Recapping yesterday's action:
The House kicked the day off with a steaming hot cup of hypocrisy, using the procedure they used to decry as traitorous and unconstitutional—the "Demon Pass," a childish play on "deem and pass"—to pretend the Senate has agreed to the ridiculous Ryan budget. What they did was stick a provision in the rule for yesterday's "Sportsmen's Heritage Act" that said:
Pending the adoption of a concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2013, the provisions of House Concurrent Resolution 112, as adopted by the House, shall have force and effect in the House as though Congress has adopted such concurrent resolution
In other words, the House would vote to say that even though the Senate didn't and never will pass the Ryan budget (House Concurrent Resolution 112), the House intends to pretend it did. See, among other things, it's against the rules for the House to consider appropriations bills later this year unless there's a real budget in place. House Republicans could always waive that when the time comes, but they make that and a few other budget and appropriations operations easier on themselves by voting now to simply pretend a budget
is in place later on. That's the problem with these institutions that make their own rules. They can always waive them when they become inconvenient. Can't really be avoided.
Anyway, that's all done now. They've deemed the budget passed, and made it legal to import polar bear parts from Canada. That's quite a day.
The Senate had its cloture vote of the day, this time agreeing to limit debate on the motion to proceed to Joe Lieberman's turd of a postal reform bill, and then agreeing unanimously to yield back post-cloture time, agree to the motion, and move right to consideration of the bill. But failing to get an agreement to stick only to germane amendments (Rand Paul was having none of that nonsense), Majority Leader Harry Reid quickly "filled the amendment tree" to block unwanted amendments, and filed for cloture on a committee substitute amendment, and the bill itself.
While waiting for the cloture motion to ripen for a vote on Thursday, the Senate then moved to the motion to proceed to the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act. No doubt they'll end up having to file cloture on that motion as well. But it's a way to pass the time until Thursday.
Looking ahead to today:
Today, the House takes up what I believe is the ninth emergency band-aid transportation authorization extension bill of the 112th Congress. At this point, nearly 10% of the entire public law output of the 112th is made up of transportation extensions, even though transportation authorization is usually a relatively easy, bipartisan affair. This time, however, Republicans are killing themselves internally, with Tea Party types battling old line Republicans over vague, ill-defined notions about what constitutes wasteful spending and the like. Unable to resolve the issues, they haven't found a way to put a permanent renewal on the table that they can patch together a working coalition to pass. But hey, if you thought that was a sign of incompetence and a do-nothing Congress, keep in mind that over 15% of the public law output has actually been post office and federal building naming legislation. Together, those two things by themselves constitute a quarter of their entire output.
Don't worry, though. That's not all the House has planned for the day. They're also going to vote on the Mark Twain commemorative coin.
The Senate will pass the day in debate over the motion to proceed to the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, while the clock ticks down on the ripening of the cloture motion on the postal reform bill.
Today's floor and committee schedules appear below the fold.
In the House, courtesy of the Office of the Democratic Whip:
THE NIGHTLY WHIP: TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2012
TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK
On Wednesday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for Morning Hour debate and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business.
First votes expected: 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Last votes expected: 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
“One Minutes” (15 per side)
H.R. 4348 – Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012, Part II (Rep. Mica – Transportation and Infrastructure/Ways and Means/Natural Resources/Science, Space, and Technology/Energy and Commerce) (Subject to Rule)
The Rule provides for one hour of general debate and makes in order the following amendments:
Rep. Boustany Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Ribble Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. McKinley Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Postponed Suspension (1 Bill)
- H.R. 2453 - Mark Twain Commemorative Coin Act, as amended (Rep. Luetkemeyer – Financial Services)
In the Senate, courtesy of the
Office of the Majority Leader:
Senate Floor Schedule for Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Convenes: 9:30am
Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S.1725, the Violence Against Women 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.
As a reminder to all Senators, cloture was filed on the Lieberman-Collins substitute amendment #2000, as modified and on S.1789, the Postal Reform bill on Tuesday. If no agreement is reached, the cloture vote on the substitute amendment will occur Thursday morning.
The filing deadline for first degree amendments to the Lieberman-Collins substitute amendment #2000, as modified and to S.1789 is 1:00pm on Wednesday.
4/17 wrap-up:
Senate Floor Wrap Up for Tuesday, April 17, 2012
ROLL CALL VOTE
1) Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.1789, the Postal Reform bill; Invoked: 74-22
LEGISLATIVE ITEMS
Adopted S.Res.420, designating April 5, 2012, as “Gold Star Wives Day”.
Adopted S.Res.421, designating April 20 through 22, 2012 as “Global Youth Service Day”.
Adopted S.Res.422, commending and congratulating the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team for winning the Division I NCAA Championship.
Adopted S.Res.423, congratulating Western Washington University for winning the 2012 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Men’s Basketball Championship.
No EXECUTIVE ITEMS
Today's House committee schedule:
AGRICULTURE---------------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Full Committee. Markup of a proposal to satisfy the committee’s budget reconciliation instructions required by H.Con.Res. 112 – Establishing the budget for the United States government for FY 2013 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for FY 2014 through 2022. 1300 LHOB.
