Today in Congress/Open Thread

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

FLOOR SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

House meets at 9:00 a.m. for Legislative Business

Five “One Minutes” Per Side

Last Vote Predicted: Evening

**Members are advised votes could be as early as 9:30 a.m.

H.R. 7060 – Renewable Energy and Job Creation Tax Act of 2008 (Rep. Rangel – Ways and Means) (Subject to a Rule)

H.Res. 1500 – Providing for consideration of motions to suspend the rules (Rep. Slaughter – Rules)

H.Res. 1503 – Same Day Consideration Rule – Waiving a requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII with respect to the consideration of certain resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules (Rep. Slaughter – Rules)

H.R. __ – Providing for Appropriations for Job Creation and Preservation, Infrastructure Investment, and Economic and Energy Assistance for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2009, and for other purposes (Rep. Obey – Appropriations) (Subject to a Rule)

Suspensions (27 Bills):

1)     H.R. 6999 – Integrated Deepwater Program Reform Act of 2008 (Rep. Cummings – Transportation and Infrastructure)

2)     S. 2482 – To repeal the provision of title 46, United States Code, requiring a license for employment in the business of salvaging on the coast of Florida (Sen. Nelson – Transportation and Infrastructure)

3)     H.R. 3068 – Federal Protective Service Guard Contracting Reform Act of 2007 (Rep. Holmes Norton – Transportation and Infrastructure)

4)     H.Res. 1224 – Commending the Tennessee Valley Authority on its 75th anniversary (Rep. Cramer – Transportation and Infrastructure)

5)     H.R. __ – A bill related to Iran sanctions and divestment (Rep. Berman – Foreign Affairs)

6)     H.R. 7081 – United States-India Nuclear Cooperation Approval and Nonproliferation Enhancement Act (Rep. Berman – Foreign Affairs)

7)     H.R. __ – To authorize the transfer of naval vessels to certain foreign recipients, and for other purposes (Rep. Berman – Foreign Affairs)

    H.R. 6063 – National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008 (Rep. Udall (CO) – Science and Technology)

9)     H.R. 7083 – Charity Enhancement Act of 2008 (Rep. Lewis (GA) – Ways and Means)

10)   H.R. 7082 – The Inmate Tax Fraud Prevention Act (Rep. Ramstad– Ways and Means)

11)   S. 3477 – Presidential Historical Records Preservation Act of 2008 (Sen. Warner – Oversight and Government Reform)

12)   S. 3350 – Bill to provide that claims of the United States to certain documents relating to Franklin Delano Roosevelt shall be treated as waived and relinquished in certain circumstances (Sen. Schumer – Oversight and Government Reform)

13)   H.R. 2786 – Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act (Rep. Kildee – Financial Services)

14)   H.R._ – Small Business Lending Improvements Act of 2008 (Rep. Velazquez – Small Business)

15)   S. 3325 – the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property (PRO-IP) Act of 2008 (Sen.  Leahy – Judiciary)

16)   S.1738 – Combating Child Exploitation Act of 2008 (PROTECT ACT) (Sen. Biden – Judiciary)

17)   H.R. 7084 – Webcaster Settlement Act (Rep. Inslee – Judiciary)

18)   H.R. __ – The Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008 (Rep. Lungren – Judiciary)

19)   S. 3296 – A bill to extend the authority of the United States Supreme Court Police to protect court officials off the Supreme Court Grounds and change the title of the Administrative Assistant to the Chief Justice (Sen. Leahy – Judiciary)

20)   H.R. 5057 – Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act of 2008 Debbie Smith Act (Rep. Maloney – Judiciary)

21)   S. 2840 – Military Personnel Citizenship Processing Act (Sen. Schumer – Judiciary)  

22)   H.R. 6146 – To amend title 28, United States Code, to prohibit recognition and enforcement of foreign defamation judgments (Rep. Cohen – Judiciary)

23)   H.R. 3174 – Equal Justice For Our Military Act (Rep. Davis (CA) – Judiciary)

24)   H.R. 1777 – Need -Based Educational Aid Act of 2008 (Rep. Delahunt – Judiciary)

25)   H.R. 1283 – Arthritis Prevention, Control, and Cure Act of 2007 (Rep. Eshoo – Energy and Commerce)

26)   S. 3560 – A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security (Sen. Baucus – Energy and Commerce)

27)   H.R. 2297 – Arizona National Scenic Trail Act (Rep. Giffords – Natural Resources)

Postponed Suspension Votes (7 Bills):

1)     H.R. 928 – Inspector General Reform Act of 2008 (Rep. Cooper – Oversight and Government Reform)

2)     S. 1046 – Senior Professional Performance Act of 2008 (Sen. Voinovich – Judiciary)

3)     H.R. 6045 – Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant Act of 2008 (Rep. Visclosky – Judiciary)

4)     H.Con.Res. 214 – Posthumous pardon to John Arthur “Jack” Johnson (Rep. Peter King – Judiciary)

5)     H.R. 4120 – Effective Child Pornography Prosecution Act of 2007(Rep. Boyda/Carney – Judiciary)

6)   S. 1382 – ALS Registry Act (Sen. Reid – Energy and Commerce)

7)   S. 2932 – The Poison Center Support, Enhancement, and Awareness Act of 2008 (Sen. Murray – Energy and Commerce)

• Conference Reports may be brought up at any time.
• Motions to go to Conference should they become available.
• Possible Motions to Instruct Conferees.

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

Convenes: 9:30am

Morning Business with senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

The Senate is expected to consider the economic stimulus legislation on Friday. A vote in relation to the bill is expected to occur in the 11:00-11:30am range.

They’re still not on to consideration of the bailout. Instead, it’s the long-rumored second stimulus package today, and it’s looking like the two chambers might be on different tracks on that. Today was the target date for adjournment, but I don’t see how they’re going to get that done. The Senate is already talking about a weekend session, and that might cover it. But if the House and Senate pass different versions of the stimulus package — or any of the other bills they’re considering in the closing hours, for that matter — they’re going to have to stay in session a little longer to settle their differences. Or the Senate could force its hand by adding their version of the stimulus to the CR that the House passed the other day, bouncing that back to the House. The Senate may not actually get to that vote on the CR until tomorrow, though, so the House will have to hang around, anxious to leave though they may be. Depending on how anxious they actually are, they may end up having to take what the Senate gives them and go home.

By the way, note today’s consideration of H. Res. 1500, a resolution making it in order to consider suspension bills today. We had one of those yesterday, too, and it’s necessary because normally, House rules require that suspension bills be brought only on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, with Wednesday being a relatively recent addition. Of course, the rule also says you can bring suspensions during the last few days of a session, so I’m not entirely sure whether resolutions like this one are entirely necessary. But I suppose you can never be absolutely sure ahead of time when the last days of a session are, so better safe than sorry.

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