Today in Congress

In the House, courtesy of the Office of the Majority Leader:

House Meets At... 12:30 p.m.: Morning Hour
2:00 p.m.: Legislative Business
Unlimited "One Minutes" Per Side

Last Vote Predicted... 7:00 p.m.

Suspensions (4 Bills)

1)     H.Res. 41 - Supporting the goals and ideals of National Mentoring Month 2009 (Rep. Davis (CA) – Education and Labor)

2)     H.Res. __ - Honoring the life of Claiborne Pell, distinguished former Senator from the State of Rhode Island (Rep. George Miller (CA) – Education and Labor)

3)     H.Res. 43 - Recognizing the efforts of those who serve their communities on Martin Luther King Day and promoting the holiday as a day of national service (Rep. Platts – Education and Labor)

4)     H.Res. 15 - Authorizing and directing the Committee on the Judiciary to inquire whether the House should impeach G. Thomas Porteous, a judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana (Rep. Conyers – Rules)

In the Senate, courtesy of the Office of the Majority Leader:

Convenes: 10:00am

Morning Business for up to 1 hour with senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each. The Majority will control the first 30 minutes and the Republicans will control the second 30 minutes.

Following Morning Business, the Senate will resume consideration of S.22, the Lands bill.
The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly party luncheons.

2:30pm filling deadline for 1st degree amendments.

In the Committees:

House

Committee	Date	Time	Purpose
Financial Services	Tue., 1/13	2:00 p.m.	"Priorities for the Next Administration: Use of TARP Funds under EESA"
Rules	Tue., 1/13	5:00 p.m.	H.R. 384 - TARP Reform and Accountability Act of 2009; H.R. _ - Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009

Senate

Committee	Date	Time	Purpose
Budget	Tue., 1/13	9:30 a.m.	Confirmation: Peter Orszag, OMB Director; Robert Nabors, Deputy Director
Foreign Relations	Tue., 1/13	9:30 a.m.	Confirmation: Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State
Banking	Tue., 1/13	10:00 a.m.	Confirmation: Shaun Donovan, HUD Secretary
Energy	Tue., 1/13	10:00 a.m.	Confirmation: Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy
Health, Ed., Labor	Tue., 1/13	10:00 a.m.	Confirmation: Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education

Not too much happening on the floors today. Four suspensions in the House, and continuing work on S. 22, the Bingaman public lands bill in the Senate. Cloture was invoked on the motion to proceed on Sunday, and Harry Reid (D-NV)  filed for cloture on the underlying bill yesterday, which means we're looking at a Wednesday afternoon cloture vote, and then as much of the 30 post-cloture hours as Tom Coburn (R-OK) can arrange with his remaining supporters to eat up, before finally voting on the bill itself and moving on to catch up with the House's work on the Fair Pay and Pay Equity Acts, not to mention any crack they may decide to take at a resolution of disapproval on the second tranche of the Wall Street bailout.

The hot ticket in the committees today will probably be the Hillary Clinton (D-NY) confirmation hearing on her nomination as Secretary of State. Some folks think the most awkward moment will be between John Kerry (D-MA), who had reportedly been interested in the job, and Clinton, who actually got the offer. But maybe it'll be between Clinton and the Senator who's apparently got an interest in giving her the hardest time about Bill's various entanglements, Sen. David Vitter (R-LA).

Why would that be awkward?

Think about it.

I say "Bill Clinton and David Vitter," and you think... what? Come on. Seriously!

I rarely give advice to Republicans that's meant to be taken at face value, but this is an exception. Vitter. Dude. I know that's not what you intend. You know that's not what you intend. But it don't matter, guy. You're stuck with this thing forever. You need to just keep your head down on this one and back away slowly.