APPROPRIATIONS------------------------------------------------9:30-Open
Energy and Water Development Subc. Markup of H.R. _ - Energy and Water Appropriations Act for FY 2013. 2362-B RHOB.
ARMED SERVICES------------------------------------------------3:00-Open
Oversight and Investigations Subc. On reviewing the Navy’s 30 year shipbuilding plan. 2118 RHOB.
EDUCATION & WORKFORCE--------------------------------------10:00-Open
Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subc. On reviewing the impact of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs’ regulatory and enforcement actions. Public witnesses. 2175 RHOB.
ENERGY & COMMERCE-------------------------------------------10:15-Open
Health Subc. On reviewing the 2012 FDA user fees. Dept. and public witnesses. 2123 RHOB.
ENERGY & COMMERCE-------------------------------------------10:30-Open
Oversight and Investigations Subc. On examining budget and spending concerns at the Department of Energy. Dept. witnesses. 2322 RHOB.
FINANCIAL SERVICES-------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Full Committee. Markup of a discussion draft for H.R. __ Affordable Housing and Self-Sufficiency Improvement Act of 2012, and a committee print of budget reconciliation legislative recommendations of the Financial Services Committee. 2128 RHOB.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS-----------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Full Committee. On reviewing the status of North Korea post Kim Jong-Il. Public witnesses. 2172 RHOB.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS------------------------------------------------2:00-Open
Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade Subc. On examining the budget, programs, and policies of the Bureau of Counterterrorism at the Department of State. Dept. witnesses. 2172 RHOB.
HOMELAND SECURITY-------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Full Committee. Markup of H.R. 3674 – Promoting and Enhancing Cybersecurity and Information Sharing Effectiveness Act of 2011. 311 CHOB.
HOMELAND SECURITY--------------------------------------------2:00-Open
Transportation Security Subc. On building secure partnerships in travel, commerce, and trade with the Asia-Pacific region. 311 CHOB.
HOUSE ADMINISTRATION----------------------------------------10:00-Open
Oversight Subc. On ensuring continuity and efficiency during leadership transitions at the Library of Congress. 1310 LHOB.
JUDICIARY-------------------------------------------------------9:00-Open
Constitution Subc. On oversight of the Department of Justice’s voting rights enforcement. Public witnesses. 2141 RHOB.
JUDICIARY------------------------------------------------------11:15-Open
Immigration Policy and Enforcement Subc. On using E-Verify to prevent document fraud in employment authorization. 2141 RHOB.
JUDICIARY-------------------------------------------------------1:30-Open
Full Committee. Markup of a proposal to satisfy the committee’s budget reconciliation instructions required by H.Con.Res. 112 – Establishing the budget for the United States government for FY 2013 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for FY 2014 through 2022. 2141 RHOB.
OVERSIGHT & GOVERNMENT REFORM-----------------------------10:00-Open
Full Committee. Markup of H.R. 538 – Federal Customer Service Enhancement Act, H.R. 4257 – Federal Information Security Amendments Act, H.R. 4363 – Providing the authority to offer phased retirement to federal employees, H.R. __ - Clarifying that federal tax levies may be enforced against TSP accounts, and H.R. 4364 – Reforming the law governing the pay of recess appointees. 2154 RHOB.
SCIENCE, SPACE & TECHNOLOGY--------------------------------10:00-Open
Research and Science Education Subc. On ensuring fiscal responsibility and accountability at the National Science Foundation major multi-user research facilities management. Public witnesses. 2318 RHOB.
SCIENCE, SPACE & TECHNOLOGY---------------------------------2:00-Open
Technology and Innovation Subc. On innovative growth in wireless technology. Public witnesses. 2318 RHOB.
SMALL BUSINESS------------------------------------------------1:00-Open
Full Committee. On the tax outlook for small businesses. Public witnesses. 2360 RHOB.
TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE---------------------------10:00-Open
Water Resources and Environment Subc. On examining how reliability of the inland waterway system impacts economic competitiveness. Dept. and public witnesses. 2167 RHOB.
VETERANS’ AFFAIRS--------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Full Committee. On examining the claims representatives’ role in the disability claims process. Public witnesses. 334 CHOB.
VETERANS’ AFFAIRS----------------------------------------------1:30-Open
Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subc. Markup of H.R. 4114 – To increase, effective as of Dec. 1, 2012, the rates of compensations for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, H.R. 4142 – To amend Title 38, U.S. Code, to provide for annual cost-of-living adjustments to be made automatically by law each year in the rates of disability compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for survivors of certain service-connected disabled veterans, and H.R. 2377- To amend Title 38, U.S. Code, to provide for expedited procedures for the consideration of certain veterans claims. 334 CHOB.
WAYS & MEANS--------------------------------------------------9:30-Open
Full Committee. Markup of a proposal to satisfy the committee’s budget reconciliation instructions required by H.Con.Res. 112 – Establishing the budget for the United States government for FY 2013 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for FY 2014 through 2022. 1100 LHOB.
Today's Senate committee schedule:
2:30 pm
Armed Services: Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
Hearings to examine financial management and business transformation at the Department of Defense.
SD-G50
That's it? Hmm. I suspect someone is still asleep at the switch on the Senate schedule page.