Congressional
Climate Bill Tracking
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Video Of The Day
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Greetings!
Please enjoy today's issue of the Congressional Climate newsletter, brought to you by Lobbyit.com!
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Today's Hill Action:
THE SENATE:
The Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m. for morning business. Thereafter, they will proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination of Arenda L. Wright Allen to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia.
SENATE COMMITTEES:
Senate Appropriations (10:00 a.m.): Subcommittee on Dept. of Homeland Security - Hearings to examine the proposed budget estimates for fiscal year 2012 for the Coast Guard, focusing on an examination of operational and recapitalization requirements. SD-138.
Senate Banking, Housing, & Urban Affairs (10:00 a.m.): Hearings to examine reviewing the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission's final report. SD-538.
Senate Energy & Natural Resources (10:00 a.m.): Hearings to examine new developments in upstream oil and gas technologies. SD-366.
Senate Finance (10:00 a.m.): Hearings to examine perspectives on deficit reduction, focusing on Social Security. SD-215. Senate Foreign Relations (10:00 a.m.): Hearings to examine steps needed for a successful 2014 transition in Afghanistan. SD-419. Senate Judiciary (10:00 a.m.): Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology & the Law - Hearings to examine protecting mobile privacy, focusing on smartphones, tablets, cell phones and privacy. SD-226. Senate Armed Services (2:30 p.m.): Subcommittee on Emerging Threats & Capabilities - Closed hearings to examine proliferation prevention programs at the Dept. of Energy and the Dept. of Defense in review of the Defense Authorization Request for fiscal year 2012 and the Future Years Defense Program; to be immediately followed by an open hearing in SR-232A. SVC-217. Senate Committee, Science, & Transportation (2:30 p.m.): Hearings to examine the Transportation Worker Identification Credential Program. SR-253. Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs (2:30 p.m.): Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, & the District of Columbia : Subcommittee on Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, & International Security - Joint hearings to examine a roadmap for a more efficient and accountable Federal government, focusing on implementing the Government Performance and Results (GPRA) Modernization Act. SD-562. Senate Intelligence (2:30 p.m.): Closed hearings to examine certain intelligence matters. SH-219.
The House will meet at 10:00 a.m. today.
HOUSE COMMITTEES:
House Appropriations (9:30 a.m.): Interior & Environment Subcommittee - Hearing to examine the fiscal year 2012 budget request for the National Endowment of the Arts. B-308 RHOB.
House Foreign Affairs (9:30 a.m.): Hearing to examine the Peace Corps at 50. 2172 RHOB.
House Appropriations (10:00 a.m.): Defense Subcommittee - Hearing to examine the fiscal year 2012 budget request for the Dept. of Defense health programs. 2359 RHOB. House Appropriations (10:00 a.m.): Legislative Branch Subcommittee - Hearing to examine the fiscal year 2012 budget request for the Government Printing Office and the Congressional Budget Office. HT-2 Capitol.
House Armed Services (10:00 a.m.): Hearing to conduct markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2012. 2118 RHOB.
House Education & The Workforce (10:00 a.m.): Higher Education & Workforce Training Subcommittee - Hearing to examine removing inefficiencies in the nation's job training programs. 2175 RHOB.
House Financial Services (10:00 a.m.): Domestic Monetary Policy & Technology Subcommittee - Hearing to examine monetary policy and the debt ceiling. 2128 RHOB.
House Homeland Security (10:00 a.m.): Oversight, Investigations, & Management Subcommittee - Hearing to examine the U.S.-Mexico border law enforcement. 311 CHOB.
House Judiciary (10:00 a.m.): Crime, Terrorism, & Homeland Security Subcommittee - Hearing to review the U.S. PATRIOT Act. 2141 RHOB.
House Science, Space, & Technology (10:00 a.m.): Hearing to review hydraulic fracturing technology and practices. 2318 RHOB.
House Veterans' Affairs (10:00 a.m.): Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee - Hearing to examine the Dept. of Veterans' Affairs information technology strategy. 334 CHOB.
House Energy & Commerce (10:30 a.m.): Hearing to conduct markup of pending legislation. 2123 RHOB.
House Transportation & Infrastructure (10:30 a.m.): Water Resources & Environment Subcommittee - Hearing to review EPA mining policies. 2167 RHOB.
House Ways & Means (10:30 a.m.): Hearing to conduct markup of H.R. 1745 - Jobs, Opportunity, Benefits, & Services Act. 1100 LHOB.
House Appropriations (11:00 a.m.): Interior & Environment Subcommittee - Hearing to examine the fiscal year 2012 budget request for the National Endowment for the Humanities. B-308 RHOB.
House Small Business (1:00 p.m.): Hearing to conduct markup of H.R. 1425 - Creating Jobs Through Small Business Innovation Act. 2360 RHOB.
House House Administration (1:30 p.m.): Oversight Subcommittee - Hearing to examine issues and challenges for the Government Printing Office. 210 CHOB.
