Recapping yesterday's action:
The House completed work on the POISONEERS Act, finishing up with an unbroken record of accepting every single Republican amendment, while rejecting every single Democratic one.
The Senate kept its transportation bill on the floor for debate, while running out the clock on ripening the cloture motions on both the bill and the Furman judicial nomination, but held no roll call votes. John Cornyn (R-TX) managed to initiate the Rule XIV process for his “Health Care Bureaucrats Elimination Act," though. That should be a treat.
Looking ahead to today:
The House returns for a half-day (or less) for consideration of the conference report on the payroll tax cut extension. Finally! But that's all that's expected.
The Senate is slated to take a cloture vote on the transportation bill, but the cloture motion on the Furman nomination was vitiated by unanimous consent, and they'll go right to a confirmation vote following the highway bill. If they can wrap that up quickly, the hope is that they too can dispense with the conference report on the payroll tax cut extension, a.k.a, the "Tax Relief and Job Creation Act."
Today's floor and committee schedules appear below the fold.
In the House, courtesy of the Office of the Democratic Whip:
THE NIGHTLY WHIP: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2012
TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK
On Friday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business.
First votes: 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Last votes: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
“One Minutes” (5 per side)
Conference Report on H.R. 3630 - Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011 (Rep. Camp - Ways and Means/ Energy and Commerce/Financial Services/ Foreign Affairs/ Transportation and Infrastructure/ Agriculture/Oversight and Government Reform/ House Administration/Budget/Natural Resources/ Rules/Intelligence)
In the Senate, courtesy of the
Office of the Majority Leader:
Senate Floor Schedule for Friday, February 17, 2012
Convenes: 10:00am
Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until 11:00am 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 resume consideration of S.1813, the Surface Transportation bill.
The filing deadline for all 2nd degree amendments to the Reid amendment #1633 (Banking, Finance, & Commerce titles) to S.1813, the Surface Transportation bill is 10:30am on Friday.
At a time to be determined and as early as 11:00am, the Senate will proceed to a series of 2 roll call votes in relation to the following, in the following order:
- Motion to invoke cloture on the Reid amendment #1633 (Banking, Finance, & Commerce titles) to S.1813, the Surface Transportation bill,
- Confirmation of the nomination of Jesse Furman, of NY, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York.
We also hope to consider the conference report to accompany H.R.3630, the Tax Relief and Job Creation Act.
2/16 wrap-up:
Senate Floor Wrap Up for Thursday, February 16, 2012
No ROLL CALL VOTES
LEGISLATIVE ITEMS
Completed the Rule 14 process of S.2111, the Cyber Crime Protection Security Act (Leahy).
Began the Rule 14 process of S. 2118, the “Health Care Bureaucrats Elimination Act” (Cornyn).
No EXECUTIVE ITEMS
Today's House committee schedule:
APPROPRIATIONS-----------------------------------------------------------9:30-Open
Interior and Environment Subc. On the FY 2013 budget request for the U.S. Forest Service. Dept. witnesses. B-308 RHOB.
APPROPRIATIONS----------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Subc. On the FY 2013 budget request for the Department of Agriculture. Tom Vilsack, Secretary, Department of Agriculture. 2362-A RHOB.
APPROPRIATIONS----------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Homeland Security Subc. On the FY 2013 budget request for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Dept. witnesses. 2359 RHOB.
ARMED SERVICES---------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Full Committee. On the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization budget request for the Department of the Army. John McHugh, Secretary, Department of the Army; Raymond Odierno, Chief of Staff, U.S. Army. 2118 RHOB.
ENERGY & COMMERCE------------------------------------------------------9:45-Open
Oversight and Investigations Subc. Markup of a motion authorizing the issuance of subpoenas for certain employees of the Executive Office of the President. 2123 RHOB.
JUDICIARY----------------------------------------------------------------9:30-Open
Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet Subc. On discussing litigation as a predatory practice. Public witnesses. 2141 RHOB.
NATURAL RESOURCES----------------------------------------------------9:00-Open
Energy and Mineral Resources Subc. On H.R. 785 - To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to clarify that uncertified States and Indian tribes have the authority to use certain payments for certain noncoal reclamation projects. MC’s and public witnesses. 1310 LHOB.
NATURAL RESOURCES----------------------------------------------------9:30-Open
Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular Affairs Subc. On the Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposed conservation plan and its impact on the economy of Chincoteague, Virginia. Dept. and public witnesses. 1324 LHOB.
OVERSIGHT & GOVERNMENT REFORM-----------------------------------9:30-Open
Technology, Information Policy, Intergovernmental Relations and Procurement Reform Subc. On examining duplicative information technology investments at the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy. 2154 RHOB.
SCIENCE, SPACE, & TECHNOLOGY-----------------------------------------9:30-Open
Full Committee. On the FY 2013 budget request for scientific research and development programs. John Holdren, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy. 2318 RHOB.
No Senate committee meetings are scheduled.