APRIL | Be a Seed for Change

The Senate will meet in pro forma sessions only with no business conducted on the following dates at the following times:

– Friday, April 26^th at 11:30am,

– Tuesday, April 30^th at 10:00am, and

– Thursday, May 3^rd at 2:00pm.

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April 2013
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	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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FAA tweek 361 – 41 The Needy 0

Last Floor Action: 4/25/13
5:47:55 P.M. – The House adjourned.

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on April 26, 2013

10:00:16 A.M.		The House convened, starting a new legislative day.
10:00:26 A.M.		The Speaker designated the Honorable Randy Hultgren to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
10:00:51 A.M.		Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.
10:02:18 A.M.		POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS ON APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL – The Chair announced that he had examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and had approved it. Mr. Paulsen demanded that the question be put on agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal and by voice vote, the Chair announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Paulsen made a point of no quorum and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal until later in the legislative day.
10:02:49 A.M.		PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. McClintock to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
10:03:02 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.
10:15:44 A.M.		The House received a message from the Senate. The Senate passed S. 853.
10:16:14 A.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House resumed with one minute speeches.
10:17:30 A.M.	H.R. 527	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 527 — “To amend the Helium Act to complete the privatization of the Federal helium reserve in a competitive market fashion that ensures stability in the helium markets while protecting the interests of American taxpayers, and for other purposes.”
10:17:47 A.M.	H.R. 527	The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
10:19:48 A.M.	H.R. 527	An amendment, offered by Mr. Collins (GA), numbered 1 printed in House Report 113-47 to ensure that excess funds are used to reduce the annual Federal budget deficit.
10:19:52 A.M.	H.R. 527	DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 178, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Collins (GA) amendment No. 1.
10:23:48 A.M.	H.R. 527	On agreeing to the Collins (GA) amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
10:24:09 A.M.	H.R. 527	An amendment, offered by Mr. Dent, numbered 2 printed in House Report 113-47 to ensure the continued supply of helium for end users while requiring the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to honor existing contracts for the supply and delivery of helium. The amendment affirms that the federal government will honor existing contracts that are set to expire October 1, 2015.
10:24:11 A.M.	H.R. 527	DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 178, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Dent amendment No. 2.
10:36:28 A.M.	H.R. 527	POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Dent amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Dent demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.
10:36:53 A.M.	H.R. 527	An amendment, offered by Mr. Holt, numbered 3 printed in House Report 113-47 to consider the long-term future of the Federal Helium Reserve by requiring an assessment of how closing the Federal Helium Reserve could influence helium availability, including options for insuring a reliable helium supply in coming decades.
10:36:56 A.M.	H.R. 527	DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 178, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Holt amendment No. 3.
10:44:17 A.M.	H.R. 527	On agreeing to the Holt amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
10:44:43 A.M.	H.R. 527	An amendment, offered by Mr. Thornberry, numbered 4 printed in House Report 113-47 to affirm the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to allow private entities to connect to and store helium in the Federal Helium Reserve for an appropriate fee.
10:44:45 A.M.	H.R. 527	DEBATE – Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 178, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Thornberry amendment No. 4.
10:47:58 A.M.	H.R. 527	On agreeing to the Thornberry amendment; Agreed to by voice vote.
10:49:23 A.M.	H.R. 527	Mr. Hastings (WA) moved that the Committee rise.
10:49:47 A.M.	H.R. 527	On motion that the Committee rise Agreed to by voice vote.
10:50:19 A.M.	H.R. 527	Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 527 as unfinished business.
10:50:38 A.M.		The House received a message from the Clerk. Under Clause 2(g) of Rule II of the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Clerk notified the House that she designates Robert Reeves, Deputy Clerk, to sign any and all papers and do all other acts for her under the name of the Clerk of the House which they would be authorized to do by virtue of this designation, except such as are provided by statue, in case of her temporary absence or disability. This designation shall remain in effect for the 113th Congress or until modified by the Clerk.
10:56:34 A.M.	H.R. 1765	Mr. Latham moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill. H.R. 1765 — “To provide the Secretary of Transportation with the flexibility to transfer certain funds to prevent reduced operations and staffing of the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other purposes.”
10:57:07 A.M.	H.R. 1765	Considered under suspension of the rules.
10:57:09 A.M.	H.R. 1765	DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1765.
11:47:40 A.M.	H.R. 1765	On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Roll Call 125 – 2/3 Yea and Nay vote pending.

