Senate Convenes at 2:00pm September 6, 2011

Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until
5:00pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.
Following morning business, the Senate will be in Executive Session to
consider Calendar #109, Bernice Bouie Donald, of Tennessee, to be United States
Circuit Judge for the 6^th Circuit with 30 minutes of debate equally
divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees.
At approximately 5:30pm, the Senate will conduct 2 roll call votes on the
following:
- Confirmation of Bernice Bouie Donald to be US Circuit Judge for the
  6^thCircuit
- Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.1249, the Patent
  Reform bill
At approximately 5:30pm today, the Senate will conduct two roll call votes on the following:- Confirmation of Calendar #109, the nomination of Bernice Bouie Donald, of Tennessee, to be US Circuit Judge for the 6th Circuit
– Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.1249, the Patent Reform bill

5:36pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of the nomination of Bernice Bouie Donald to be United States Circuit Judge for the 6th Circuit; Confirmed: 96-0

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

6:05pm The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.1249, the Patent Reform bill; Invoked: 93-5

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

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

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS
LEGISLATIVE DAY OF SEPTEMBER 6, 2011
112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION

10:03 A.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn pursuant to sections 3 and 4 of H.Res. 375. The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on September 7, 2011.DISPENSING WITH LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS – Pursuant to section 4 ofH. Res. 375, the Chair announced that no legislative business would be conducted on this day.

10:02 A.M. – PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair led the House in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL – Pursuant to section 5 ofH. Res. 375, the Chair announced that the Journal of the last days’ proceedings was approved.

10:00 A.M. – Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.The Speaker designated the Honorable Allen B. West to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.

The House convened, starting a new legislative day.

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upcoming transit fights …Julia Deak Sandler

09/05/2011 Nativegrl77

Dear transit supporters,

I just noticed that this petition had not been taken down yet, and people were continuing to sign it. I will take it down today, but I just wanted to reassure those who were still signing that we in fact WON on this issue, and the $20 congestion reduction charge was passed, saving metro service for the next 2 years.

Nevertheless, our fight for improved, sustainable transit options and more progressive funding sources for them is far from over. Some of you replied to my last email with deep and valid concerns about the final deal that the County Council reached, which included cutting the Free Ride Zone and funding metro with a regressive $20 fee on all car owners.

If you would like to move past such regressive funding sources and increase the share of the tax burden on those who can actually afford it, consider joining one of these groups and working on this issue over the next two years:

– the fledgling Save Our Metro campaign, which is dedicated to grassroots organizing of transit riders who are not on email
– the Moveon.org Seattle Council’s transit sub-committee, which will be fighting to make sure Seattle does all it can to support transit, bike infrastructure, and sustainable transportation options (just reply to this email to sign up)
– Transportation for Washington, a state-wide coalition of groups fighting to make sure our state has a progressive funding source for the transportation options that make the most sense for our planet, our health, and our communities.
– FUSE Washington, which fights for more tax revenue and all kinds of public services in the state
– The NO on 1125 coalition which has been organized against Tim Eyman‘s latest attempt to derail light rail in Bellevue with Kemper Freeman’s money

You can also help from home by commenting on the conservative-biased news reports you see, such as this one in the Seattle Times today about the $60 car tab fee for Seattle residents only, which will be on the ballot in November:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2016085821_cartabs02m.html

thanks again for all you do, and so long.
Julia Deak Sandler
julia_deak@hotmail.com

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Crisis update: Water deliveries expand to Mogadishu

09/05/2011 Nativegrl77

Photo: Cassandra Nelson/Mercy CorpsOur efforts are reaching more than 825,000 people in Africa‘s drought-stricken Horn. Read the latest on our response ›

Supporter —

The crisis in Africa’s Horn may have fallen off the front pages, but the situation “continues to deteriorate,” according to the latest UN update. Children five and younger are increasingly dying from hunger and disease. Reports of cholera, measles and malaria are on the rise, too. And famine is expected to spread across even more regions of Somalia.

Here’s the latest update on our lifesaving response:

Somalia: On Friday we made the first of daily deliveries of clean drinking water to a displacement camp in Mogadishu. It’s home to tens of thousands of people who’ve flocked to Somalia’s capital seeking refuge from the drought.

Ethiopia: Seven mobile health teams in the hard-hit Somali region continue to provide vaccinations, medical check-ups and fortified food to pregnant women and children under five. We’re also trucking water to remote communities along the Somalia border, and helping herders sell their weakened cattle for cash to meet urgent needs.

Kenya: We’re reaching nearly 200,000 with clean drinking water, trucking it to several dozen villages in drought-stricken Wajir County.

With your support, teams in all three countries are working around the clock to help families survive. Forecasters are now predicting less-than-average rainfall in October, which would only prolong the current crisis — and the recovery.

Thank you for all you’re doing to save lives in Africa’s Horn.

Sincerely,

Neal Keny-Guyer
Chief Executive Officer

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Cost Estimate for H.R. 1741, Secure Visas Act

09/05/2011 Nativegrl77

Cost Estimate for H.R. 1741, Secure Visas Act
Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on the Judiciary on June 23, 2011

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Happy Labor Day …Gregg Ross, Democracy for America

09/05/2011 Nativegrl77

Happy Labor Day!

As we celebrate today, it’s important to keep in mind that Republicans are still waging an all-out war on working families across America.

Last month we won two big victories against anti-union Republican Senators in Wisconsin – and we are continuing to fight the Republican anti-union agenda state by state.

Show your solidarity with workers across the country. Sign up to get a free “Unions = Jobs” bumper sticker today.

Thanks for everything you do.