Remember, you can join me for an excruciatingly detailed look at all this and more on
Daily Kos Radio each weekday morning, from 9-11 EDT. (Yes, podcasts will be available soon.) On Tuesday, I took some time to explain filling the amendment tree, and yesterday, I put a good hour and a half into explaining just how badly the filibuster can screw up relations between the two houses of Congress, and makes getting to an agreement in conference over differences between versions of a bill even more complicated, and a bonus discussion of motions to recommit.
Think you can hack it? Click here or on the button below to listen. I'm telling you, you could listen to NPR forever and not get this. Though there may be a good reason for that. Hmm.
Recapping yesterday's action:
The House spent the bulk of its day on debate of and amendments to what they're calling the "Domestic Energy and Jobs Act," which is just the latest "Drill Baby, Drill!" bill, with the word "jobs" tacked onto the end of it. But they also shoehorned in the voice vote passage of the Senate FDA user fee bill.
The Senate's day was mostly given over to farm bill amendments, and they've now made their way through 63 of the 73 amendments originally permitted under their agreement (though I believe I saw that they may have added one or two to the total, by a separate agreement).
Looking ahead to today:
The House has 10 more amendments to consider to the current fake jobs bill, and then they'll launch into a marathon of voting, having postponed 11 roll call votes on amendments from yesterday. In addition to this bill, there are two more motions to instruct conferees on the seemingly stalled surface transportation bill, plus a vote on a third one postponed from yesterday.
I have to say, I've never seen so many motions to instruct on a single bill. And keep in mind that all such instructions are non-binding on the conferees, anyway. Transportation has been an absolute mess, from start to finish, in this Congress. Multiple, patchwork extensions of previous authorizations to hold them over until the new bill could be passed, and then having to split the new authorization bill into multiple parts, followed by this complete $#*t-storm of motions to instruct. It's no wonder people are saying this thing could die before ever getting out of conference. What a joke. You know things have gone to hell when you can't pass a bill that spreads cash out all over the country to put people to work building roads and bridges.
The Senate has eight more amendments to the farm bill to consider today, all of which will be subject to "painless filibusters," that is, a 60-vote requirement to pass. The same will be required for final passage of the bill.
One other vote is possible, apparently depending on reaching an agreement to bump the vote up to today, on invoking cloture on the motion to proceed to consideration of the flood insurance bill.
Today's floor and committee schedules appear below the fold.
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In the House, courtesy of the Office of the Democratic Whip:
THE NIGHTLY WHIP: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012
TOMORROW’S OUTLOOK
On Thursday, 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)
Complete Consideration of H.R. 4480 – Domestic Energy and Jobs Act (Rep. Gardner – Energy and Commerce/Natural Resources)
The Rule provides for no further general debate and makes in order the remaining amendments:
Rep. Holt Amendment #18 (10 minutes of debate)
Reps. Wittman/Rigell Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Reps. Westmoreland/Braley Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Bass (CA) Amendment #21 (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Bass (CA) Amendment #22 (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Capps Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Hanabusa Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Speier Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Reps. DeLauro/Markey/Frank Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Rep. Jackson-Lee Amendment (10 minutes of debate)
Postponed Amendment Votes (11 amendments)
Rep. Hastings (WA) Manager’s Amendment
Rep. Waxman Amendment
Rep. Connolly Amendment #8
Rep. Gene Green Amendment
Rep. Rush Amendment
Rep. Holt Amendment #12
Rep. Connolly Amendment #13
Rep. Amodei Amendment
Rep. Markey Amendment
Rep. Landry Amendment
Rep. Rigell Amendment
Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 4348 – Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012, Part II (Rep. Hoyer)
Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 4348 – Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012, Part II (Rep. Black)
Postponed Vote (1 vote)
Motion to Instruct Conferees on H.R. 4348 – Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012, Part II (Rep. McKinley)
In the Senate, courtesy of the
Office of the Majority Leader:
Senate Floor Schedule for Thursday, June 21, 2012
Convenes: 10:30am
Following the prayer and pledge, the Majority Leader will be recognized.
Following the remarks of the two Leaders, the time until 11:00am will be equally divided and controlled.
At 11:00am, the Senate will resume consideration of S.3240,the Farm bill and the votes on the remaining amendments to the bill.
Therefore, Senators should expect the following series of roll call votes at approximately 11:00am:
If an agreement is reached, there will be an additional roll call vote:
- Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to S.1940, the Flood Insurance bill.
