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Greetings!
Please enjoy today's issue of the Congressional Climate newsletter, brought to you by Keys to the Capitol! |
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Today's Hill Action:
THE SENATE:
The Senate is in session.
SENATE COMMITTEES:
Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation (2:30 p.m.): Subcommittee on Science and Space: Hearings to examine space, focusing on the value.
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (10 a.m.): Business meeting to consider the nominations of Craig Becker, of Illinois, Mark Gaston Pearce, of New York, and Brian Hayes, of Massachusetts, all to be a Member of the National Labor Relations Board, Rolena Klahn Adorno, of Connecticut, and Marvin Krislov, of Ohio, both to be a Member of the National Council on the Humanities, Gloria Valencia-Weber, of New Mexico, Julie A. Reiskin, of Colorado, Martha L. Minow, of Illinois, John Gerson Levi, of Illinois, and Robert James Grey, Jr., of Virginia, all to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Legal Services Corporation, and David Morris Michaels, of Maryland, to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Senate Veterans Affairs (9:30 a.m.): Hearings to examine S.977, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide improved benefits for veterans who are former prisoners of war, S.1109, to provide veterans with individualized notice about available benefits, to streamline application processes or the benefits, S.1118, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for an increase in the amount of monthly dependency and indemnity compensation payable to surviving spouses by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, S.1155, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish the position of Director of Physician Assistant Services within the office of the Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for health, S.1204, to amend the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act of 2001 to require the provision of chiropractic care and services to veterans at all Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers, S.1237, to amend title 38, United States Code, to expand the grant program for homeless veterans with special needs to include male homeless veterans with minor dependents and to establish a grant program for reintegration of homeless women veterans and homeless veterans with children, S.1302, to provide for the introduction of pay-for-performance compensation mechanisms into contracts of the Department of Veterans Affairs with community-based outpatient clinics for the provisions of health care services, S.1394, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to acknowledge the receipt of medical, disability, and pension claims and other communications submitted by claimants, S.1427, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish a Hospital Quality Report Card Initiative to report on health care quality in Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, S.1429, to establish a commission on veterans and members of the Armed Forces with post traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, or other mental health disorders, to enhance the capacity of mental health care providers to assist such veterans and members, to ensure such veterans are not discriminated against, S.1444, to amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify the meaning of "combat with the enemy" for purposes of service-connection of disabilities, S.1467, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide coverage under Traumatic Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance for adverse reactions to vaccinations administered by the Department of Defense, S.1483, to designate the Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Alexandria, Minnesota, as the "Max J. Beilke Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic", S.1518, to amend title 38, United States Code, to furnish hospital care, medical services, and nursing home care to veterans who were stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, while the water was contaminated at Camp Lejeune, S.1531, to amend title 38, United States Code, to establish within the Department of Veterans Affairs the position of Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction, S.1547, to amend title 38, United States Code, and the United States Housing Act of 1937 to enhance and expand the assistance provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness, S.1556, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to permit facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to be designated as voter registration agencies, S.1607, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for certain rights and benefits for persons who are absent from positions of employment to receive medical treatment for service-connected disabilities, and S.1668, to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for the inclusion of certain active duty service in the reserve components as qualifying service for purposes of Post-9/11 Educational Assistance Program, and any pending calendar business.
Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (9:30 a.m.): Hearings to examine H1N1 flu, focusing on monitoring the nation's response.
Senate Energy and Natural Resources (9:45 a.m.): Hearings to examine the costs and benefits for energy consumers and energy prices associated with the allocation of greenhouse gas emission allowances.
Senate Judiciary (2 p.m.): Hearings to examine the nominations of Jane Branstetter Stranch, of Tennessee, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit, and Benjamin B. Tucker, of New York, to be Deputy Director for State, Local, and Tribal Affairs, Office of National Drug Control Policy.
THE HOUSE:
House Veterans Affairs (10 a.m.): Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subc. Markup of pending legislation.
House (Select) Intelligence (10 a.m.): Full Committee. On an update on Mexico.
House Science and Technology (10 a.m.): Full
Committee. Markup of H.R. 3791 - The Fire Grants Reauthorization Act, and H.R. 3820 - The Natural Hazards Risk Reduction Act.
House Oversight and Government Reform (2 p.m.): Information Policy, Census, and National Archives Subc. On concerns with the 2010 Census master address file.
House Agriculture (10 a.m.): Rural Development, Biotechnology, Specialty Crops, and Foreign Agriculture Subc. On examining the Department of Agriculture's rural business programs and to review current conditions for rural entrepreneurship and business development. Dept. and public witnesses.
House Agriculture (2 p.m.): Full Committee. Markup of derivatives legislation and to approve the Dunloup Creek Watershed of West Virginia and the Cape Cod Watershed of Massachusetts projects
House Armed Services (10 a.m.): Full Committee. On the issues and challenges about military redeployment from Iraq. Dept. witnesses
House Energy and Commerce (10 a.m.): Full Committee. Markup of pending legislation.
