Recapping yesterday's action:
The House was not in session yesterday.
The Senate was working—by which I mean the Senators were present—and managed to clear two more judicial nominations, but they never got around to the cloture vote on the motion to proceed to the Export-Import Bank bill. Just as well, because it looks like that vote was destined to fail, anyway. Republicans were holding up the works to demand votes on five amendments to weaken and/or eventually eliminate the bank, and as a bipartisan compromise, Democrats agreed to let them have two of them. Plus the other three. For a total of five. But hey, that's the nature of compromise.
As an added bonus, the Republicans have begun the Rule XIV process for putting the House reconciliation bill on the schedule. Reconciliation bills are privileged, which means the motion to proceed to this one will be non-debatable. Of course, a majority can simply defeat the motion. It still has to be voted on. It just can't be filibustered. Isn't that awesome, how the Republicans will get a pass on the filibuster on this? Hey, I guess there doesn't have to be any reform after all! Still, that's not eligible to come up today, so we'll come back to it later.
Looking ahead to today:
The House has a ho-hum Tuesday, filled with a slate of 11 suspension bills, and with votes (if any) postponed until 6:30. So there's really not much to talk about on that score.
Despite the agreement to move forward on the Ex-Im Bank bill, the Senate will still need to actually adopt the motion to proceed, which they'll get around to by agreement at around 11:15. After that, it's on to consideration of those five amendments, and finally a vote on the underlying bill itself. All amendments as well as the bill will require 60 votes to pass. A brief description of the amendments is included in the floor schedule, below. Suffice to say, they all suck if you're a fan of the Ex-Im Bank. I'm not 100% sure I give a crap, though, on the grounds adopted by the ultraconservatives, in fact. That is, that Ex-Im is really just so much corporate welfare.
Still, jobs and all that. No matter, as sucky as it feels to have a deal in place that gives Republicans all the votes they were demanding, in the end, it's probably not all that likely that any of the amendments will pass, but given the broad support in the House, the bill itself should.
Today's floor and committee schedules appear below the fold.
In the House, courtesy of the Office of the Democratic Whip:
THE NIGHTLY WHIP: MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012
TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK
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.
“One Minutes”
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)
In the Senate, courtesy of the
Office of the Majority Leader:
Senate Floor Schedule for Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Convenes: 10:00am
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 with the first hour equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees with the Majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the final half.
At 11:15am, the motion to proceed to H.R.2072 will be adopted and the Senate will begin consideration of the bill. The only first degree amendments in order to the bill are the following:
Lee amendment #2100 (phase-out);
Paul amendment #2101 (limitation on Ex-Im support);
Corker amendment #2102 (export credit agencies);
Vitter amendment #2103 (energy development); and
Toomey amendment #2104 ($40 billion increase contingency).
There will be up to two hours of debate to run concurrently on the amendments and the bill, equally divided, between the two Leaders, or their designees, prior to votes in relation to the amendments in the order listed above. Upon disposition of the amendments, the Senate will vote on passage of the bill, as amended, if amended. There will be two minutes equally divided prior to each vote; and all after the first vote be ten minute votes. The amendments and passage of the bill are subject to a 60 affirmative vote threshold. Senators should expect up to 6 roll call votes as early as 2:15pm on Tuesday.
The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.
5/14 wrap-up:
Senate Floor Wrap Up for Monday, May 14, 2012
ROLL CALL VOTE
1) Confirmation of Executive Calendar #571, the nomination of John J. Tharp, of IL, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District; Confirmed: 86-1
LEGISLATIVE ITEMS
Began the Rule 14 process of H.R.5652, Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act of 2012. (Republican request)
EXECUTIVE ITEMS
Confirmed Executive Calendar #570, the nomination of George Levi Russell III, of MD, to be United States District Judge for the District of Maryland by voice vote
Today's House committee schedule:
FOREIGN AFFAIRS------------------------------------------------1:00-Open
Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights Subc. On the case of Chen Guangcheng and those who are helping him. Public witnesses. 2172 RHOB.
RULES-----------------------------------------------------------5:00-Open
Full Committee. On H.R. 4310 – National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2013, and H.R. 4970 – Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012. H-313 Capitol.
Today's Senate committee schedule:
10:00 am
Finance
Hearings to examine tax reform, focusing on what it could mean for tribes and territories.
SD-215
10:00 am
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions: Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging
Hearings to examine the cost of HIV/AIDS drugs and the Prize Fund alternative.
SD-430
2:30 pm
Intelligence
Closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters.
SH-219
2:30 pm
Aging
Hearings to examine solving the long-term unemployment crisis for older workers.
SD-562
3:30 pm
Appropriations: Subcommittee on Department of Homeland Security
Business meeting to markup proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2013 for the Department of Homeland Security.
SD-192