House Judiciary (1:30 p.m.): Immigration Policy & Enforcement Subcommittee - Hearing to examine H.R. 1741 - The Secure Visas Act. 2141 RHOB.
House Oversight & Government Reform (1:30 p.m.): National Security, Homeland Defense, & Foreign Operations Subcommittee - Hearing to review the U.S. Agency for International Development. 2247 RHOB.
House Energy & Commerce (2:00 p.m.): Health Subcommittee - Hearing to conduct markup of pending legislation. 2123 RHOB. House Financial Services (2:00 p.m.): Capital Markets & Government Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee - Hearing to examine legislative proposals to address the negative consequences of the Dodd-Frank whistleblower provisions. 2128 RHOB.
House Oversight & Government Reform (2:00 p.m.): TARP, Financial Services, & Bailouts of Public & Private Programs Subcommittee - Hearing to examine transparency as an alternative to risk retention. 2154 RHOB.
House Rules (3:00 p.m.): Hearing to examine H.R. 754 - Intelligence Authorization Act for fiscal year 2011. H-313 Capitol.
House Foreign Affairs (4:30 p.m.): Hearing to conduct markup of H.Res. 209 - A resolution directing the secretary of State to transmit to the House of Representatives copies of any document, record, memo, correspondence or other communication of the Dept. of State or any portion of such communication that refers or relates to any consultation with Congress regarding Operation Odyssey Dawn or military actions in or against Libya. 2172 RHOB.
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Democrats to reintroduce DREAM Act
Senate Democrats will re-introduce the long-stalled DREAM Act, hoping to tap into momentum from President Barack Obama's speech along the border Tuesday about America's need to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and other Democrats will urge passage of the DREAM Act at a news conference Wednesday morning at the Capitol.
Foundering in Congress for a decade, the legislation was passed in the House but came up five votes short of overcoming a Republican filibuster in the Senate during last December's lame-duck session. The DREAM Act would provide a path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants brought to the country as children if they attend college or join the military for two years.
At a speech in El Paso, Texas, Obama called on Congress to pass the bill and "stop punishing innocent young people for the actions of their parents."
"It was a tremendous disappointment to get so close and then see politics get in the way," Obama said. "These are kids who grew up in this country, love this country, and know no other place as home. The idea that we would punish them is cruel and it makes no sense. We are a better nation than that.
"So we're going to keep up the fight for the Dream Act. We're going to keep up the fight for reform."
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Paul opens Iowa office, says expect decision soon
Texas U.S. Rep. Ron Paul on Tuesday opened a campaign office in Iowa, site of the nation's leadoff presidential caucuses, and said he expects to decide within a week whether to again seek the Republican nomination.
"I think I'm on the verge of it," said Paul, speaking at his new Iowa headquarters in Ankeny, a Des Moines suburb.
Paul announced that veteran activist Drew Ivers would serve as chairman of his Iowa campaign.
Paul said that if he makes the decision to run for president for a third time, Iowa's caucuses will be an important test. He also vowed to compete in a straw poll in August being sponsored by the Republican Party of Iowa.
On Thursday, Paul raised more than $1 million in 24 hours with an online fundraising effort, and he said that encouraged him to consider seeking the nomination.
"I do know now there's a lot more enthusiasm than ever before," Paul said. "I think the enthusiasm and support and the organization is going to be so much stronger."
He argued that conditions in the country have left voters frustrated and angry, and that's made them willing to listen to his libertarian message.
"Not only that, it's the conditions of the country are so much more different," he said. "It's the economy and the foreign policy and the debt, and we have the frustration and anger of the people is dramatically different."
Paul rejected suggestions that his libertarian views would put him at odds with Republican activists in the state who are heavily dominated by evangelical conservatives.
"I think I have a unique position," Paul said. "I have a personal lifestyle that is very socially conservative."
Paul has called for an end to the many wars around the globe, arguing from a financial perspective that the country shouldn't continue "spending trillion and trillions of dollars on endless wars."
"I am very, very conservative on the social issues while at the same time not being an authoritarian and tell everybody how to run their lives," he said.
Paul declined to predict how he'll fare in the caucuses, but says he'll have to show some strength. Besides opening his campaign office, Paul headed for the Statehouse to meet with GOP lawmakers and appeared on talk radio programs. It's his third swing through Iowa in the past month.
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The CIA has informed two Senate committees that their members can view post-mortem photos of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden if they wish, a congressional aide said on Tuesday.
The CIA invited members from the Senate Intelligence Committee and Senate Armed Services committee to make an appointment with the intelligence agency to see the photographs, the aide said.
President Barack Obama last week ruled out making the photos available for public viewing because it could incite violence and be used by al Qaeda as a propaganda tool.
Bin Laden was killed by a U.S. strike team that surprised him at his Pakistan compound a week ago. He was buried at sea.
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