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CONGRESS : the Republican led House continues HR4078 & the Senate considers S.3414,Cybersecurity,Farm& brings VAWA back up


the Senate Convenes: 9:30amET July 26, 2012

  • Following the prayer and 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.
  • As a reminder, cloture was filed on the motion to proceed to S.3414, the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 on Wednesday.  If no agreement is reached, the cloture vote will be on Friday.  However, we hope to reach an agreement to vote on Thursday.

This morning Senator Coburn asked unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S.3326, a bill to amend the African Growth and Opportunity Act to extend the third-country fabric program and to add South Sudan to the list of countries eligible for designation under that Act, to make technical corrections to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States relating to the textile and apparel rules of origin for the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement, to approve the renewal of import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, and for other purposes; that the Coburn amendment, which strikes the African Growth and Opportunity Act section of the bill; and the bill be passed, as amended. Further that when the Senate receives a House companion bill, the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration, all after the enacting clause the text of S.3326, as passed, be inserted in lieu thereof; and the House bill, as amended, be passed.

Senator Baucus objected.

Senator Reid filed cloture on Executive Calendar #759, the nomination of Robert E. Bacharach, of Oklahoma, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Tenth Circuit. We expect the vote to occur at 5:30pm Monday.

3:23pm The Senate began a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.3414, Cybersecurity Act of 2012; Invoked: 84-11

Senator McConnell asked unanimous consent to proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R.9, insert the text of section 3 (Burma sanctions) of S.3326, African Trade/CAFTADR/Burma Sanctions, and pass the bill as amended.

Senator Baucus objected to the request.

The Senate has reached an agreement to consider the nomination of Executive Calendar #518, the nomination of Carol J. Galante, of California, to be an Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. At a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, in consultation with the Republican Leader, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination. There will be 60 minutes for debate equally divided in the usual form. Upon the use or yielding back of time the Senate will proceed to vote without intervening action or debate on the nomination. Confirmation of the nomination is subject to a 60 vote threshold.

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTE

1)      Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.3414, the Cybersecurity Act of 2012; Invoked: 84-11

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Concurred in the House message to accompany S.1959, the Haqqani Network Terrorist Designation Act of 2012 by voice vote

Discharged the Banking Committee and passed S.1299, the Lions Clubs International Century of Service Commemorative Coin Act.

Adopted S.Res.529, recognizing that the occurrence of prostate cancer in African-American men has reached epidemic proportions and urging Federal agencies to address that health crisis by supporting education, awareness outreach, and research specifically focused on how prostate cancer affects African-American men.

Adopted S.Res.530, designating the month of August 2012 as “National Registered Apprenticeship Month”.

Adopted S.Res.531, commemorating the success of Team USA in the past 25 Olympic Games and supporting Team USA in the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Adopted S.Res.532, expressing support for the XIX International AIDS Conference and the sense of the Senate that continued commitment by the United States to HIV/AIDS research, prevention, and treatment programs is crucial to protecting global health by voice vote.

Discharged the Rules Committee and adopted H.Con.Res.90, a concurrent resolution authorizing the printing of the 25th edition of the pocket version of the United States Constitution.

Adopted H.Con.Res.133, a concurrent resolution authorizing the use of the rotunda of the United States Capitol for an event to present the Congressional Gold Medal to Arnold Palmer, in recognition of his service to the Nation in promoting excellence and good sportsmanship in golf.

Adopted H.Con.Res.134, condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the heinous atrocities that occurred in Aurora, Colorado.

Began the Rule 14 process of H.R.6082, the Congressional Replacement of President Obama’s Energy-Restricting and Job-Limiting Offshore Drilling Plan.(Republican request)

EXECUTIVE ITEMS

Confirmed the following items:

All nominations on the Secretary’s desk in the Air Force, Army and Navy.

AIR FORCE

Executive Calendar #839 to be Brigadier General—Colonel Edward E. Metzgar

Executive Calendar #840 to be Brigadier General—Col. Russ A. Walz

Executive Calendar #842 to be Major General—Brig. Gen. Timothy M. Ray

Executive Calendar #843 to be General—Lt. Gen. Paul J. Selva

Executive Calendar #844 to be Lieutenant General—Maj. Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel

Executive Calendar #845 to be Major General-Brig. Gen. Howard D. Stendahl

ARMY

Executive Calendar #846 to be Major General—Brig. Gen. Lawrence W. Brock

Executive Calendar #847 to be Major General—Brig. Gen. Reynold N. Hoover

Executive Calendar #848 to be Lieutenant General—Maj. Gen. James O. Barclay, III

Executive Calendar #849 to be Lieutenant General—Lt. Gen. Donald M. Campbell, Jr.

