Tag Archives: Senate

Congress: the Republican led House / the Senate considers S.3369,Disclose Act & Judicial nominees — still?


the Senate Convenes: 2:00pmET July 16, 2012

  • Following the prayer and pledge, the Majority Leader will be recognized.
  • At 5:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #662, the nomination of Kevin McNulty, of NJ, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey with up to 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), there will be a roll call vote on confirmation of the McNulty nomination.
  • Following disposition of the McNulty nomination, the Senate will resume Legislative Session and there will be 10 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees prior to a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to Legislative Calendar #446, S.3369, the Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections (DISCLOSE) Act. As a reminder, cloture was filed on the motion to proceed to S.3369 on Thursday, July 12th.
  • Therefore, Senators should expect the following beginning at 5:30pm on Monday:
  • Roll Call Vote on Confirmation of Executive Calendar #662, the nomination of Kevin McNulty, of NJ, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey
  • 10 minutes of debate
  • Roll Call Vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to Legislative Calendar #446, S.3369, the DISCLOSE Act.

5:31pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #662, Kevin McNulty, of New Jersey, to be United States District Judge for the District for the District of New Jersey; confirmed: 91-3 (1 voting present)

6:08pm The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.3369, the DISCLOSE Act; Not Invoked: 51-44

Senator Reid entered a motion to reconsider the cloture vote on the motion to proceed to S.3369, the DISCLOSE Act. We expect to reconsider the failed cloture vote at a time to be determined tomorrow, Tuesday, July 17.

During Monday’s session of the Senate, cloture on the motion to proceed to S.3369, the DISCLOSE Act was not invoked by a vote 51-44.  Senator Reid entered a motion to reconsider this vote.

By unanimous consent, at 3:00pm on Tuesday, July 17th, the motion to proceed to the motion to reconsider the vote by which cloture was not invoked will be agreed to, the motion to reconsider will be agreed to and there will then be a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.3369, the DISCLOSE Act, upon reconsideration.

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTES

1)      Confirmation of Executive Calendar #662, Kevin McNulty, of NJ, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey; 91-3-1(present)

2)      Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.3369, the DISCLOSE Act; Not Invoked: 51-44

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Adopted S.Res.520, commending the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on the occasion of its 103rd anniversary.

Adopted S.Res.521, designating September 2012 as “National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month”.

Adopted S.Res.522, designating September 2012 as “National Child Awareness Month”.

Adopted S.Res.523, recognizing the heroic efforts of firefighters and military personnel in the United States to contain numerous wildfires that have affected tens of thousands of people.

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 The next meeting in the HOUSE is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on July 17, 2012.

CONGRESS: the Republican led House / the Senate considers S.3369,Disclose Act,Judicial nominees 3.5yrs&4months left?


  • Convenes: 2:00pmET July 16, 2012

 Voters … Tell @MitchMcConnell @SpeakerBoehner to Pass #AmericanJOBsACT & Small Businss ACT S.2237-They say we need JObs JOb JObs & Support Small Biz but they have done nothing to HELP – They are responsible for our stagnant economy Tell Them

  • Following the prayer and pledge, the Majority Leader will be recognize
  • At 5:00pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #662, the nomination of Kevin McNulty, of NJ, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey with up to 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), there will be a roll call vote on confirmation of the McNulty nomination.
  • Following disposition of the McNulty nomination, the Senate will resume Legislative Session and there will be 10 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees prior to a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to Legislative Calendar #446, S.3369, the Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections (DISCLOSE) Act. As a reminder, cloture was filed on the motion to proceed to S.3369 on Thursday, July 12th.
  • Therefore, Senators should expect the following beginning at 5:30pm on Monday:

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTES

1)      Motion to table the Reid amendment #2524 (text of H.R.9, Cantor tax bill); Tabled: 73-24

2)      Motion to invoke cloture on Landrieu amendment #2521 (Substitute) Not Invoked: 57-41

3)      Motion to invoke cloture on of S.2237, the Small Business Jobs bill; Not Invoked: 53-44

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Passed H.R.3902, the District of Columbia Special Election Reform Act by voice vote.