6/20 wrap-up:
Senate Floor Wrap Up for Wednesday, June 20, 2012
ROLL CALL VOTES
1) McConnell motion to proceed to S.J.Res.37, a joint resolution of disapproval regarding EPA’s Mercury Air and Toxics Standards; not agreed to: 46-53
2) DeMint amendment #2273 (broadband) to S.3240, the Farm bill; Not Agreed To: 20-79
3) Merkley amendment #2382 (organic crop insurance); Agreed To: 63-36
4) Coburn amendment #2289 (MAP); Not Agreed To: 30-69
5) Coburn amendment #2293 (limit millionaires); Agreed To: 63-36
6) Kerry amendment #2454 (North Korea); Agreed To: 59-40
7) Kyl amendment #2354 (North Korea); Not Agreed To: 43-56
8) Udall (CO) amendment #2295 (bark beetle); Agreed To: 77-22
9) Lee amendment #2313 (Forest Legacy); Not Agreed To: 21-77
10) Lee amendment #2314 (CSP/CRP cut); Not Agreed To: 15-84
11) Boozman amendment #2350 (TEFAP); Not Agreed To: 35-63-1
12) Toomey amendment #2226 (energy title); Not Agreed To: 36-63
13) Toomey amendment #2433 (sugar); Not Agreed To: 46-53
14) Lee motion to recommit (FY 2008); Not Agreed To: 29-70
15) Johnson (WI) motion to recommit (nutrition/agriculture titles); Not Agreed To: 40-59
16) Vitter amendment #2363 (pets), as modified (60-vote threshold); Agreed To: 88-11
17) Chambliss amendment #2438 (conservation crop insurance); Agreed To: 52-47
18) Thune amendment #2437 (crop insurance); Not Agreed To: 44-55
19) Durbin-Coburn amendment #2439 (crop insurance); Agreed To 66-33
LEGISLATIVE ITEMS
Adopted S.Res.500, a resolution celebrating the accomplishments of title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, also known as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, and recognizing the need to continue pursuing the goal of equal educational opportunities for all women and girls.
Adopted S.Res.501, supporting Men’s Health Week.
Adopted S.Res.502, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the signing of the First Morrill Act.
No EXECUTIVE ITEMS
Today's House committee schedule:
HOUSE COMMITTEE MEETINGS
Thursday, June 21, 2012
HOUSE MEETS AT 9:00 AM
APPROPRIATIONS------------------------------------------------9:30-Open
Commerce, Justice, and Science Subc. On oversight of the National Weather Service. Dept. witnesses. H-309 Capitol.
ENERGY & COMMERCE--------------------------------------------9:30-Open
Health Subc. On oversight of the National Institutes of Health. Francis Collins, Director, NIH. 2123 RHOB.
ENERGY & COMMERCE-------------------------------------------10:15-Open
Environment and the Economy Subc. On reviewing electronic submissions of hazardous waste manifests. Dept. and public witnesses. 2322 RHOB.
FINANCIAL SERVICES---------------------------------------------9:30-Open
Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit Subc. On issues surrounding the provision of retail banking services to money service businesses, which engage in activities such as currency exchange, sale of traveler’s checks and money orders, and money transmission. Dept. and public witnesses. 2128 RHOB.
HOMELAND SECURITY--------------------------------------------9:00-Open
Oversight, Investigations, and Management Subc. On issues with the U.S.-Caribbean border focusing on Caribbean maritime drug routes, the high level of drug-related violence in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the connection between drug cartels and terrorists. Luis Fortuno, Governor, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and dept. witnesses. 311 CHOB.
RULES----------------------------------------------------------11:00-Open
Full Committee. On H.R. _ - Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act for FY 2013, and H.R. _ - Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Act for FY 2013. H-313 Capitol.
SCIENCE, SPACE, & TECHNOLOGY---------------------------------9:30-Open
Energy and Environment Subc. On improving Department of Energy research and innovation. Public witnesses. 2318 RHOB.
SELECT INTELLIGENCE---------------------------------------------9:00-Ex.
Full Committee. On ongoing intelligence activities. HVC-304 Capitol.
SMALL BUSINESS-----------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Investigations, Oversight, and Regulations Subc. On addressing regulatory burdens associated with lending to small businesses, with specific focus on the management of the Small Business Administration’s financial assistance programs. Public witnesses. 2360 RHOB.
VETERANS’ AFFAIRS--------------------------------------------10:00-Open
Economic Opportunity Subc. On H.R. 4115 – To amend Title 38, U.S. Code, to require, as a condition on the receipts by a state of certain funds for veterans employment and training that the state ensures that training received by a veteran while on active duty is taken into consideration in granting certain state certifications or licenses, H.R. 4740 – To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to ensure that relocation of a servicemember to serve on active duty away from the servicemember’s principal residence does not prevent the servicemember from refinancing a mortgage on that principal residence, H.R. 3860 – To amend Title 38, U.S. Code, to clarify the responsibilities of small businesses with respect to the employment and reemployment rights of veterans, and H.R. 5747 - To amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to improve the protections for servicemembers against mortgage foreclosures. 334 CHOB.