Executive Calendar #850 to be General—Lt. Gen. Frank J. Grass

Executive Calendar #851 to be Lieutenant General—Maj. Gen. David R. Hogg

Executive Calendar #852 to be Major General—Brig. Gen. Joyce L. Stevens

NAVY

Executive Calendar #853 to be Vice Admiral—Vice Adm. Allen G. Myers

Executive Calendar #854 to be Rear Admiral (Lower Half)—

Captain John D. Alexander;

Captain Bret C. Batchelder;

Captain Ronald A. Boxall;

Captain Robert P. Burke;

Captain David J. Hahn;

Captain Alexander L. Krongard;

Captain Andrew L. Lewis;

Captain Bruce H. Lindsey;

Captain Dee L. Mewbourne;

Captain John P. Neagley;

Captain Partick A. Piercey;

Captain Markham K. Rich;

Captain Charles A. Richard;

Captain Cynthia M. Thebaud;

Captain Brad Williamson;

Captain Ricky L. Williamson

Executive Calendar #855 to be Admiral—Vice Adm. John M. Richardson

Executive Calendar #856 to be Vice Admiral—Rear Adm. David A. Dunaway

MARINE CORPS

Executive Calendar #857 to be General—Lt. Gen. John F. Kelly

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www.Houselive.gov

“Providing for further consideration of the bill (H.R. 4078) to provide that no agency may take any significant regulatory action until the unemployment rate is equal to or less than 6.0 percent.”

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

President Obama Speaks …


President Obama discusses his Administration’s work to secure our nation, fight terrorism, renew American leadership in the world, better serve our troops and military families and honor our veterans. July 23, 2012.More
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Urge Congress to protect the world’s forests from illegal logging


Rainforest Action Network
Urge your House rep to vote against the RELIEF Act, a Tea Party attempt to gut the Lacey Act
rainforest unzipped

Did you know that almost half of all rainforest destruction is done illegally?
Government corruption, lax laws and poor enforcement result in widespread illegal deforestation across the globe. This unofficial forest clearing makes it extremely challenging to truly protect critically endangered species like the orangutan or Sumatran tiger from extinction, and it contributes enormous amounts of carbon to our atmosphere.
And now the best law on the books to prevent illegal logging worldwide—the Lacey Act—is under attack.
Please send a letter today asking your congressional representative to vote against the RELIEF Act.
The Lacey Act prohibits illegally sourced wood and wood products from being imported into the U.S. and penalizes companies that trade or sell such products. It is a powerful tool for reducing global deforestation rates and protecting jobs in the American forest products industry. It has been so successful that other countries are looking to create their own versions of it.
But the Lacey Act is now under attack by those wishing to end environmental protections and regulations. Their proposals, such as the RELIEF Act, would effectively gut the Lacey Act, reversing years of hard-fought efforts to stop international deforestation.
The RELIEF Act would directly benefit notorious forest destroyers like Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) and would allow illegal loggers around the world to operate with impunity. The result would be a flood of illegal wood into the U.S. market.
Send a message today urging your representative to vote no on the RELIEF Act and any other bill that would weaken the Lacey Act.

Robin

For the forests,
Robin Averbeck             Rainforest Free Paper Campaigner             Twitter: @therightpaper
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Bush-era tax cuts for the richest two percent

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National Women's Law Center - Don't Discount Women: Demand Fair Change Not Spare Change
                Stand Up for Tax Fairness
                Call your Members of Congress at 1-888-744-9958 and tell them that it’s time for the richest Americans to pay their fair share.
Call 1-888-744-9958 today!

It’s go time!
In less than 24 hours Congress will start to vote on whether to end — or extend — the Bush-era tax cuts for the richest two percent.
Ending the Bush-era tax cuts on income above $250,000 per couple, as President Obama and Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) have proposed, would help restore fairness to the tax code and protect programs vital to women and their families. It would give 98 percent of Americans their full tax cuts next year. And the wealthiest two percent would still receive tax breaks on their first $250,000! We simply can’t afford to give even more tax breaks to those who need them least when so many women and families are struggling just to make ends meet.
Calling is easy. And only takes a couple of minutes. Dial 1-888-744-9958 and listen to easy instructions and a sample script.
Ending the Bush-era tax cuts on income above $250,000 would save about $1 trillion over the next ten years — funding that’s urgently needed to protect programs like child care, Pell Grants, Head Start, Medicaid, and Title X family planning services. It’s time to stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of women and families. The richest Americans need to start paying their fair share of taxes.
There’s no time to waste: Call your Members of Congress at 1-888-744-9958 and tell them that it’s time for the richest Americans to pay their fair share: we need to end the Bush tax cuts on income over $250,000.
Your Senators and Representative are getting ready to vote and they need to hear from you right NOW! Tell them that you expect them to stand up for women and families — and end the Bush tax cuts for the richest two percent!
Sincerely,
Joan Entmacher Joan Entmacher Vice President, Family Economic Security National Women’s Law Center   

P.S. When we are this close to a vote, calls are one of the most effective ways for us to make an impact. Please take just a few minutes to call your Members of Congress at 1-888-744-9958.