Recapping Last Week in Congress
The main events in the House last week all involved the same feat of parliamentary magic, that is, "deeming" a budget passed. We all remember how when Democrats deemed things passed, it was tantamount to treason, and derided as "Demon Pass." But hey, no biggie this time. It's just a federal budget. And a draconian one, at that, slashing things people need to live, and building more of the things that kill them. Neither of the things the House did last week were really permissible under the rules as written. Without a real budget in place—one actually adopted by both the House and the Senate—the House was technically prohibited from considering the Commerce, Justice, Space appropriations bill it passed last Thursday. Likewise, the House should not have been able to consider the reconciliation bill it passed on the same day. But in both cases, deeming a budget passed cleared the way, and the adoption of special rules waiving all points of order against the consideration of the two bills wiped out the ability of any members to point to the rules and raise an objection.
That's just the way they roll in the House.
On the other hand, there's the Senate, where they take the rules very seriously. Or at least gnash their teeth and rend their garments whenever they consider tinkering with them. And as a result, of course, we have weeks like this last one, during which only two votes were taken. One on a judicial nomination that was part of the 14 judge deal, and the other on a failed cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the student loan bill. Every single thing the Senate majority wanted to handle was delayed by filibusters, and the only business that moved was the non-controversial items agreed to by unanimous consent. Even the bill reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank that passed with over 300 votes in the House got filibustered. The entire week was wasted, leading Majority Leader Harry Reid to join the bathrobe-wearing Cheeto munchers in calling for filibuster reform, though he did so by referencing the appropriately-dressed Senators Merkley (D-OR) and Udall (D-NM), instead.
This Week in Congress
The House, after its usual slate of suspension bills, takes up the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization. But not the Senate-passed version. Oh, no! Can't have that! They're going to bring their own version. One that makes sure that undocumented immigrants who are victims of domestic abuse are properly screwed over, among other horrible ideas. Why do that? Believe it or not, the claim on this one is that it adds to the budget deficit, because it costs money to give abused immigrants protective visas. This sensible reform, it is hoped, will finally demonstrate that there is no Republican War on Women. How could that possibly do that, you may ask, since it would appear to demonstrate the exact opposite? Because Freedom, Liberty, America, that's how. U-S-A.
So despite the fact that the Senate sent over a bill with strong bipartisan support (68 votes), the House will insist not only on its own version, but on sending a new bill entirely, meaning the Senate will have to go through the motions of amending it and then trying to get a conference in order to even begin negotiating a compromise bill. And that will give Senate Republicans the opportunity to... you guessed it, filibuster. But why would they do that, given the overwhelming support for their own bill? Because Freedom, Liberty, America, that's why. U-S-A. Even if they don't have the votes to actually block it, they can eat up weeks on end of Senate time making trouble.
But back to the House for the moment, they'll also take up this year's defense authorization bill. This gives the same Republicans who just said there was no money to give abused immigrant women protective visas the opportunity to vote to increase defense spending by nearly four billion dollars above the Pentagon's request. Why would they do that? Say it with me: Freedom, Liberty, America, that's why. U-S-A.
What has the Senate got planned? Well, it's near impossible to plan in that body as it is, and with the constant threat of even nonsensical filibusters, it's even harder than usual. All we know for now is that Harry Reid intends to return to work on the motion to proceed to the Export-Import Bank bill, then take an afternoon detour for two judicial nominations and a cloture vote on that motion to proceed. If they can get cloture, great. Then the 30-hour clock starts counting down to a vote on the motion itself, unless they can suddenly get cooperation on a unanimous consent agreement to dispense with some or all of that time. Otherwise, it's run the clock until Wednesday, waiting to vote to end debate on whether to start debating the Export-Import Bank bill.
Yes, the Senate needs filibuster reform. Has anyone mentioned that?
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 11, 2012
First Vote Of The Week: Tuesday 6:30 p.m.
Last Vote Predicted: Friday 3:00 p.m.
MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012
On Monday, the House is not in session.
TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2012
On Tuesday, the House will meet at 12:00 p.m. for Morning Hour debate and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m.
Suspensions (11 Bills)
- H.R. 365 – National Blue Alert Act of 2011, as amended (Rep. Grimm – Judiciary)
- H.R. 1864 – Mobile Workforce State Income Tax Simplification Act of 2011, as amended (Rep. Coble – Judiciary)
- H.R. 3534 – Security in Bonding Act of 2011, as amended (Rep. Hanna – Judiciary)
- H.R. 4119 – Border Tunnel Prevention Act of 2012 (Rep. Reyes – Judiciary)
- H.R. 2621 – Chimney Rock National Monument Establishment Act (Rep. Tipton – Natural Resources)
- H.R. 2745 – To amend the Mesquite Lands Act of 1986 to facilitate implementation of a multispecies habitat conservation plan for the Virgin River in Clark County, Nevada, as amended (Rep. Heck – Natural Resources)
- H.R. 3874 – Black Hills Cemetery Act (Rep. Noem – Natural Resources)
- H.R. 205 – HEARTH Act of 2011 (Rep. Heinrich – Natural Resources)
- H.R. 4240 – Ambassador James R. Lilley and Congressman Stephen J. Solarz North Korea Human Rights Reauthorization Act of 2012, as amended (Rep. Ros–Lehtinen – Foreign Affairs)
- H.Res. 568 – Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the importance of preventing the Government of Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability, as amended (Rep. Ros–Lehtinen – Foreign Affairs)
- H.R. 4045 – To modify the Department of Defense Program Guidance relating to the award of Post–Deployment/Mobilization Respite Absence administrative absence days to members of the reserve components to exempt any member whose qualified mobilization commenced before October 1, 2011, and continued on or after that date, from the changes to the program guidance that took effect on that date, as amended (Rep. Kline – Armed Services)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2012 AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK
On 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 of the week expected no later than 3:00 p.m.
H.R. 4970 - Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 (Rep. Adams – Judiciary/Energy and Commerce/Education and the Workforce/Financial Service) (Subject to a Rule)
H.R. 4310 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 (Rep. McKeon – Armed Service) (Subject to a Rule)
In the Senate, courtesy of the
Office of the Majority Leader:
Senate Floor Schedule for Monday, May 14, 2012
Convenes: 2:00pm
Following the prayer and pledge, the Majority Leader will be recognized.
It is the Majority Leader’s intention to resume consideration of the motion to proceed to H.R.2072, the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act on Monday. As a reminder to all Senators, cloture was filed on the motion to proceed to H.R.2072 during Friday’s session.
At 4:30pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the following items:
- Executive Calendar #570 George Levi Russell, III, of Maryland, to be US District Judge for the District of Maryland and
- Executive Calendar #571 John Tharp, Jr., of Illinois, to be US District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois
with up to 60 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees.
At approximately 5:30pm, there will be up to 3 roll call votes in relation to the following:
- Confirmation of the Russell nomination
- Confirmation of the Tharp nomination and
- Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.2072, the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act.
No House or Senate committee meetings are scheduled for today.