Last one out, get the lights.
Recapping yesterday's action:
As of "press time" (usually around the midnight hour), the House had completed work on four suspension bills, and then recessed subject to the call of the chair for about six and a half hours, before returning briefly to file a conference report on H.R. 2055, the MilCon appropriations bill that will be used as a vehicle for an omnibus continuing appropriations measure to keep the government running.
The Senate passed the conference report on the defense authorization bill (indefinite detention and all), and confirmed the nomination of Morgan Christen to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. A number of other housekeeping items moved, along with the start of the Rule XIV process on H.R.3094, the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act. Sure is a lot of minority Rule XIV-ing going on these days!
Looking ahead to today:
When the House is working this late into the night, scrambling to cobble together a bill and beat a deadline, it's rare for them to get an official schedule posted. But we can pretty much guess that the schedule will be all about getting some continuing appropriations in place before the break, and just maybe some temporary band-aids for the other expiring provisions—like the payroll tax holiday and unemployment insurance—as well.
And in fact, by early this morning a schedule was available from Eric Cantor's office, which you'll find below the fold. That schedule indicates the House will take up the Intelligence Authorization bill that the Senate just amended, as well as a Senate amendment to the "United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act."
Then it's on to the deadline stuff. First the conference report on the MilCon appropriations bill, which apparently will also carry with it the continuing appropriations measures. And then, a little bit of... I'm not sure exactly what. They appear to be taking up a resolution calling for enrollment corrections on a bill they haven't passed yet. So that's an interesting play. The bill they haven't passed, but plan to pass today, is a continuing disaster relief appropriations bill. The "correction" they seek to make to it: across the board discretionary spending cuts, in the form of rescissions. I guess the play here is to have a vote on spending cuts the Republicans want, but without considering them directly as amendments to the continuing appropriations bill. That way, they get to go home and say they voted for cuts (and even passed them), but the cuts won't interfere with the passage of the continuing appropriations (which the Senate would probably block), because they're not actually part of the appropriations bill, they're in a separate "corrections" measure that only takes effect if the Senate agrees to it. This way, the government continues to operate, but Republicans get to go on record with their wish list of cuts. Interesting! So their position is that they're wishing for the across-the-board cuts that the failed Super Committee might have made, minus the defense ones.
Don't strain your brains, guys!
The Senate posted a schedule at a decent hour, but it doesn't have much to say, besides what we'd guessed about the House's schedule. But basically, they'll be waiting around for an opportunity to take up the continuing appropriations bill, and whatever they can get together to address the other expiring provisions of law, whether temporarily or for the longer term.
In any case, both houses will be looking to get business wrapped up and get out of town ASAP. There's a cloture motion pending on the House Republicans' payroll tax bill, but that won't be ready for a vote until Saturday. A unanimous consent deal could bump that up, however. Or some other deal on the payroll tax could obviate the need for a vote on the House bill altogether. The key thing to keep in mind is: Senators want to get the hell out of Dodge, too. So look for deals that can make that happen.
Today's floor and committee schedules appear below the fold.
In the House, courtesy of the Office of the Majority Leader:
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16TH
On Friday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business.
First votes expected: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Last votes expected: 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
One Minute Speeches (5 per side)
Legislation Considered Under Suspension of the Rules:
1) Senate Amendment to H.R. 1892 - Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 (Sponsored by Rep. Mike Rogers (MI) / Permanent Select Intelligence Committee)
2) Senate Amendment to H.R. 2867 - United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2011 (Sponsored by Rep. Frank Wolf / Foreign Affairs Committee)
Conference Report on H.R. 2055 - Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (Conference Report Rule, One Hour of Debate) (Sponsored by Rep. Hal Rogers / Appropriations Committee)
H.Con.Res. 94 - Directing the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make corrections in the enrollment of H.R. 3672 (Closed Rule, 20 Minutes of Debate) (Sponsored by Rep. Hal Rogers / Appropriations Committee)
H.R. 3672 - Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2012 (Closed Rule, One Hour of Debate) (Sponsored by Rep. Hal Rogers / Appropriations Committee)
Postponed Vote on S. 278 - Sugar Loaf Fire Protection District Land Exchange Act (Suspension)(Sponsored by Sen. Mark Udall / Natural Resources Committee)
Special Order Speeches
In the Senate, courtesy of the Office of the Majority Leader:
Senate Floor Schedule for Friday, December 16, 2011
Convenes: 10:00am
Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until 12:00pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each with the first hour equally divided and controlled between the Leaders or their designees with the Majority controlling the first 30 minutes and the Republicans controlling the next 30 minutes.
We continue to work on an agreement to consider the omnibus spending bill and a payroll tax compromise. As a reminder to all Senators, cloture was filed on the motion to proceed to H.R.3630, the House Republican Payroll Tax bill. Unless an agreement is reached, that vote will occur Saturday morning.
12/15 wrap-up:
Senate Floor Wrap Up for Thursday, December 15, 2011
ROLL CALL VOTES
1) Adoption of the Conference Report to accompany H.R.1540, the Department of Defense Authorization Act; Adopted: 86-13
2) Confirmation of Executive Calendar #337, the nomination of Morgan Christen, of Alaska, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit; Confirmed: 95-3
LEGISLATIVE ITEMS
Adopted H.Con.Res.92, a concurrent resolution to correct the enrollment of H.R.1540, the DoD Authorization Act.
Passed H.R.3421, the Fallen Heroes of 9/11 Act.
Adopted H.Con.Res.93, a concurrent resolution to correct the enrollment of H.R.2845, the “Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011”.
Discharged the Judiciary Committee and Passed S.1612 is the Targeting Transnational Drug Trafficking Act of 2011 with a Feinstein substitute amendment.
Discharged the HELP Committee and adopted S.Res.347, A resolution recognizing the 40th anniversary of the National Cancer Act of 1971 and the more than 12,000,000 survivors of cancer alive today because of the commitment of the United States to cancer research and advances in cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment.
Began the Rule 14 process of H.R.3094, the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act.
No EXECUTIVE ITEMS