House Financial Services (10 a.m.): Full Committee. Markup of continued financial regulatory reform legislation.
House Foreign Affairs (10 a.m.): Full Committee. On U.S. policy toward Burma. Dept. and public witnesses.
House Foreign Affairs (2 p.m.): International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight Subc. On international violence against women. Nicole Kidman, Actress, UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador.
House Administration (1 p.m.): Elections Subc. On modernizing the elections registration process.
House Judiciary (10:15 a.m.): Full Committee. Markup of pending legislation and approving subcommittee assignments for Rep. Judy Chu
House Natural Resources (10 a.m.): Full Committee. On H.R. 2523 - Helping Expedite and Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership Act. Dept. and public witnesses.
House Rules (3 p.m.): Full Committee. On H.R. 3619 - Coast Guard Authorization Act.
House Science and Technology (2 p.m.): Energy and Environment Subc. On biomass for thermal energy and electricity. Public witnesses.
House (Select) Intelligence (2 p.m.): Full Committee. On the Patriot Act Reauthorization.
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House Bill May Make Changes in Patriot Act:
House Judiciary Committee leaders on Tuesday introduced a bill to place new restrictions on government surveillance and seizures in anti-terrorism investigations, while allowing the Obama administration to continue some tactics used by its predecessor.
Three important sections of the USA Patriot Act will expire at year's end, unless Congress continues them in the law designed to prevent a terrorist attack on the homeland. The bill, sponsored by three liberal Democrats, only would renew two of them.
The proposal would eliminate the government's authority to spy on a "lone wolf," a non-U.S. citizen suspected of terrorism who may not be part of a recognized terrorist group. The Justice Department said the government has never used this authority but wants to keep it available.
The other two provisions would continue with modifications.
Roving wiretaps still would be allowed, to permit surveillance on multiple phones when a suspect keeps switching cell phones.
The bill would restrict surveillance to a single, identifiable target.
And the government still could obtain a court order to seize documents and other tangible items, including business records.
The bill would require the government to produce specific facts, to show the items are relevant to an authorized investigation. Recipients of the search orders would be able to immediately challenge them and any gag order preventing disclosure.
The legislation would increase protections for libraries and bookstores. Records seizures would be prohibited if the material would identify patrons.
A current, 30-day delay in notifying someone of a secret, "sneak and peek" search would be shortened to seven days.
Other parts of the Democratic proposal would place restrictions on national security letters, which are used by the FBI to obtain information without a court order. The government would have to articulate specific information, showing reasonable grounds to believe the material sought is related to a foreign power or agent.
The sponsors of the Patriot Act changes also proposed amendments to a separate law allowing collection of foreign intelligence information.
The proposal would repeal the retroactive immunity given to telephone companies, who complied with a Bush administration warrantless wiretapping program. Courts would have to determine whether the complying companies acted properly under laws in effect at the time.
All the changes were sponsored by three Democratic lawmakers: John Conyers Jr. of Michigan, Judiciary Committee chairman; and two subcommittee chairmen, Jerrold Nadler of New York and Bobby Scott of Virginia.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved its version of Patriot Act changes and sent the legislation to the full Senate.
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The bills are S. 1692 and H.R. 3845.
KTC |
Senator Byrd Returns For Vote: 
West Virginia Democrat Robert C. Byrd reappeared on the Senate floor Tuesday with some of his old bluster back after a season of frailty, this time to manage a $44.1 billion homeland security spending bill.
"There are some people in this country who have become complacent about the threat of another attack," Byrd, chairman of the homeland security subpanel of the vaunted Appropriations Committee, said in a clear voice. "Don't count me as one of them."
Don't count him out, either.
Byrd, 91, is the longest-serving senator in history and has come back from debilitating illness before. Last year as chairman of the full Appropriations Committee, lobbyists and others spread rumors that he was too frail to continue to serve in that capacity. Byrd, who had weakened physically, stepped down from the chairmanship when he was ready - after the 2008 elections.
He retained his chairmanship of the subcommittee, however, which is what brought him to the floor Tuesday looking more alert and steady than he has at other points in the year. The matter at hand was a House-Senate spending agreement on security measures against natural disaster, terrorist attacks and other threats.
Byrd spoke from a wheelchair in a clear voice, rather than stand. He held up fingers as he ticked off his priorities that helped shaped the legislation. He appeared engaged in the proceedings, looking from other speakers to the clock and cocking his head toward an aide who whispered in his ear.
It wasn't long ago that colleagues worried that the dean of the Senate was near death. Byrd spent the spring and summer fighting life-threatening infections, most recently after suffering a fall at his home in Northern Virginia.
He attended a Capitol ceremony honoring the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and on Sept. 10 delivered a tearful tribute on the Senate floor to his one-time rival and longtime friend. Byrd chaired a hearing on the homeland security spending package Oct. 7, and spoke on the Senate floor last week questioning the wisdom of sending more troops to Afghanistan.
His spokesman, Jesse Jacobs, said his boss was off antibiotics and continues physical therapy.
KTC |
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Until tomorrow,
Keys To The Capitol |
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