Tell Congress to #PasstheBill #theAmericansJOBsACT …NOW!

the Senate Convened at 10:00amET September 20, 2011

• Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning
  business for one hour with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10
  minutes each with the Republicans controlling the first half and the Majority
  controlling the final half.
• Following morning business, the Senate will adopt the motion to proceed to
  H.R.2832, the Generalized System of Preferences Act and the vehicle for Trade
  Adjustment Assistance and begin consideration of the bill.
• The Senate will recess from 12:30pm to 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus
  meetings.
• At 2:30pm, Senator Heller will be recognized for up to 20 minutes as if in
  morning business in order to deliver his maiden speech to the Senate.
• The Senate will begin consideration of H.R.2832 Tuesday morning.  We will
  work on amendments to the bill and notify Senators when votes are scheduled.

The following amendments are pending to H.R.2832, the Generalized System of
Preferences Act:

• Casey-Brown (OH)-Baucus amendment #633 (Trade Adjustment Assistance)
• Hatch amendment #641 (Trade Adjustment Assistance enactment dependent upon
  Free Trade Agreements enactment) to Casey amendment #633

6:14PMET

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

5:48pm

The Senate began a roll call vote on the McConnell amendment #626, as modified (Trade Promotion Authority; preventing extraneous provisions in free trade agreements) to Casey amendment #633 (TAA) to H.R.2832, the GSP Act

5:20pm

The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Timothy M. Cain to be United States District Judge for the District of South Carolina; Confirmed: 99-0

5:08pmET

The Hatch amendment #641 (Trade Adjustment Assistance enactment dependent upon
Free Trade Agreements enactment) to the Casey amendment #633 (TAA) to H.R.2832,
the GSP Act.

5:04pmET 

At 5:15pm, Executive Calendar #169, John Andrew Ross to be United States
District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri will be confirmed by
unanimous consent.

At approximately 5:15pm, there will be 2 roll call votes in relation to the
following:

–         Confirmation of Executive Calendar #170, Timothy M.
Cain to be United States District Judge for the District of South
Carolina.

–         McConnell amendment #626 (Trade Promotion
Authority), as modified with the text of the DeMint
language, which is at the desk (preventing extraneous provisions in
free trade agreements) (60-vote threshold)

At 5:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session with the time until
5:15pm equally divided between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees.
There will be 2 minutes of debate prior to each vote.

At 5:15pm, Executive Calendar #169, John Andrew Ross to be United States
District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri will be confirmed by
unanimous consent.

At approximately 5:15pm, there will be 2 roll call votes in relation to the
following:

–         Confirmation of Executive Calendar #170, Timothy M.
Cain to be United States District Judge for the District of South
Carolina.

–         McConnell amendment #626 (Trade Promotion
Authority), as modified with the text of the DeMint
language, which is at the desk (preventing extraneous provisions in
free trade agreements) (60-vote threshold)

At 5:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session with the time until
5:15pm equally divided between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees.
There will be 2 minutes of debate prior to each vote.

5pmET

The following amendments to H.R.2832 have been considered:

• McConnell amendment #626 (Trade Promotion Authority), as modified
  (preventing extraneous provisions in free trade agreements) to Casey amendment
  #633; Not Agreed to: 45-55 (60-vote threshold)

12:49pmET

Senator Menendez asked consent the Senate take up and pass Calendar #163, S.1094, the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act.

Senator DeMint then objected to Senator Menendez’s request on behalf of himself and others (Senator Coburn spoke of his objections on the floor).

Senator Coburn then asked consent the Senate take up and pass S.1094 with a Coburn amendment at the desk (to require the Secretary of HHS to identify and consolidate duplicative and overlapping autism funding throughout the Federal Government).

Senator Menendez then objected to Senator Coburn’s request.

11:38amET

The Casey-Brown (OH)-Baucus amendment #633 (Trade Adjustment Assistance) and the McConnell 2nd degree amendment #626 (Trade Promotion Authority) are now pending to H.R.2832, the Generalized System of Preferences Act.

11:38amET

The following amendments are pending to H.R.2832, the Generalized System of Preferences Act:

* Casey-Brown (OH)-Baucus amendment #633 (Trade Adjustment Assistance)

* McConnell amendment #626 (Trade Promotion Authority)

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

Issues on the House Flr today … Vets Children and Parolees

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS
LEGISLATIVE DAY OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2011
112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION

7:25  P.M. –  SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.

7:13  P.M. –  ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.

H.R. 2646:

to authorize certain Department of Veterans Affairs major medical facility projects and leases, to extend certain expiring provisions of law, and to modify certain authorities of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes 

7:08  P.M. –  Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 412 – 3(Roll no. 714).

7:02  P.M. –  Considered as unfinished business.

H.R. 2189:

to encourage States to report to the Attorney General certain information regarding the deaths of individuals in the custody of law enforcement agencies, and for other purposes 

7:01  P.M. –  Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 398 – 18(Roll no. 713).

6:54  P.M. –  Considered as unfinished business.

H.R. 2944:

to provide for the continued performance of the functions of the United States Parole Commission, and for other purposes 

6:53  P.M. –  Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 415 – 0(Roll no. 712).

6:31  P.M. –  Considered as unfinished business.

6:30  P.M. –  UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question of adoption of motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of September 20.

4:27  P.M. –  The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for  6:30 P.M. today.

H.R. 1852:

to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize support for graduate medical education programs in children’s hospitals 

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.

4:20  P.M. –  DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate onH.R. 1852.Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Pitts moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

H.R. 2005:

to reauthorize the Combating Autism Act of 2006 

4:19  P.M. –  Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.

3:54  P.M. –  DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate onH.R. 2005.Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Pitts moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of September 20.

3:48  P.M. –  The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is subject to the call of the Chair.

H.R. 2646:

to authorize certain Department of Veterans Affairs major medical facility projects and leases, to extend certain expiring provisions of law, and to modify certain authorities of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes 

3:46  P.M. –  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.

3:33  P.M. –  DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate onH.R. 2646.Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Johnson (OH) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of September 20.

2:25  P.M. –  The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for approximately 3:30 p.m. today.

H.R. 2189:

to encourage States to report to the Attorney General certain information regarding the deaths of individuals in the custody of law enforcement agencies, and for other purposes 

2:24  P.M. –  At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Smith (TX) objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.

2:18  P.M. –  DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate onH.R. 2189.Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Smith (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

H.R. 2944:

to provide for the continued performance of the functions of the United States Parole Commission, and for other purposes 

2:17  P.M. –  At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Smith (TX) objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.

2:11  P.M. –  DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate onH.R. 2944.Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Smith (TX) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

2:10  P.M. –  The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until 6:30 p.m. today.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 September 20, 2011, at 11:18 a.m., stating that that body had agreed to S.Res. 271.

2:09  P.M. –  The House received a communication from the Honorable Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Ms. Wasserman Schultz submitted her resignation from the Committee on the Judiciary. The resignation was accepted without objection.

2:02  P.M. –  ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches.

2:01  P.M. –  PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Wilson of SC to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.The Speaker announced approval of the Journal.  Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.

2:00  P.M. –  Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of September 20.

12:25 P.M. –  The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for  2:00 P.M. today.

12:01 P.M. –  MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House proceeded with Morning-Hour Debate. At the conclusion of Morning-Hour, the House will recess until 2:00 p.m. for the start of legislative business.The Speaker designated the Honorable Andy Harris to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.

12:00 P.M. –  The House convened, starting a new legislative day.