)
  • Udall (MN) amendment #1154 (Open burn pits)
  • Udall (NM) amendment #1202 (Buy America Act re: photovoltaic devices)
  • Corker amendment #1171 (prohibits funding of security forces in Pakistan)
  • Corker amendment #1172 (Coalition Support Fund re: Pakistan)
  • Corker amendment #1173 (SoS NATO)
  • Bingaman amendment #1117 (White Sands Missile Range & Fort Bliss)
  • Gillibrand amendment #1187 (defense IT/cyber workforce)
  • Gillibrand amendment #1211 (National Guard counseling and reintegration services)
  • Merkley amendment #1239 (Fry Spouse Scholarship)
  • Merkley amendment #1256 (Afghanistan)
  • Merkley amendment #1257 (Afghanistan)
  • Merkely amendment #1258 (HUBZone)
  • Leahy amendment #1087 (FOIA)
  • Leahy amendment #1186 (contracting)
  • Wyden amendment #1160 (Umatilla Army Chemical Depot)
  • Wyden amendment #1253 (reserve member reintegration)
  • Graham amendment #1179
  • McCain amendment #1230, as modified
  • Heller amendment #1137 (make Jerusalem the capital of Israel)
  • Heller amendment #1138 (repatriation of US military remains from Libya)
  • McCain amendment #1247 (defense funds for Guam)
  • McCain amendment #1246 (US military force structure in Pacific)
  • McCain amendment #1229 (cyber security agreement btw DoD and Dept of Homeland Security)
  • McCain amendment #1249 (cost-Plus Contracting)
  • McCain amendment #1220 (AK Native Corporation contracting)
  • McCain amendment #1132 (statement of budgetary resource auditability)
  • McCain amendment #1248 (ship repairs in the Northern Marianas)
  • McCain amendment #1250 (report on Probation of the F-35B program)
  • McCain amendment #1118 (surcharges collected by commissary stores)
  • Sessions amendment #1182 (Army Brigade Combat teams)
  • Sessions amendment #1183 (Nuclear Triad)
  • Sessions amendment #1184 (Naval Surface Vessels)
  • Sessions amendment #1185 (Missile Defense)
  • Sessions amendment #1274 (detention of enemy combatants)
  • Reed amendment #1146 (military technicians re: personnel category)
  • Reed amendment #1147 (military technicians re: bonuses)
  • Reed amendment #1148 (military technicians re: rights)
  • Reed amendment #1204 (pilot program on mental health)
  • Levin amendment #1293 (high speed ferries – Navy)
  • Boxer amendment #1206 (defense contractors’ salaries)
  • Menendez amendment #1292 (bank of Iran)
  • Reed amendment #1294 (consumer credit protections for members of the Armed Forces)
  • Chambliss amendment #1304 (Air Force Material Command)
  • Brown (OH) amendment #1259 (domestic manufactures to defense supply chain opportunities)
  • Brown (OH) amendment #1260 (Buy American re: specialty metal)
  • Brown (OH) amendment #1261 (small business HUBZones)
  • Brown (OH) amendment #1262 (DoD procurement, specialty metals)
  • Brown (OH) amendment #1263 (John Kunkel Army Reserve Center, OH)
  • Leahy amendment #1080 (applicability of requirements of military custody of detainees)
  • Wyden amendment #1296 (report re: indemnification of DoD contracts)
  • Pryor amendment #1151 (gratuity for Reserves)
  • Pryor amendment #1152 (authorize Reserves as veterans)
  • Nelson (FL) amendment #1209 (Survivor Benefit Plan)
  • Nelson (FL) amendment #1210 (DDG-51 class destroyers, FL)
  • Nelson (FL) amendment #1236 (flag officer positions – Air Force)
  • Nelson (FL) amendment #1255 (burn pit exposure at Joint Base Balad)
  • McCain amendment #1281 (transfer arms to Georgia)
  • Blunt amendment #1133 (employment rights for National Guard)
  • Blunt amendment #1134 (naming Navy vessels)
  • Murkowski amendment #1286 (DoD IG report – TRICARE)
  • Murkowski amendment #1287 (limit retirement of C-23)
  • Rubio amendment #1290 (strike national security waiver authority for military custody)
  • Rubio amendment #1291 (strike national security waiver authority -Gitmo)
The following amendments have been considered:
  • Ayotte amendment #1065 (force structure for strategic airlift aircraft) agreed to by unanimous consent
  • Cardin amendment #1188 (expand Operation Hero Miles); agreed to by voice vote
  • McCain amendment #1071 (evolved expendable launch vehicle program); agreed to by unanimous consent
  • Roberts amendment #1086 (Captain Emil Kapaun Medal of Honor); agreed to by unanimous consent
  • McCain amendment #1106 (report on status of implementation of Final Report of 2010 Army Acquisition Review panel); agreed to by unanimous consent
  • Casey amendment #1140 (Comptroller General on DoD military spouse employment program); agreed to by unanimous consent
  • Levin amendment #1219 (authority for military reserves to active duty to provide assistance in a disaster or emergency); agreed to by unanimous consent
 

