Recapping yesterday's action:
The House made short work of yesterday's suspension schedule, plus the attempt to repeal part of the Affordable Care Act, rejecting all amendments offered, and then passing the bill by a vote of 267-159, with a weird mix of 28 Democrats voting with Republicans, who were unanimously in support.
The Senate? Well, the Senate was the Senate. They debated the STOCK Act, but held no roll call votes. Hey, maybe today, right?
Looking ahead to today:
The House moves on to the "Pro-Growth Budgeting Act"—which we'll call PGBA, or "Pig-Bah"—today. How exciting! It's pro-growth, which is great! What does it do? It requires the Congressional Budget Office to:
prepare for each major bill or resolution reported by any congressional committee (except the congressional appropriations committees), as a supplement to CBO cost estimates, a macroeconomic impact analysis of the costs of such legislation for: (1) the period for which the cost estimate is prepared, and (2) the 10-fiscal year period beginning with the first fiscal year after the last fiscal year for which such estimate was prepared and each of the 2 next 10-fiscal year periods.
Sounds easy! And doable, too! Probably with no extra budget necessary for CBO personnel. Or at least I hope so, since there's no chance in hell the Republicans would ever actually pay for this kind of work. Maybe poor kids could do it in between scrubbing toilets, though.
After Pig-Bah, there are a few more housekeeping items, including a rule for tomorrow's "Baseline Reform Act" (I agree, baselines suck and are in need of reform), plus the delayed vote on a motion to instruct the payroll tax cut extension conferees.
The Senate goes back to the grind of the STOCK Act today, with still more off-the-floor negotiations seeking an agreement on scheduling amendments and votes, and just maybe wrapping this thing up before the week is out.
Today's floor and committee schedules appear below the fold.
In the House, courtesy of the Office of the Democratic Whip:
THE NIGHTLY WHIP: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2012
TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK
On Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. Morning Hour debate and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.
First votes expected: 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Last votes expected: 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
“One Minutes” (15 per side)
H.R. 3582 - Pro-Growth Budgeting Act of 2011 (Rep. Price (GA) - Budget/Rules) (Subject to a Rule)
The Rule provides for one hour of general debate and makes in order the following amendments:
Rep. Peters Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Connolly Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Walz Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Fudge Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Jackson-Lee Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Quigley Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Flake Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Cicilline Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Begin Consideration of H.R. 3578 - Baseline Reform Act of 2011 (Rep. Woodall - Budget) (Subject to a Rule)
The Rule provides for one hour of general debate and makes in order the following amendment:
Rep. Jackson-Lee Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Postponed Vote (1 vote):
Democratic Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 3630 - Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011 (Offered by Rep. Michaud)
In the Senate, courtesy of the Office of the Majority Leader:
Schedule for Thursday, February 2, 2012
The Senate will convene at 9:30am.
Following any Leader remarks, there will be a period of morning business until 11:00am, with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each. The Majority will control the first half and the Republicans will control the final half.
Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S.2038, STOCK Act.
The managers of the bill will continue to negotiate an agreement to complete action on the bill tomorrow. Senators will be notified when any agreement is reached.
2/1 wrap-up:
Senate Floor Wrap Up for Wednesday, February 1, 2012
No ROLL CALL VOTES
LEGISLATIVE ITEMS
Passed S.1296, A bill to revise the boundaries of John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System Sachuest Point Unit RI-04P, Easton Beach Unit RI-05P, Almy Pond Unit RI-06, and Hazards Beach Unit RI-07 in the State of Rhode Island.
Passed HR 588, To redesignate the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge as the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge.
Adopted S.Res.365, honoring the life of Kevin Hagan White, the Mayor of Boston, Massachusetts from 1968 to 1984.
Adopted S.Res 366, Honoring the life of dissident and democracy activist Wilman Villar Mendoza and condemning the Castro regime for the death of Wilman Villar Mendoza.
No EXECUTIVE ITEMS
Today's House committee schedule:
BUDGET-------------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Full Committee. On the state of the U.S. economy. Ben Bernanke, Chairman, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. 210 CHOB.
EDUCATION & THE WORKFORCE----------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subc. On examining the challenges facing the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and the Defined Benefit Pension Plans. Dept. and public witnesses. 2175 RHOB.
FINANCIAL SERVICES--------------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Oversight and Investigations Subc. On the recent bankruptcy filing by the financial derivatives broker MF Global Holdings Ltd. Public witnesses. 2128 RHOB.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS-------------------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Full Committee. On Ahmadinejad’s tour of tyrants and Iran’s agenda in the Western Hemisphere. Public witnesses. 2172 RHOB.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS---------------------------------------------------------------------2:00-Open
Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights Subc. On U.S. policy towards the post-election Democratic Republic of Congo. Dept. and public witnesses. 2172 RHOB.
JUDICIARY---------------------------------------------------------------------------2:30-Open
Constitution Subc. On discussing contingent fees and conflicts of interest in state attorney general enforcement of federal law. 2141 RHOB.
OVERSIGHT & GOVERNMENT REFORM----------------------------------------9:00-Open
Full Committee. On management failures at the Department of Justice. Eric Holder, Attorney General. 2154 RHOB.
SELECT INTELLIGENCE------------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Full Committee. On worldwide threats to U.S. national security. HVC-210 Capitol.
SMALL BUSINESS--------------------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Agriculture, Energy, and Trade Subc. On the effect of proposed Department of Labor regulations on small business producers. Dept. and public witnesses. 2360 RHOB.
TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE--------------------------------------9:00-Open
Full Committee. Markup of H.R. 7 – American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act. 2167 RHOB.
VETERANS’ AFFAIRS---------------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Economic Opportunity Subc. On lowering the rate of unemployment for the National Guard. 334 CHOB.
WAYS & MEANS------------------------------------------------------------------------9:00-Open
Social Security Subc. On the accuracy and uses of the Death Master File maintained by the Social Security Administration. Michael Astrue, Commissioner, Social Security Administration. B-318 RHOB.
CONFERENCE-----------------------------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Conference. On H.R. 3630 – To extend the payroll tax holiday, unemployment compensation, Medicare physician payment, provide for the consideration of the Keystone XL pipeline, and for other purposes. HVC-201 Capitol.
Today's Senate committee schedule:
9:30 am
Energy and Natural Resources
Hearings to examine the final report of the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future.
SD-366
10:00 am
Budget
Hearings to examine the budget and economic outlook, focusing on fiscal years 2012-2022.
SD-608
10:00 am
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Hearings to examine innovations in college affordability.
SD-430
10:00 am
Judiciary
Business meeting to consider S.1925, to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, and the nominations of Paul J. Watford, of California, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit, and Dennis J. Erby, to be United States Marshal for the Northern District of Mississippi, Department of Justice.
SD-226
2:15 pm
Indian Affairs
Hearings to examine S.1739, to provide for the use and distribution of judgment funds awarded to the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe by the United States Court of Federal Claims in Docket Numbers 19 and 188, S.356, to amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act to make technical corrections, and S.908, to provide for the addition of certain real property to the reservation of the Siletz Tribe in the State of Oregon.
SD-628
2:30 pm
Intelligence
Closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters.
SH-219