Discharged the Banking Committee and passed H.R.2527, the National Baseball Hall of Fame Commemorative Coin Act with a Gillibrand substitute amendment.

Began the Rule 14 process of H.R.6079, the Repeal of Obamacare Act. (Republican request)

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

  • Roll Call Vote on Confirmation of Executive Calendar #662, the nomination of Kevin McNulty, of NJ, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey
  • 10 minutes of debate
  • Roll Call Vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to Legislative Calendar #446, S.3369, the DISCLOSE Act.

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The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on July 13, 2012.

CONGRESS: the Republican led House – the Senate proceeds to S.2237,Small biz Jobs/Tax Act


  • Convenes: 9:30amET July 11, 2012
  • Following the prayer and pledge, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S.2237, the Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act, post-cloture.
  • The first hour will be equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees with the Republicans controlling the first half and the Majority controlling the final half.
  • We hope to begin consideration of S.2237 during Wednesday’s session. By unanimous consent, all time during morning business, adjournment and recess will count post-cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill.

All post-cloture debate time has been yielded back and the Senate adopted the motion to proceed to S.2237, the Small Business Jobs bill. Senator Reid offered the Reid for Landrieu amendment #2521 (substitute) and Reid amendment #2524 (text of H.R.9, Cantor bill), filled the so-called amendment tree, filed cloture on the new Landrieu substitute amendment and the underlying bill, and then moved to proceed to S.3364, a Stabenow bill to provide an incentive for businesses to bring jobs back to America.

He then asked consent to vitiate the cloture motions and that at 2:00pm tomorrow the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the Cantor language, the new substitute, and the underlying bill, as amended, if amended; Further, that the Senate proceed to a free standing bill to extend the 2001, 2003, and 2009 tax cuts for 98% of Americans and 96% of all small businesses as outlined by President Obama, that the only amendment in order be an amendment offered by Senator McConnell or designee, which is identical to the text of Hatch amendment #2491 (tax extension); and that upon the use or yielding back of 4 hours of debate, the Senate proceed to vote in relation to the McConnell amendment and on passage of the underlying bill, as amended, if amended.

Senator McConnell objected to the request.

Text of the unanimous consent request, brief summaries of the Cantor bill and the new substitute amendment, and the unofficial transcript of the Reid-McConnell exchange can be found below.

Unanimous Consent Request (McConnell objected)

Reid:   I ask unanimous consent that cloture be vitiated with respect to the substitute amendment and S.2237; that the motion to commit be withdrawn and amendment #s 2525 and 2522 be withdrawn; that at 2:00pm, Thursday, July 12th, the Senate proceed to votes in relation to the following amendments:

Amendment #2524 (Cantor language);

– Reid for Landrieu Substitute amendment #2521;

That there be no other amendments or motions in order to the amendments or the bill prior to the votes other than motions to waive or motions to table; that upon disposition of the two amendments, the Senate proceed to a vote on passage of S.2237, as amended, if amended.

Further, that at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, after consultation with the Republican Leader, the Senate proceed to the consideration of a bill to be introduced by Senator Reid, or designee, extending the 2001, 2003 and 2009 tax cuts for 98% of Americans and 96% of all small businesses as outlined by President Obama; that the only amendment in order to the bill be an amendment offered by Senator McConnell, or designee, which is identical to the text of amendment #2491, as filed by Senator Hatch, that the amendment not be divisible; that there be 4 hours of debate on the amendment and the bill equally divided between the two Leaders, or their designees, prior to a vote in relation to the McConnell, or designee, amendment; that upon disposition of the amendment, the Senate proceed to vote on passage of the bill, as amended, if amended; that there be no motions or points of order to the amendment or the bill.