12:13:42 P.M.	H.R. 1765	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
12:14:02 P.M.	H.R. 527	Considered as unfinished business. H.R. 527 — “To amend the Helium Act to complete the privatization of the Federal helium reserve in a competitive market fashion that ensures stability in the helium markets while protecting the interests of American taxpayers, and for other purposes.”
12:14:38 P.M.	H.R. 527	The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
12:15:44 P.M.	H.R. 527	On agreeing to the Dent amendment (A002) Roll Call 126 – Recorded vote pending.

12:22:06 P.M.	H.R. 527	The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
12:22:20 P.M.	H.R. 527	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.
12:23:07 P.M.	H.R. 527	Mr. Schneider moved to recommit with instructions to Natural Resources.
12:23:32 P.M.	H.R. 527	DEBATE – The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Schneider 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 add at the end of the bill a new section on banning exports to hostile nations that seek nuclear weapons or missile technology.

12:31:02 P.M.	H.R. 527	The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.
12:43:14 P.M.	H.R. 527	On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: (Roll no. 127).
12:50:10 P.M.	H.R. 527	On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: (Roll no. 128).
12:50:10 P.M.	H.R. 527	Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
12:50:20 P.M.		On approving the Journal Agreed to by voice vote.
12:52:11 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.

1:10:12 P.M.	H.R. 1765	UNANIMOUS CONSENT – Mr. Latham asked unanimous consent that in the engrossment of H.R. 1765, the Clerk strike “account” on page 2, line 14, and insert “accounts”. Agreed to without objection.
1:13:13 P.M.		ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House resumed with one minute speeches.
1:17:28 P.M.		SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.
2:50:05 P.M.		Ms. Tsongas moved that the House do now adjourn.
2:50:26 P.M.		On motion to adjourn Agreed to by voice vote.
2:50:27 P.M.		The House adjourned pursuant to a previous special order. The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on April 30, 2013.

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Ask APRIL CEO Sukanto Tanoto to release Indigenous community protestors and return stolen native lands

For generations, the Indigenous Batak communities of Northern Sumatra have harvested and traded the sap from the trees in their sacred benzoin forests. The sap is used for the production of incense and perfumes, and exported to the international market. The villages thrived and forests were healthy.

Today, these communities are fighting for their lands and livelihoods against the controversial paper giant APRIL. Please write to APRIL’s CEO Sukanto Tanoto today and ask APRIL to peacefully resolve this conflict now and return the community lands it has stolen.

Earlier this week, hundreds of villagers risked life and limb by standing between their forest home and the machinery of APRIL’s logging operations. In response, Indonesia’s notoriously abusive security agency, known as Brimob, was called in to forcibly suppress the protest. At least 16 village members have now been arrested in connection to this latest dispute.

This land conflict is just one example of the widespread human rights violations that have plagued APRIL’s operations for many years. This case has been simmering since 2009, when an APRIL affiliate began deforesting the community’s territory and planting eucalyptus plantations on their ancestral land.

Tell APRIL CEO Sukanto Tanoto to release the 16 Indigenous activists who are still being held, to stop expansion on Batak lands, and to return the lands already stolen from them.

Last September, APRIL workers and security forces again began to clear forest on the Batak communities’ land. The community gathered in large numbers to stop the machinery, confiscating weapons and chainsaws from the logging crew. Three days later, eight villagers were summoned to the police station. Instead, nearly 1,000 community members arrived in an inspiring act of solidarity.

We must stand with these communities. This remains a dangerous and unresolved confrontation between a major corporation seeking to maximize profits and an Indigenous people desperately seeking to preserve their identity and ancestral lands.

APRIL’s massive logging operations have run roughshod over the rights of local communities for far too long. Please write to APRIL’s CEO and let him know these practices are unacceptable and must stop now.