Recapping yesterday's action:
The House took up the first of the three-part package that will end up comprising its transportation authorization bill, that being H.R. 3408, the PIOSNGEERS Act, which they're pretending is the "PIONEERS Act." Twenty amendments were made in order under the rule, and the House dealt with 12 of them. Three, offered by Republicans, were passed on voice vote. One other, offered by a Republican, passed in a roll call vote. Eight more, all offered by Democrats, were mysteriously defeated in recorded votes.
The Senate continued its usual wrangling today. After being forced to run out the full 30 hours of post-cloture time on a judicial nomination on which cloture was invoked by a vote of 89-5, they were finally able to vote on confirmation, which passed by 94-5. On this, they could not agree to waive post-cloture time.
The rest of the day was spent maneuvering on the transportation bill, and in the current climate it should come as no surprise that Majority Leader Harry Reid has filled the amendment tree, which has the effect of blocking other amendments—possibly including the Blunt anti-contraception amendment—from being offered on the floor. Republicans will scream their heads off, but the Senate transportation bill is said to have struck a rather delicate bipartisan balance that would likely only be upset by annoyance amendments. And really, given that we just watched them waste 30 hours (plus the day it took for cloture to ripen) on a judicial nomination that was confirmed 94-5, it's pretty clear that the Republican troublemakers aren't feeling any particular pressure to behave like adults.
Just to hammer the point home, Reid has had to file for cloture on yet another judicial nomination, this time on that of Jesse Furman, to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York. Up to now, under the informal agreement following the filibuster reform fight a year ago, we have not typically been seeing cloture filings on district court judges. I'm not sure if this signals a breakdown in relations, the end of the list of "non-controversial" judicial appointments, or just a short-term Republican reaction to the blocking of amendments on the transportation bill.
Looking ahead to today:
The House will wrap up work on POISONEERS, or whatever it's called, with eight more amendments up for votes today. Actually, POISONEERS isn't a bad name at all for this monstrosity, which includes such perennial Gop favorites as drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve, plus the new darling: expedited Keystone XL pipeline approval.
The Senate continues to make its way through its version of the transportation bill, while they wait for the clock to run down on ripening the cloture motion on it, and on the next pending judicial nomination. That means there likely won't be any voting today, unless some deals are struck. Perhaps Senators will offer Republicans some free rope to hang themselves with on contraception. Who knows? But absent that, we can expect today to be spent "debating" the bill, with cloture votes to come on Friday. Then, another opportunity to take the temperature of the Senate, as we watch to see whether Republicans insist on running out the post-cloture clock, too. With a recess planned for the week of President's Day, we'll see whether the desire to avoid a weekend session loosens things up a bit.
Today's floor and committee schedules appear below the fold.
In the House, courtesy of the Office of the Democratic Whip:
THE NIGHTLY WHIP: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012
TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK
On Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. Morning Hour debate and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.
First/Last votes: 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
“One Minutes” (15 per side)
Complete Consideration of H.R. 3408 - Protecting Investment in Oil Shale the Next Generation of Environmental, Energy, and Resource Security (PIONEERS) Act (Rep. Lamborn - Natural Resources/Energy and Commerce)
The Rule provides for no further general debate and makes in order the remaining amendments:
Reps. Thompson (CA) / Woolsey Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Reps. Holt/Bass (CA) / Dingell/Dold/Gerlach/Murphy (CT)/ Kind Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Hanabusa Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Hastings (WA) Amendment #157 (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Markey Amendment #53 (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Markey Amendment #54 (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Labrador Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Reps. Scalise/Bonner/Landry/Miller(FL)/Palazzo/Southerland/Olson/Richmond Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
In the Senate, courtesy of the
Office of the Majority Leader:
Senate Floor Schedule for Thursday, February 16, 2012
Convenes: 10:00am
Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business for one hour with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each with the Majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the final half.
Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S.1813, the Surface Transportation bill.
During Wednesday’s session of the Senate, cloture was filed on the following items, in the following order:
- Reid amendment #1633, the Banking, Finance and Commerce (as reported out by the Commerce Committee) titles to S.1813 and
- Executive Calendar #366, the nomination of Jesse Furman, of New York, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York.
2/15 wrap-up:
Senate Floor Wrap Up for Wednesday, February 15, 2012
ROLL CALL VOTE
1) Confirmation of the nomination of Adalberto Jose Jordan, of Florida, to be US Circuit Judge for the 11th Circuit; Confirmed: 94-5
LEGISLATIVE ITEMS
Adopted S.Res.377, recognizing the 50th anniversary of the historic achievement of John Herschel Glenn, Jr., in becoming the first United States astronaut to orbit the Earth.
Adopted S.Res.378, expressing the sense of the Senate that children should have a safe, loving, nurturing, and permanent family and that it is the policy of the United States that family reunification, kinship care, or domestic and inter-country adoption promotes permanency and stability to a greater degree than long-term institutionalization and long-term, continually disrupted foster care.
Adopted H.Con.Res.99, authorizing the use of the Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for a ceremony to unveil the marker which acknowledges the role that slave labor played in the construction of the United States Capitol.
Completed the Rule 14 process of S.2105, the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 (Lieberman).
Began the Rule 14 process of S.2111, the Cyber Crime Protection Security Act (Leahy).
