We'll be trying out some formatting tweaks in the coming weeks for the This Week/Today in Congress posts, the idea being to try to make them a little more reader (and skimmer) friendly. The series was originally designed with slightly different purposes in mind than I have for it today, so the change is overdue.
The idea now is to give you a quick one or two minute hit on where we left off last week (or yesterday, in the case of Today in Congress), and the top issues you're likely to see in the coming week. The full House floor schedule and the Senate calendar are still here, but I'll tuck them below the fold and see how it goes with just the commentary taking up front page real estate.
So here we go!
Last Week in Congress
Last week, Osama bin Laden was alive. This week, he's not! Other than that, though...
The Congress was in the last week of a two-week recess, during which several Republican House members found themselves facing hostile town hall audiences reacting to GOP budget and spending plans targeting Medicare and other social safety net programs for cuts, while extending still more tax cuts for the wealthy. That, of course, is thanks to the House’s agenda from the last week they were in session, during which they adopted both the cut-heavy continuing appropriations bill to keep the government funded for the rest of the year, and the ultra-regressive, Medicare-eliminating budget plan authored by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI).
This Week in Congress
Unchastened by their angry constituents, the House GOP plan was to come back like gangbusters this week, bringing to the floor not one but two ACA repeal bills. Not one but two oil drilling free-for-all bills. And last but not least the infamous H.R. 3, hiking taxes on anyone who takes deductions for the cost of health insurance plans that cover abortion—which 87% of private plans in America do. (If you prefer getting the background on that in video format, Main Street Insider has you covered.)
It remains to be seen whether the biggest 9/12 moment ever will derail any of this. I doubt it, but it's going to look a little petty to "respond" to the killing of Osama bin Laden with sloganeering about "Obamacare," and yet another abortion freak-out. Don't know yet whether it'll temporarily delay the plans to make the first order of business for the week (well, second) naming a federal courthouse after George W. Bush.
In the Senate, another two non-controversial federal judge nominees are expected to slip through the filibuster noose. And word is that Majority Leader Harry Reid will seek to force a vote on the Ryan budget in the Senate, in retaliation for which Minority Leader (in name only) Mitch McConnell says he’ll try to force a vote on President Obama’s budget. Who knew that having a vote on a Republican budget was something the Republican “leader” felt would require retaliation?
Speaking of the budget, have you got 90 seconds amid all the Bin Laden excitement to catch up on just what this "People's Budget" put forward by the Congressional Progressive Caucus is? C'mon, 90 seconds. For the federal budget. It's the latest of the Main Street Insider 90 Second Summaries, which I encourage you to check out as they're released each Monday.
That's the short version of the "news you need to know" in order to keep up with happenings in Congress. For those of you who come by to wade through the nitty gritty details, we've still got 'em. But we're storing them below the fold, accompanied as always by the committee schedule for the week.
In the House, courtesy of the Office of the Democratic Whip:
First Vote Of The Week: Monday 6:30 p.m.
Last Vote Predicted: Thursday 3:00 p.m.
MONDAY, MAY 2, 2011
On Monday, the House will meet at 2:00 p.m. for legislative business with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m.
Suspensions (2 Bills)
- H.R. 1423 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 115 4th Avenue Southwest in Ardmore, Oklahoma, as the "Specialist Micheal E. Phillips Post Office" (Rep. Cole – Oversight and Government Reform)
- H.R. 362 - To redesignate the Federal building and United States Courthouse located at 200 East Wall Street in Midland, Texas, as the "George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush United States Courthouse and George Mahon Federal Building" (Rep. Conaway – Transportation and Infrastructure)
TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2011
On Tuesday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for Morning Hour debate and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.
H.R. 1213 – Repeal mandatory funding provided to States in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to establish American Health Benefit Exchanges (Rep. Upton – Energy and Commerce) (Subject to a Rule)
H.R. 1214 – Repeal mandatory funding for school-based health center construction (Rep. Upton – Energy and Commerce) (Subject to a Rule)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2011 AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK
On Wednesday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for Morning Hour debate and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business. On Thursday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business with last votes no later than 3:00 p.m. On Friday, no votes are expected in the House.
H.R. 3 – No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (Rep. Smith (NJ) – Judiciary/Energy and Commerce/Ways and Means) (Subject to a Rule)
H.R. 1230 – Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act (Rep. Hastings (WA) – Natural Resources) (Subject to a Rule)
Possible Consideration of H.R. 1229 – Putting the Gulf of Mexico Back to Work Act (Rep. Hastings (WA) – Natural Resources) (Subject to a Rule)
In the Senate, courtesy of the Office of the Majority Leader:
Convenes: 2pm
Following any leader remarks, the Senate will proceed to a period of morning business for debate only until 4:30pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.
Following morning business, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the following:
- Calendar #74 Roy Bale Dalton, of Florida, to be US District Judge for the Middle District of Florida and
- Calendar #76 Kevin Hunter Sharp, of Tennessee, to be US District Judge for the Middle District of Tennessee.
There will be one hour 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, Calendar #74 will be confirmed by unanimous consent and the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on confirmation of Calendar #76.