 

At a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, in consultation with the Republican Leader, but not prior to December 5, 2011, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the following nominations:

  • #363 Edgardo Ramos – to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York
  • #364 Andrew L. Carter, Jr. – to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York
  • #365 James Rodney Gilstrap – to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas
  • #406 Dana L. Christensen – to be United States District Judge for the District of Montana

There will be a total of one hour for debate equally divided between Senators Leahy and Grassley, or their designees. Upon the use or yielding back of time the Senate proceed to vote without intervening action or debate on the nominations in the order listed.

No ROLL CALL VOTES

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Discharged the Judiciary Committee and Passed S.1541, a bill to revise the Federal charter for the Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc. to reflect a change in eligibility requirements for membership.

Adopted S.Res.335, honoring the life and legacy of Evelyn H. Lauder.

Adopted S.Res.336, to permit the collection of clothing, toys, food, and housewares during the holiday season for charitable purposes in Senate buildings.

EXECUTIVE ITEMS

Confirmed the following:

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

#436 Winslow Lorenzo Sargeant – to be Chief Counsel for Advocacy, Small Business Administration

THE JUDICIARY

#445 Catharine Friend Easterly – to be an Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals for the term of fifteen years

#446 Corinne Ann Beckwith – to be an Associate Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals for the term of fifteen years

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

#447 Ernest Mitchell, Jr. – to be Administrator of the United States Fire Administrator of the United States Fire Administration

FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT INVESTMENT BOARD

#448 Ronald David McCray – to be a Member of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board for a term expiring September 25, 2012

#449 Ronald David McCray — to be a Member of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board for a term expiring September 25, 2016

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

#451 Claude M. Steele – to be a Member of the National Science Board, National Science Foundation, for a term expiring May 10, 2014

#452 Anneila I. Sargent – to be a Member of the National Science Board, National Science Foundation, for a term expiring May 10, 2016

FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT INVESTMENT BOARD

#453 Dana Katherine Bilyeu – to be a Member of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board

NATIONAL CONSUMER COOPERATIVE BANK

#454 Cyrus Amir-Mokri – to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the National Consumer Cooperative Bank

FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION

#455 Michael A. Khouri – to be a Federal Maritime Commissioner for a term expiring June 30, 2016

NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD

#457 Robert L. Sumwalt III – to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board for a term expiring December 31, 2016

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

#466 David A. Montoya – to be Inspector General, Department of Housing and Urban Development

THE JUDICIARY

#467 John Francis McCabe – to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia

#468 Peter Arno Krauthamer – to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia

#469 Danya Ariel Dayson – to be an Associate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia

COURT SERVICES AND OFFENDER SUPERVISION AGENCY FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

#470 Nancy Maria Ware – to be Director of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

#471 Michael A. Hughes – to be United States Marshal for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia

FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT INVESTMENT BOARD

#498 David Avren Jones – to be a Member of the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board

———————————————————————————————————————————————

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE DAY OF NOVEMBER 18, 2011

 112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION 

 House Republicans Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States failed  261 – 165

http://clerk.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.asp?year=2011&rollnumber=859&TB_iframe=true&height=400&width=650  HRes470  <<< was your member of Congress on the right side of this vote?

-SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.2:07:00 P.M. -ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.2:06:30 P.M. -H.R. 3321Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.2:06:21 P.M. -H.R. 3321On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.2:06:00 P.M. -H.R. 3321Mr. LoBiondo asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendment.2:05:20 P.M. -Mr. LoBiondo asked unanimous consent That, when the House adjourns on Friday, November 25, 2011, it adjourn to meet at 2:00 p.m on Tuesday, November 29, 2011. Agreed to without objection.2:05:10 P.M. -Mr. LoBiondo asked unanimous consent That, when the House adjourns on Tuesday, November 22, 2011, it adjourn to meet at 1:00 p.m on Friday, November 25, 2011. Agreed to without objection.2:05:00 P.M. -Mr. LoBiondo asked unanimous consent That, when the House adjourns on Friday, November 18, 2011, it adjourn to meet at 10:00 a.m on Tuesday, November 22, 2011. Agreed to without objection.2:03:58 P.M. -H. Res. 470Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.2:03:52 P.M. -H. Res. 470On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 239 – 167 (Roll no. 859).1:57:26 P.M. -H. Res. 470Considered as unfinished business. H. Res. 470 — “Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3094) to amend the National Labor Relations Act with respect to representation hearings and the timing of elections of labor organizations under that Act.”1:57:25 P.M. -UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question on adoption of H. Res. 470, which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.1:57:23 P.M. -H.J. Res. 2On motion to suspend the rules and pass the resolution, as amended Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 261 – 165 (Roll no. 858).10:08:20 A.M. -H.J. Res. 2DEBATE – The House resumed debate on H.J. Res. 2. When proceedings were postponed on Thursday, November 17, 2011, 2 hours and 42 minutes of debate remained.10:08:03 A.M. -H.J. Res. 2Considered as unfinished business. H.J. Res. 2 — “Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.”10:07:07 A.M. -S. 1637Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.10:07:05 A.M. -S. 1637On passage Passed without objection.10:06:09 A.M. -S. 1637Considered by unanimous consent. S. 1637 — “To clarify appeal time limits in civil actions to which United States officers or employees are parties.”10:06:09 A.M. -S. 1637Mr. Smith (TX) asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker’s table and consider.10:06:01 A.M. -H.R. 394Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.10:06:00 A.M. -H.R. 394On motion that the House agree with an amendment to the Senate amendments Agreed to without objection.10:05:16 A.M. -H.R. 394Mr. Smith (TX) asked unanimous consent that the House agree with an amendment to the Senate amendments.10:04:30 A.M. -The House received a message from the Clerk. Pursuant to the permission granted in Clause 2(h) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she had received a message from the Secretary of the Senate on November 18, 2011 at 8:52 a.m. stating that that body had passed H.R. 2056, with amendments, H.R. 1059, with an amendment, H.R. 3321 with an amendment, and S. 99.10:03:03 A.M. -H. Res. 470POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on H. Res. 470, the Chair put the question on adoption of the resolution and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Polis demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the resolution until a time to be announced.10:02:51 A.M. -H. Res. 470The previous question was ordered without objection.9:17:43 A.M. -H. Res. 470DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 470.9:14:33 A.M. -H. Res. 470Considered as privileged matter. H. Res. 470 — “Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3094) to amend the National Labor Relations Act with respect to representation hearings and the timing of elections of labor organizations under that Act.”9:03:44 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.9:02:19 A.M. -PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Poe of TX to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.9:02:13 A.M. -The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.9:00:31 A.M. -Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.9:00:14 A.M. -The House convened, starting a new legislative day.

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