Recapping Last Week in Congress
The House was in recess last week. The Senate was in session, however, and succeeded in invoking cloture on a motion to proceed to, amending, and then passing H.R. 674, repealing the never-implemented 3% withholding policy for government contractors. Other major items of business included the rejection of motions to proceed on resolutions of disapproval regarding EPA cross-border pollution rules, and FCC net neutrality regulations. And just before breaking for the weekend, the Senate voted to invoke cloture on a motion to proceed a second "minibus" appropriations bill (Energy & Water, Financial Services, and Foreign Operations). That's a lot of votes on motions to proceed for a Senate that supposedly has an agreement in place not to filibuster so many motions to proceed, wouldn't you say?
This Week in Congress
Everybody's back in town this week, and not a moment too soon, since the current continuing appropriations bill that's funding government operations expires this Friday. And that means, at least technically, that we're staring down the barrel of a government shutdown yet again. We'll have to see whether the threat develops into anything serious, or dissolves as the week progresses.
The House is scheduled to take up a continuing appropriations bill this week, but not before first renaming seven post offices, a federal courthouse and a wildlife refuge; voting on H.R. 674 as amended last week by the Senate; completing the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act, and; undermining the entire premise of state sovereignty on gun laws (even though Republicans have traditionally relied on "states' rights" to duck so many other tough issues) in the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act. Then, after all that and the continuing approps bill, they'll vote on a balanced budget amendment. It's like they can't stand dealing with real work, without diluting it with fantasy.
The Senate schedule so far reflects only the start of debate on the second "minibus" appropriations bill, and upcoming votes on two more federal judges. But they'll really be waiting for the House to send them the next continuing approps bill, the vehicle for which will be H.R. 2112. You'll remember that as the one that became the first of the "minibus" bills two weeks ago, when the Senate attached the Commerce, Justice, and Science; and Transportation/HUD bills to the Ag bill. Spotting the oncoming freight train of another shutdown deadline, the House-Senate conference added continuing appropriations language to the bill before sending it back out to for floor action this week. Hopefully, the fact that this bill has successfully emerged from conference is an indication that it can pass without major difficulty. But in case you were wondering, yes, you can filibuster a conference report.
Full floor and committee schedules are below the fold.
In the House, courtesy of the Office of the Democratic Whip:
THE WEEKLY WHIP: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2011
First Vote Of The Week: Monday 6:30 p.m.
Last Vote Predicted: Friday 3:00 p.m.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2011
On Monday, the House will meet at 2:00 p.m. for legislative business with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m.
Suspensions (9 Bills)
- H.R. 1791 - To designate the United States courthouse under construction at 101 South United States Route 1 in Fort Pierce, Florida, as the "Alto Lee Adams, Sr., United States Courthouse” (Rep. Thomas Rooney - Transportation and Infrastructure)
- H.R. 588 - To redesignate the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge as the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge (Sen. Gregg Harper - Natural Resources)
- H.R. 2079 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 10 Main Street in East Rockaway, New York, as the “John J. Cook Post Office” (Rep. McCarthy (NY) - Oversight and Government Reform)
- H.R. 3004 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 260 California Drive in Yountville, California, as the “Private First Class Alejandro R. Ruiz Post Office Building” (Rep. Thompson (CA) - Oversight and Government Reform)
- S. 1412 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 462 Washington Street, Woburn, Massachusetts, as the “Officer John Maguire Post Office” (Sen. Kerry - Oversight and Government Reform)
- H.R. 298 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 500 East Whitestone Boulevard in Cedar Park, Texas, as the “Army Specialist Matthew Troy Morris Post Office Building” (Rep. John Carter - Oversight and Government Reform)
- H.R. 2422 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 45 Bay Street, Suite 2, in Staten Island, New York, as the “Sergeant Angel Mendez Post Office” (Rep. Grimm - Oversight and Government Reform)
- H.R. 2660 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 122 North Holderrieth Boulevard in Tomball, Texas, as the “Tomball Veterans Post Office” (Rep. McCaul - Oversight and Government Reform)
- H.R. 2415 - To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 11 Dock Street in Pittston, Pennsylvania, as the “Trooper Joshua D. Miller Post Office Building” (Rep. Barletta - Oversight and Government Reform)
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2011 AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK
On Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for Morning Hour debate and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business. On Friday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business with last votes no later than 3:00 p.m.
Suspension (1 Bill)
Senate Amendment to H.R. 674 - To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the imposition of 3 percent withholding on certain payments made to vendors by government entities, to modify the calculation of modified adjusted gross income for purposes of determining eligibility for certain healthcare-related programs, and for other purposes (Rep. Herger - Ways and Means)
Complete Consideration of H.R. 2838 - Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2011, as amended (Rep. LoBiondo - Transportation and Infrastructure)
The Rule provides for no further general debate and makes in order only the following remaining amendments:
Rep. Landry Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Pierluisi Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
H.R. 822 - National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011 (Rep. Stearns -Judiciary) (Subject to a Rule)
Conference Report on H.R. 2112 - the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 (Rep. Rogers -Appropriations) (Subject to a Rule)
H.J.Res. 2 - Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States (Rep. Goodlatte -Judiciary) (Subject to a Rule)
In the Senate, courtesy of the Office of the Majority Leader:
Senate Floor Schedule for Monday, November 14, 2011
Convenes: 2:00pm
Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 3:00pm with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.
Following morning business, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of H.R.2354, the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, for debate only.
The next roll call votes will be Tuesday morning in relation to two US District Judges.