Recapping Last Week in Congress
We were out on another recess last week, during which much of the traditional media world caught up with us in realizing that this Republican-dominated 112th Congress has accomplished next to nothing, not to mention the fact that the Republicans doing the dominating are nuttier by far than they've ever been before.
This Week in Congress
It's back to work, but with the routinely slow start. In the House, that means suspension bills on Monday, with votes delayed until after 6:30 pm. Nothing particularly controversial for today, though the John F. Kennedy Center Reauthorization Act might make Rick Santorum want to throw up. Tuesday also begins with suspension bills, and I wonder if Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA-07) wouldn't be politically pleased to see his "United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act" defeated under suspension of the rules, leaving him free to pin the "anti-Israel" label on House Dems.
Things really start rolling in the House toward the end of the week, with the consideration of the first of the year's regular appropriations bills. After that, though, things start to get wacky, as Budget Chair Paul Ryan (R-WI-01) pulls his next two tricks out of his hat, the "Sequester Replacement Act," and a related reconciliation bill.
You will, of course, recall that Republicans believe reconciliation is evil, unconstitutional, Satanic, socialmalismist, and possibly Kenyan in origin. But this is the good kind of evil, unconstitutional, Satanic, socialmalismist, possibly Kenyan-in-origin kind, you see. That is, it's theirs. Which means it comes with extra Freedom Sauce.
Not that I'm not aware that before the Republicans were saying it about Democrats three years ago, Democrats had said it about Republicans four years prior. But it's still funny. Huge surprise. Never saw it coming.
And what's the "Sequester Replacement Act," exactly? Hopefully we'll get a better look at it as the week progresses, but the basic idea of it is that it's the bill that's supposed to reverse those "guaranteed, across-the-board cuts" from last year's debt ceiling/budget deal as they apply to defense spending. Huge surprise. Never saw it coming.
The Senate starts off with a return to the motion to proceed to S.2343, the "Stop Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Act." Cloture was filed on the motion to proceed before the break, and there's a unanimous consent agreement in place that'll bring it to a vote tomorrow. In the meantime, they'll debate whether or not to end debate on beginning debate on the student loan bill, even though they've already agreed to vote on it tomorrow.
To relieve the excruciating idiocy of it all, they'll take a brief break in the middle of the day to debate and vote on three more judicial nominations, representing the final installment on the deal cut back in mid-March to clear 14 of a slate of 17 nominations Senate Dems were trying to push through.
After that, well, uh... all we have is the previously mentioned excruciating idiocy. So, happy Monday.
Full floor and committee schedules are below the fold.
In the House, courtesy of the Office of the Democratic Whip:
THE WEEKLY WHIP: FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2012
First Vote Of The Week: Monday 6:30 p.m.
Last Vote Predicted: Thursday 3:00 p.m.
MONDAY, MAY 7, 2012
On Monday, the House will meet at 2:00 p.m. for legislative business with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m.
Suspensions (7 Bills)
- H.R. 4097 - John F. Kennedy Center Reauthorization Act of 2012 (Rep. Mica - Transportation and Infrastructure)
- H.Con.Res. 106 - Concurrent resolution authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the Greater Washington Soap Box Derby (Rep. Hoyer - Transportation and Infrastructure)
- H.Con.Res. 117 - Concurrent resolution authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service (Rep. Denham - Transportation and Infrastructure)
- H.Con.Res. 105 - Authorizing the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for an event to celebrate the birthday of King Kamehameha (Rep. Hanabusa - House Administration)
- H.Con.Res. 118 - Concurrent resolution authorizing the use of the Capitol Grounds for the District of Columbia Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run (Rep. Norton - Transportation and Infrastructure)
- Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2297 - To promote the development of the Southwest waterfront in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes (Rep. Norton - Oversight and Government Reform)
- S. 1302 - A bill to authorize the Administrator of General Services to convey a parcel of real property in Tracy, California, to the City of Tracy (Sen. Boxer - Oversight and Government Reform)
TUESDAY, MAY 8, 2012 AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK
On Tuesday and 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 expected no later than 3:00 p.m. On Friday, no votes are expected in the House. **Members are advised that the GOP Leadership has announced that votes may occur after 7:00 p.m. when the House is considering Appropriations bills, and that the House may be voting late into the evening on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Suspensions (2 Bills)
- H.R. 4133 - United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012, as amended (Rep. Cantor - Foreign Affairs)
- H.R. 2072 - Securing American Jobs Through Exports Act of 2011, as amended (Rep. Gary Miller (CA) - Financial Services)
H.R. 5326 - Making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2013, and for other purposes (Rep. Wolf - Appropriations) (Subject to a Rule)
H.R. __ - Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012 (Rep. Ryan (WI) - Budget/Agriculture/ Energy and Commerce/Financial Services/Judiciary/Oversight and Government Reform/ Ways and Means) (Subject to a Rule)
H.R. 4966 - Sequester Replacement Act of 2012 (Rep. Ryan (WI) - Budget/Rule) (Subject to a Rule)
In the Senate, courtesy of the
Office of the Majority Leader:
Senate Floor Schedule for Monday, May 7, 2012
The Senate stands in adjournment under the provisions of S.Con.Res.43, the adjournment resolution.
The Senate will convene at 2:00pm on Monday, May 7, 2012. Following the prayer and pledge, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S.2343, the Stop Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Act.
At 4:30pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the following items:
- Executive Calendar #508 Jacqueline H. Nguyen, of CA, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit
- Executive Calendar #568 Kristine Gerhard Baker, of AR, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas
- Executive Calendar #569 John Z. Lee, IL, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois
with 60 minutes 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), the Senate will conduct up to 3 roll call votes on the Nguyen, Baker and Lee nominations. It is possible the Baker and Lee nominations will be confirmed by voice vote.
As a reminder to all Senators, on Thursday, April 26th, cloture was filed on the motion to proceed to S.2343, the Stop Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Act. By consent, the roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.2343 will be at 12:00pm on Tuesday, May 8th.
If the Senate does not receive a message from the House that it has adopted S.Con.Res.43, the Senate will convene on the following dates at the following times for pro forma sessions only, with no business conducted:
- Monday, April 30, at 10:30am
- Thursday, May 3, at 8:30am
Today's House committee schedule:
BUDGET---------------------------------------------------------2:00-Open
Full Committee. On H.R. 4966 – The Sequester Replacement Act of 2012 and the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012. 210 CHOB.
RULES-----------------------------------------------------------5:00-Open
Full Committee. On H.R. 5326 – Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for FY 2013. H-313.
Today's Senate committee schedule:
No committee hearings scheduled.