No EXECUTIVE ITEMS
Today's House committee schedule:
APPROPRIATIONS----------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Defense Subc. On the FY 2013 budget request for the Department of Defense. Leon Panetta, Secretary, Department of Defense. 2359 RHOB.
APPROPRIATIONS----------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subc. On quality of life in the military. Dept. witnesses. 2358-A RHOB.
APPROPRIATIONS-----------------------------------------------------------1:30-Open
Interior and Environment Subc. On the FY 2013 budget request for the Department of the Interior. Ken Salazar, Secretary, Department of the Interior. 2359 RHOB.
ARMED SERVICES----------------------------------------------------------11:00-Open
Strategic Forces Subc. On governance, oversight, and management of the nuclear security enterprise. Dept. and public witnesses. 2212 RHOB.
ARMED SERVICES-----------------------------------------------------------1:00-Open
Full Committee. On the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization budget request from the Department of the Navy. Ray Mabus, Secretary, Department of the Navy. 2118 RHOB.
BUDGET--------------------------------------------------------------------2:00-Open
Full Committee. On reviewing the President’s FY 2013 revenue and economic policy proposals. Timothy Geithner, Secretary, Department of the Treasury. 210 CHOB.
EDUCATION & WORKFORCE-------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Full Committee. On H.R. 3989 – Student Success Act, and H.R. 3990 – Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Actl. Public witnesses. 2175 RHOB.
ENERGY & COMMERCE-------------------------------------------------------9:00-Open
Communications and Technology Subc. On the FY 2013 budget request for the Federal Communications Commission. Julius Genachowski, Chairman, FCC. 2123 RHOB.
ENERGY & COMMERCE-----------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Oversight and Investigations Subc. On private sector views on regulations and regulatory reform. Public witnesses. 2322 RHOB.
FINANCIAL SERVICES------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Full Committee. Markup of H.R. 3606 - Reopening American Capital Markets to Emerging Growth Companies Act of 2011, H.R. 2308 - SEC Regulatory Accountability Act, H.R 1838 - Swaps Bailout Prevention Act, and H.R 4014 - To amend the Federal Deposit Insurance Act with respect to information provided to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. 2128 RHOB.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS---------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Full Committee. On reviewing the outlook in Egypt. Public witnesses. 2172 RHOB.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS----------------------------------------------------------2:00-Open
Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights Subc. and Western Hemisphere Subc. Joint hrng. on human rights issues in Cuba. MC’s and public witnesses. 2172 RHOB.
HOMELAND SECURITY-----------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subc. On Department of Homeland Security monitoring of social networking and media. Dept. witnesses. 311 CHOB.
HOMELAND SECURITY-------------------------------------------------------1:00-Open
Transportation Security Subc. On public-private partnerships at the TSA. Dept. and public witnesses. 311 CHOB.
HOMELAND SECURITY-------------------------------------------------------2:00-Open
Transportation Security Subc. On reviewing the Federal Air Marshal Service. Dept. witnesses. 311 CHOB.
JUDICIARY---------------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Subc. On the Office of Violence Against Women at the Department of Justice. Dept. witnesses. 2141 RHOB.
JUDICIARY-----------------------------------------------------------------1:00-Open
Full Committee. Markup of H.R. 3541 - Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act of 2011. 2141 RHOB.
NATURAL RESOURCES-----------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Full Committee. Markup of H.R. 1837 – San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act, and H.R. 4019 – Federal Forest County Revenue, Schools, and Jobs Act. 1324 LHOB.
OVERSIGHT & GOVERNMENT REFORM----------------------------------------9:30-Open
Full Committee. On examining relationship between federal rules and religiously-affiliated entities. Public witnesses. 2154 RHOB.
SELECT INTELLIGENCE-------------------------------------------------------10:00-Ex.
Full Committee. On ongoing intelligence activities. HVC-304 Capitol.
SMALL BUSINESS----------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access Subc. On examining the role of government assistance for disaster victims. Public witnesses. 2360 RHOB.
VETERANS’ AFFAIRS-------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subc. On the FY 2013 budget request for the Department of Veterans Affairs. 340 CHOB.
Today's Senate committee schedule:
9:30 am
Armed Services
Hearings to examine the current and future worldwide threats to the national security of the United States; with the possibility of a closed session in SVC-217 following the open session.
SD-G50
9:30 am
Energy and Natural Resources
Hearings to examine the President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2013 for the Department of Energy.
SD-366
10:00 am
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Hearings to examine the European debt crisis and its implications.
SD-538
10:00 am
Budget
Hearings to examine the President's proposed budget request for fiscal year 2013 and revenue proposals.
SD-608
10:00 am
Foreign Relations: Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps and Global Narcotics Affairs
Hearings to examine Iran's influence and activity in Latin America.
SD-419
10:00 am
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety
Hearings to examine addressing workforce needs at the regional level, focusing on innovative public and private partnerships.
SD-430
10:00 am
Judiciary
Business meeting to consider the nominations of Andrew David Hurwitz, of Arizona, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit, John Z. Lee, and John J. Tharp, Jr., both to be a United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, George Levi Russell, III, to be United States District Judge for the District of Maryland, and Kristine Gerhard Baker, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
SD-226
2:15 pm
Indian Affairs
An oversight hearing to examine energy development in Indian country.
SD-628
2:30 pm
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Hearings to examine securing America's future, focusing on the "Cybersecurity Act of 2012".
SD-342
2:30 pm
Intelligence
Closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters.
SH-219