Amendment summaries

The Reid amendment #2524, (text of H.R.9) creates a temporary 20% deduction from taxable income for businesses with fewer than 500 employees.  Cost = $46 billion over ten years.

The Reid for Landrieu substitute amendment #2521:.

Landrieu (tax only):  extends five tax benefits for small businesses (Cost = $4.4 billion over ten years):

  • 0% capital gains tax for certain small business stock
  • Expanded carryback of credits to recover prior taxes
  • Relief for corporations switching to Subchapter S corporations
  • Expanded expensing for certain capital investments
  • Higher deductions for start-up costs

In addition to several bipartisan measures aimed at strengthening the SBA, improving small business export promotion, and increasing transparency and oversight, Senator Landrieu’s amendment achieves the following:

Capital

  • Small Business Investment Company Program – Expands the SBIC program authority from $3 billion to $4 billion and raises the amount funds under common control can borrow from $225 to $350.
  • 504 Refinancing – Extends for one year the SBA’s authority to refinance short-term commercial real estate debt into long-term fixed rate loans.

Contracting

  • Permanently increases the SBA surety bond guarantee from $2 million $5 million
  • Creates parity in contracting by eliminating the caps on contracts awarded under the SBA’s women-owned business program and allows contracting officers to award sole source contracts to women-owned businesses.
  • Provides additional tools for the SBA Inspector General to combat contracting fraud, a measure previously passed by Unanimous Consent in the Senate.

Counseling

  • Reauthorizes the Small Business Development Center program at level funding through FY15.
  • Reauthorizes the Women’s Business Center program through FY15.

As a result of Senator Reid filing cloture on the Reid for Landrieu amendment #2251 (substitute) and S.2237, Small Business Jobs, the filing deadline for first degree amendments to the substitute and underlying bill is 1:00pm tomorrow, Thursday, July 12.

Unless an agreement can be reached, the cloture vote would occur 1 hour after the Senate convenes on Friday, July 13.

WRAP UP

No ROLL CALL VOTES

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Passed H.R.3001, To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Raoul Wallenberg, in recognition of his achievements and heroic actions during the Holocaust.

Passed H.R.4155, the Veterans Skills to Jobs Act.

Completed the Rule 14 proceed of S.3369, the DISCLOSE Act of 2012. (Whitehouse and others)

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The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on July 11, 2012.

www.Houselive.gov

Congress: the Republican led House – the Senate considers S.2237,small Business Jobs&Tax Relief Act


the Senate Convenes: 10:00amET July 10, 2012

  • Following the prayer and the pledge, the Majority Leader will be recognized.
  • The first hour will be equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees with the Majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the final half.
  • At 11:30am, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #661, the nomination of John Thomas Fowlkes, of TN, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee 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 12:00pm), there will be a roll call vote on confirmation of the Fowlkes nomination.
  • The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.
  • At 2:15pm, there will be 10 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees.  At 2:25pm, there will be a cloture vote on the motion to proceed to S.2237, the Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act.  As a reminder, cloture was filed on the motion to proceed to Legislative Calendar #341, S.2237, the Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act on Thursday, June 29th 

12:00 noon The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #661, the nomination of John Thomas Fowlkes, of TN, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee; Confirmed: 94-2

At 2:25pm, there will be a cloture vote on the motion to proceed to S.2237, the Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act.

2:28pm The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2237, the Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act; Invoked: 80-14

WRAP UP

No ROLL CALL VOTES

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Passed S.1379, the D.C. Courts and Public Defender Service Act of 2011 with committee-reported amendment by voice vote.