WAYS & MEANS--------------------------------------------------9:00-Open
Social Security Subc. On oversight of the findings in the 2012 Annual Report of the Social Security Board of Trustees. Dept. witnesses. B-318 RHOB.
Today's Senate committee schedule:
Time to be announced.
Environment and Public Works
Business meeting to consider H.R.1160, to require the Secretary of the Interior to convey the McKinney Lake National Fish Hatchery to the State of North Carolina, S.1324, to amend the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to prohibit the importation, exportation, transportation, and sale, receipt, acquisition, or purchase in interstate or foreign commerce, of any live animal of any prohibited wildlife species, S.1201, to conserve fish and aquatic communities in the United States through partnerships that foster fish habitat conservation, to improve the quality of life for the people of the United States, S.2018, to amend and reauthorize certain provisions relating to Long Island Sound restoration and stewardship, S.3264, to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program, S.2104, to amend the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 to reauthorize grants for and require applied water supply research regarding the water resources research and technology institutes established under that Act, S.3304, to redesignate the Environmental Protection Agency Headquarters located at 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. in Washington, D.C., as the "William Jefferson Clinton Federal Building", to redesignate the Federal building and United States Courthouse located at 200 East Wall Street in Midland, Texas, as the "George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush United States Courthouse and George Mahon Federal Building", and to designate the Federal building housing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Headquarters located at 99 New York Avenue N.E., Washington D.C., as the "Eliot Ness ATF Building", H.R.1791, to designate the United States courthouse under construction at 101 South United States Route 1 in Fort Pierce, Florida, as the "Alto Lee Adams, Sr., United States Courthouse", S.3311, to designate the United States courthouse located at 2601 2nd Avenue North, Billings, Montana, as the "James F. Battin United States Courthouse", the nominations of Allison M. Macfarlane, of Maryland, and Kristine L. Svinicki, of Virginia, both to be a Member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and a proposed resolution relating to the General Services Administration.
TBA
10:00 am
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Hearings to examine perspectives on money market mutual fund reforms.
SD-538
10:00 am
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Hearings to examine the nomination of Michael Peter Huerta, of the District of Columbia, to be Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation.
SR-253
10:00 am
Finance
Hearings to examine Russia's World Trade Organization (WTO) accession, focusing on the Administration's views on the implications for the United States.
SD-215
10:00 am
Foreign Relations
Hearings to examine implementation of the New Start Treaty, and related matters.
SD-419
10:00 am
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Hearings to examine the nominations of Katherine C. Tobin, of New York, and James C. Miller III, of Virginia, both to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service.
SD-342
10:00 am
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Hearings to examine an update on Olmstead enforcement, focusing on using the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to promote community integration.
SD-430
10:00 am
Judiciary
Business meeting to consider S.250, to protect crime victims' rights, to eliminate the substantial backlog of DNA samples collected from crime scenes and convicted offenders, to improve and expand the DNA testing capacity of Federal, State, and local crime laboratories, to increase research and development of new DNA testing technologies, to develop new training programs regarding the collection and use of DNA evidence, to provide post conviction testing of DNA evidence to exonerate the innocent, to improve the performance of counsel in State capital cases, S.285, for the relief of Sopuruchi Chukwueke, S.1744, to provide funding for State courts to assess and improve the handling of proceedings relating to adult guardianship and conservatorship, to authorize the Attorney General to carry out a pilot program for the conduct of background checks on individuals to be appointed as guardians or conservators, and to promote the widespread adoption of information technology to better monitor, report, and audit conservatorships of protected persons, and the nominations of Brian J. Davis, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida, Terrence G. Berg, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan, Jesus G. Bernal, to be United States District Judge for the Central District of California, Lorna G. Schofield, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York, Grande Lum, of California, to be Director, Community Relations Service, and Jamie A. Hainsworth, to be United States Marshal for the District of Rhode Island, John S. Leonardo, to be United States Attorney for the District of Arizona, Patrick A. Miles, Jr., to be United States Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, and Danny Chappelle Williams, Sr., to be United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma, all of the Department of Justice.
SD-226
1:30 pm
Judiciary: Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights
Hearings to examine the Universal Music Group/EMI merger and the future of online music.
SD-226
2:30 pm
Armed Services: Subcommittee on Personnel
Hearings to examine Department of Defense programs and policies to support military families with special needs in review of the Defense Authorization request for fiscal year 2013 and the Future Years Defense Program.
SD-106
2:30 pm
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia
Hearings to examine security clearance reform, focusing on sustaining progress for the future.
SD-342
2:30 pm
Intelligence
Closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters.
SH-219