Yes, we'll be going live with Daily Kos Radio again today, kicking off at 10 a.m. for our morning segment.
Just the House today. Senator Elvis has left the Capitol.
Recapping yesterday's action:
The House took a break from working on appropriations bills that are under veto threat, to spend the first five hours or so of the work day passing a different bill under veto threat. Specifically, the Protect Medical Innovation (by cutting taxes) Act. The bill repeals a 2.3% excise tax on medical device manufacturers that was part of the Affordable Care Act, and it's paid for by recapturing overpayments of health coverage subsidies made when a taxpayer's income increases from one year to the next, and the subsidies were paid based on the previous year's income. The Hill's Floor Action blog encapsulates the issues nicely.
So what's the incentive to work harder and earn more next year, right? Or something like that.
Afterwards, the House turned back to the Homeland Security appropriations bill, and worked through another marathon amendment session, finally winding things up with a vote on passage at about 10 p.m.
But they weren't done quite yet, and spent another hour and a half on Rep. Paul Broun's (R-GA-10) motion to instruct conferees on the surface transportation bill. Now, I didn't get to see the debate on this, but I would have thought this was about as mundane as a motion could get. And yet I see from the House Clerk's notes that someone was threatened with having their words taken down during the debate, which is usually cause for some excitement. So they at least had that going for them.
The Senate voted overwhelmingly to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the farm bill, 90-8. The eight, of course, being the usual suspects. No word yet if there's any deal in place with regard to amendments, but the process is underway, and those voting against cloture today are usually among the sources of the more controversial amendments. We'll see what percolates up when they return next week.
Looking ahead to today:
The House will cram one more appropriations bill in before breaking for the weekend. This next one up is the Legislative Branch approps bill, and I'm uncertain of the veto threat status of this one. I'm not exactly sure whether it's the case that every single appropriations bill will more or less automatically be subject to veto because they're all going to be out of compliance with the Budget Control Act, based as they are on the "deemed" non-budget. But without having looked the bill over, I'd guess off the top of my head that this particular bill might not vary as greatly from what was expected under last summer's agreement, just because they don't tend to go hog wild with overspending on themselves, but neither do they usually cut any deeper than they really have to. But if most of the other numbers from other bills are out of whack, it might just have made it impossible for this bill's numbers not to be out of whack, too.
Before finally bolting for the doors, they'll also need to hold the postponed vote held over from late last night on the Broun motion to instruct. Last vote is expected in the early afternoon, which means those of you at Netroots Nation and expecting House Members to show up will likely find them arriving on early evening flights, in time for dinner.
The Senate is not in session today.
Today's floor and committee schedules appear below the fold.
In the House, courtesy of the Office of the Democratic Whip:
THE NIGHTLY WHIP: THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 2012
TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK
On Friday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business.
First votes expected: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Last votes expected: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
“One Minutes” (5 per side)
H.R. 5882 - Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2013 (Rep. Crenshaw – Appropriations)
The Rule provides for one hour of general debate and makes in order the following amendments:
Rep. Gosar Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Broun Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Holt Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Scalise Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Reps. Moran (VA)/Welch/Pingree Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Harper Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Flake Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Postponed Vote (1 vote)
Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 4348 - Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012, Part II (Rep. Broun)
6/7 wrap-up:
Senate Floor Wrap Up for Thursday, June 7, 2012
ROLL CALL VOTE
1) Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.3240, the Farm bill; Invoked: 90-8
LEGISLATIVE ITEMS
Discharge the Agriculture committee and passed S.3261, a bill to allow the Chief of the Forest Service to award certain contracts for large air tankers.
Passed H.R.5883, to make a technical correction to Public Law 112-108 (H.R.1423, designating a Postal facility in Ardmore, Oklahoma).
Passed H.R.5890, to make a technical correction to Public Law #112-122 (H.R.2072, the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2012).
Discharged Judiciary and adopted S.Res.476, honoring the contributions of the late Fang Lizhi to the people of China and the cause of freedom by voice vote.
Adopted S.Res.488, commending the efforts of the firefighters and emergency response personnel of Main, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, who came together to extinguish the May 23, 2012, fire at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.
Completed the Rule 14 process of S.3268, To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide rights for pilots, and for other purposes. (Inhofe)
Completed the Rule 14 process of S.3269, To provide that no United States assistance may be provided to Pakistan until Dr. Shakil Afridi is freed. (Paul)
No EXECUTIVE ITEMS
Today's House committee schedule:
ENERGY & COMMERCE---------------------------------------------------9:30-Open
Oversight and Investigations Subc. On Medicare contractors’ efforts to fight fraud. Dept. witnesses. 2123 RHOB.
ENERGY & COMMERCE--------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Health Subc. On reviewing the current state of accreditation for medical imaging and radiation therapy technologists. Dept. and public witnesses. 2322 RHOB.
JUDICIARY----------------------------------------------------------------9:30-Open
Full Committee. Markup of H.R. 4377 – Responsibility and Professionally Invigorating Development Act of 2012, H.R. 4018 – Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Improvements Act of 2012, H.R. 3668 – Counterfeit Drug Penalty Enhancement Act of 2011, H.R. 4223 – Safe Does Act, H.R. 4369 – Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2012, and H.R. 5889 – Nuclear Terrorism Conventions Implementation and Safety of Maritime Navigation Act of 2012. 2141 RHOB.
NATURAL RESOURCES---------------------------------------------------9:00-Open
National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Subc. On H.R. 3641 – Pinnacles National Park Act, H.R. 3894 – Pullman Historic Site National Park Service Study Act, H.R. 4606- To authorize the issuance of right-of-way permits for natural gas pipelines in Glacier National Park, H.R. 5544 – Minnesota Education Investment and Employment Act, and H.R. 5791 – Emergency Water Supply Restoration Act. MC’s, dept., and public witnesses. 1334 LHOB.
NATURAL RESOURCES--------------------------------------------------11:00-Open
Indian and Alaska Native Affairs Subc. On reviewing the Federal Communications Commission’s rule on the Universal Service Fund and its impact on American Indians and Alaska Natives. Dept. and public witnesses. 1324 LHOB.
WAYS & MEANS-----------------------------------------------------------9:30-Open
Select Revenue Measures Subc. On reviewing the framework for how Congress should evaluate certain expiring tax provisions. Dept. and public witnesses. 1100 LHOB.
No Senate committee meetings are scheduled for today.