The Senate is the only game in town this week.
Recapping yesterday's action:
Recapping floor action on a day when just the Senate is in session is always a challenge. They do do things. It's just hard to make it look that way in a recap. The truth is that the Senate did dispose of 11 legislative measures today, but they handled them by unanimous consent, which not only doesn't look particularly impressive on video, but doesn't even really take all that long in terms of floor time. So although that's a lot of action in terms of the number of things that passed, there's just not a great deal to say about what happened. And on top of the 11 bills, there were seven ambassadors confirmed (including Mark Francis Brzezinski as Ambassador to Sweden—and yes, he's one of those Brzezinskis). So there really was a lot that got taken care of. It's just that none of it was voted on.
What occupied most of the floor time, and what did get voted on, was amendments to H.R. 2112, the big, multiple department appropriations bill. I'm not ready to call it an "omnibus" just yet, since it's really only three of the 12 regular annual bills rolled up into one. But that wouldn't be an incorrect term, technically speaking. Senators couldn't run far enough away from the so-called "Fast & Furious" gun, uh, thingy. And so "Big" John Cornyn's amendment prohibiting such operations in the future passed by a vote of 99-0. Then there was "Old" John McCain's amendment to eliminate trade adjustment assistance funding for companies and workers impacted by the new free trade deals. That went over like a lead balloon, which is to say that Republicans loved it and thought it could fly, presumably because they hate science so much.
And that was the day that was!
Looking ahead to today:
It's even more difficult to dress up the look forward at the day to come when all you have to work with is the Senate. Particularly in the middle of a bill like this, where lots of amendments are expected, but because of the wacko procedural rules, you can never have any really solid idea beyond the next one or two amendments what might really be coming up. So there may be a half dozen votes tomorrow for all we know. But for right now, there's only one scheduled: a vote on another crabby McCain amendment, this one targeting a list of old stand-by of complaints about transportation-related spending, specifically that no funds should be spent on scenic or historic highway programs, including tourist and welcome centers; landscaping or scenic beautification; historic preservation; rehabilitation or operation of historic transportation buildings, structures, or facilities; control or removal of outdoor advertising; archaeological planning or research; or the establishment of transportation museums. Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I know we have to control spending and all, but what a snooze-fest.
Anyway, that's the only vote that's actually scheduled, but there are a dozen or so other amendments pending, for which there is an agreement in principle that there will eventually be some floor consideration. So we'll likely see some of those votes taken today, and agreements reached to set times for votes on the rest of them in the days to come.
But they'd better wrap this stuff up soon. There are still another eight appropriations bills to take care of, and only about a month left on the current CR (which isn't actually an "R" at all, as we've discussed). And speaking of looming deadlines, it's only another week or so past the expiration of the current CR that the Super Committee's product is due on the floor. What the hell are they going to do about that, eh? (Actually, I think they have a number of options open to them, including reporting out a bill that gives them more time to come up with the bill they were supposed to come up with by Thanksgiving. But we'll talk about that some other time.)
Today's floor and committee schedules appear below the fold.
The House is not in session today.
In the Senate, courtesy of the Office of the Majority Leader:
Senate Floor Schedule for Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Convenes: 9:30am
Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business for one hour 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 H.R.2112, the Agriculture, CJS, and Transportation/HUD Appropriations bill. The time until 12:00pm will be equally divided and controlled between the Leaders or their designees. At approximately 12:00pm, the Senate will conduct a roll call vote in relation to the McCain amendment #739 (critical surface transportation).
Additional roll call votes are expected during Wednesday’s session.
Roll Call Votes
- On the Amendment (Cornyn Amendment No. 775, As Modified ) S.Amdt. 775 to S.Amdt. 738 to H.R. 2112 (Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012), To prohibit funding for Operation Fast and Furious or similar "gun walking" programs. Amendment Agreed to, 99-0.
- On the Amendment (McCain Amendment No. 740 ) S.Amdt. 740 to S.Amdt. 738 to H.R. 2112 (Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012), To eliminate funding for the trade adjustment assistance for firms program. Amendment Rejected, 44-55.
Other Business
Senate Floor Wrap Up for Tuesday, October 18, 2011
LEGISLATIVE ITEMS
Passed S.270, La Pine Land Conveyance
Passed S.292, Salmon Lake Conveyance
Passed S.333, Little Wood River Ranch hydro license
Passed S.334, American Falls Reservoir hydro license
Passed S.404, a bill to modify a land grant patent issued by the Secretary of the Interior
Passed H.R.489, C.C. Cragin Dam and Reservoir
Passed H.R.470, Hoover Dam
Passed H.R.765, Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement
Discharged Energy and Passed S.925, Mt. Andrea Lawrence Designation Act of 2011
Adopted S.Con.Res.32, correcting the enrollment of H.R.470, Hoover Dam
Adopted S.Res.298, expressing support for the designation of October 20, 2011, as the “National Day on Writing”.
EXECUTIVE ITEMS
Confirmed #429 Dan W. Mozena – to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Confirmed #430 Robert A. Mandell — to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Luxembourg
Confirmed #431 Thomas Charles Krajeski — to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Kingdom of Bahrain
Confirmed #432 Susan Denise Page — to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of South Sudan
Confirmed #433 Adrienne S. O’Neal — to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Cape Verde
Confirmed #434 Mary Beth Leonard — to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Mali
Confirmed #435 Mark Francis Brzezinski — to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Sweden