Began the Rule 14 process of S.3364, the Bring Jobs Home Act. (Stabenow and others)

Completed Rule 14 process of H.R.4018, Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Improvements Act of 2012.  (Democratic request)

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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10:00 am Hearing: The Administration’s Auto Bailouts and the Delphi Pension Decisions: Who Picked the Winners and Losers?Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Select… 10:00 am Hearing: A Review of Federal Maritime Domain Awareness ProgramsCommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation 10:00 am Hearing: Examining the Impact of Obamacare on Doctors and PatientsCommittee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee 10:00 am Markup: H.R. 3796, H.R. 4362, H.R. 6063, H.R. 6029, H.R. ____, H.R. 6062,H.R. 1950, H.R. ___,and, H.R. 3803Committee on the Judiciary: 10:00 am Hearing: Hearing entitled “The Impact of Dodd-Frank on Customers, Credit, and Job Creators” Committee on Financial Services: Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises 10:00 am Hearing: Building One DHS: Building a Secure Community: How Can DHS Better Leverage State and Local Partnerships?Committee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security 10:00 am Hearing: American Energy InitiativeCommittee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Energy and Power 10:15 am Hearing: Oversight of the Federal Communications CommissionCommittee on Energy and Commerce: Subcommittee on Communications and Technology 10:30 am Hearing: Chairman Camp Announces Hearing on  the Tax Ramifications of the Supreme Court’s  Ruling on the Democrats’ Health Care Law Committee on Ways and Means: Full Committee 12:30 pm Hearing: Challenging the Status Quo at TSA: Perspectives on the Future of Transportation SecurityCommittee on Homeland Security: Subcommittee on Transportation Security 1:30 pm Hearing: Examining the Impact of Obamacare on Job Creators and the EconomyCommittee on Oversight and Government Reform: Full Committee 2:00 pm Hearing: U.S Policy Toward Nigeria: West Africa’s Troubled TitanCommittee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights 2:00 pm Hearing: Legislative Hearing on H.R. 6060Committee on Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Water and Power 2:00 pm Hearing: Chronic Kleptocracy: Corruption within the Palestinian Political EstablishmentCommittee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia 3:00 pm Hearing: Accountability and Reform Efforts at the Afghan National Military HospitalCommittee on Armed Services: Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations 3:00 pm Hearing: The Dodd-Frank Act’s Effects on Financial Services CompetitionCommittee on the Judiciary: Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet

CONGRESS: the Republican led House- both back 7/9 -the Senate considers:Judicial nominees,S.2237,Small Business&S.Con.Res51


the Senate Convenes: 2:00pmET July 9. 2012

  • Following the prayer and pledge, the Majority Leader will be recognized.
  • As previously announced, there will be no roll call votes on Monday, July 9th.  The next roll call vote will be at noon on Tuesday, July 9th.
  • At 11:30am on Tuesday, July 10th, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #661, the nomination of John Thomas Fowlkes, of TN, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Tennessee 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 12:00pm), there will be a roll call vote on confirmation of the Fowlkes nomination.
  • Additionally, cloture was filed on the motion to proceed to Calendar #341, S.2237, the Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act on Thursday, June 29th.  As a result, there will be a cloture vote on the motion to proceed to S.2237 at 2:25pm on Tuesday, July 10th.
  • If the Senate does not receive a message that the House has adopted S.Con.Res.51, the adjournment resolution, the Senate will meet on the following dates at the following times for pro-forma sessions only with no business conducted:
  • Tuesday, July 3rd at 12:00pm and
  • Friday, July 6th at 12:00pm

WRAP UP

No ROLL CALL VOTES

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Passed S.1379, the D.C. Courts and Public Defender Service Act of 2011 with committee-reported amendment by voice vote.

Began the Rule 14 process of S.3364, the Bring Jobs Home Act. (Stabenow and others)

Completed Rule 14 process of H.R.4018, Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Improvements Act of 2012.  (Democratic request)

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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The next meeting in the House is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on July 9, 2012. Check Out the live stream …

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House Hearings for this week … below

2:00 pm Hearing: Continued Human Rights Attacks on Families in China Committee on Foreign Affairs: Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights 5:00 pm Hearing: H.R. ____ Repeal of Obamacare ActCommittee on Rules: