Scott Walker vs. Planned Parenthood

This is it, folks. DFA‘s campaign to recall six anti-union, anti-middle class Wisconsin Republican Senators is almost ready to go and it’s the biggest campaign we’ve ever run.

We’re going to be on the air with new hard-hitting television, radio and web ads against these six Republicans for their votes to destroy unions and middle-class families.

We’re going to be on the ground with a massive canvassing operation that will knock on 137,523 doors in 40 days. DFA Deputy Field Director Nick Passanante is on the ground right now hiring staff for our biggest-ever ground campaign.

And we’re going to be on the phones. That’s right, we’re bringing back our hugely successful Call Out The Vote program with our friends at the PCCC — plugging in thousands of volunteers from across the country to make calls to voters in Wisconsin.

We’re putting together a grassroots campaign because people-power is the only thing that can beat big corporate money — it’s the only thing that ever has. But we can’t do it without you.

www.democracyforamerica.org

These six Republican senators reminded us last week exactly what’s at stake when they voted lockstep with right-wing Gov. Scott Walker to defund Planned Parenthood — another attack in the Republican war on middle class families.

Wisconsin isn’t the only state where right-wing Republicans have launched all-out war on middle class families and we’re working right now to organize volunteers in New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio and all across the country. But Wisconsin is the first state where we have a chance to go to the polls and recall Republicans.

The Wisconsin recall is our biggest campaign ever — and it’s only the beginning. Join us now and send a clear message to Republicans across the country — attack the middle class and you lose.

www.democracyforamerica.org

On the air, on the ground and on the phone — that’s real people power. Please contribute today and we’ll win this fight together.

Thank you for everything you do.

-Jim

Jim Dean, Chair
Democracy for America

CBO’s 2011 Long-Term Budget Outlook

CBO’s 2011 Long-Term Budget Outlook

This Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report presents the agency’s projections of federal spending and revenues over the coming decades. Under current law, an aging population and rapidly rising health care costs will sharply increase federal spending for health care programs and Social Security. If revenues remained at their historical average share of gross domestic product (GDP), such spending growth would cause federal debt to grow to unsustainable levels. If policymakers are to put the federal government on a sustainable budgetary path, they will need to increase revenues substantially as a percentage of GDP, decrease spending significantly from projected levels, or adopt some combination of those two approaches. In keeping with CBO’s mandate to provide objective, impartial analysis, this report makes no recommendations.

Did you hear what Santorum told me? Judd Legum

On Tuesday, we set a goal to raise $20,000 in one week to support ThinkProgress’ on-the-ground, hard-hitting reporting across the country. The response has been overwhelming. In just two days, hundreds of you have contributed, and we are more than halfway to our goal. But we need you to get us over the finish line:

Please click this link and pitch in $5 right now.

 www.thinkprogress.org

In the 48 hours since I wrote to you last, we’ve been following the Tea Party Bus Tour all around the state of Iowa. On Tuesday, we captured Rick Santorum blaming poor history scores on a left-wing plot to keep students uninformed. (Our story was picked up by MSNBC, The Huffington Post, Keith Olbermann, and other major news outlets.) Yesterday, we exposed Tea Party darling Herman Cain‘s plan to put the oil and coal company CEOs in charge of regulations at the EPA.

We believe that the best antidote to the right wing is to ask tough questions, pull back the curtain, and report the facts. With your help, we’ll continue to bring you important stories you can’t find anywhere else.

Sincerely,
Judd Legum
Founder, ThinkProgress.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On Tue, Jun 21, 2011 at 10:25 AM, Judd Legum wrote:
As you may know, ThinkProgress has been hitting the road to ask tough questions and bring you the unvarnished truth from around the country.
For example, when Paul Ryan was booed by his constituents in Milton, Wisconsin, for defending his plan to privatize Medicare, the traditional media was nowhere to be found. But ThinkProgress was there to capture it all on tape. The clip was played dozens of times on national TV, and hundreds of thousands of people watched the video online.
Overall, our reporters have traveled to 20 states, interviewing nine presidential candidates and 56 members of Congress. We are making an impact and shaping the debate.
But this kind of on-the-ground reporting isn’t cheap. We need to raise $20,000 in the next week to keep our efforts going strong.
Can you pitch in $4 right now?

   www.thinkprogress.org
This week, I’m in Iowa to cover the Tea Party Bus Tour — organized by a radical group advocating a return to the gold standard. Several GOP presidential candidates are scheduled to participate.
We’ll be visiting Ames, Iowa Falls, Webster City, Oskaloosa, Creston, and Council Bluffs. With your support, we’ll be able to keep this show on the road and keep holding the right wing accountable.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any comments or questions.

Best,
Judd Legum
Founder, ThinkProgress.org

Senator Sanders breaks down the Koch Echo Chamber

Senator Sanders breaks down the Koch Echo Chamber

Documents and interviews illustrate a vast cottage industry, comprised of Koch brothers’ spokespeople, front groups, think tanks and elected officials, which have built a self-sustaining echo chamber to transform fringe ideas into popular mainstream public policy arguments.

We’re out with a new video today with Senator Bernie Sanders and the Strengthen Social Security Campaign that connects the dots and illustrates how the Koch brothers have moved their self-serving ideas into the mainstream.

www.bravenew01.org

The Koch echo chamber works in a myriad of ways, and Social Security is one example of its effects. Watch the video and see how the Koch brothers achieve their policy goals. Then counter the Koch billions by sharing this video and creating an echo chamber of truth.

Together we can build an echo chamber of our own, one that favors truth, integrity and equal protection for everyone, not just the Koch brothers.

www.bravenew01.org

Yours,
Robert Greenwald

Stop palm oil slavery … Ashley Schaeffer, Rainforest Action Network

The palm oil plantations that Cargill has purchased from—and distributed to America’s household food brands—are rife with human rights violations, including slavery.

Want to remove this shocking reality from your pantry? Start by letting Cargill know that slave labor is unacceptable.

www.ran.org

In Java last year, I interviewed two men with identical stories of being lured away from their hometowns with the promise of well paid work by Cargill supplier Kuala Lumpur Kepong (KLK).

The two were exposed to toxic chemicals in the palm oil fields with no protection and kept under lock and key at night by armed security. Each finally escaped these horrendous slave labor conditions without ever being paid.

I need your help to convince Cargill to stop filling America’s food supply with palm oil that causes environmental and human rights violations like these.

www.ran.org

You’ve already been a massive help in putting Cargill on the path to protecting Indonesia’s rainforests. Just last week, Cargill announced it will finally be offering North American customers palm oil certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). Just two years ago Cargill claimed this was impossible. Your pressure made it happen. Thank you.

We’ve clearly got a few more steps to go to ensure Cargill’s on the right side of rainforests, and I’m asking you to take those steps by my side.

www.ran.org

Are you with me?  

For the forests,

 
Ashley Schaeffer
            Rainforest Agribusiness Campaigner
            Twitter: @probwithpalmoil

The Progress Report … Clarence Thomas

The Clarence Thomas Scandal

Jun 22, 2011 | By Ian Millhiser

In 1969, Justice Abe Fortas resigned in disgrace after the nation learned that he had accepted tens of thousands of dollars worth of gifts from corporate executives and other wealthy benefactors. Forty years later, Justice Clarence Thomas is caught in a strikingly similar scandal. Similarly to Fortas, Thomas has a wealthy benefactor named Harlan Crow who has shown lavish generosity to Thomas and his Tea Partying wife Ginni. And where Fortas had an ad hoc group of corporate executives to subsidize his lifestyle, Thomas seems to have the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) — a corporate-aligned think tank that once gave him a $15,000 gift. We find it difficult to find daylight between Thomas’ actions and the gifting scandal that forced Abe Fortas off the bench.

LAVISH GIFTS: Like Fortas before him, Thomas received tens of thousands of dollars worth of gifts from wealthy benefactors — some of whom have an interest in cases before his court. Crow gave Thomas a $19,000 Bible that belonged to Frederick Douglass. He provided Thomas’ wife with half a million dollars to start a Tea Party group, and he donated over $1 million dollars to fund a museum that will include exhibits honoring Justice Thomas. Crow has a long history of investing in conservative political causes — he’s donated nearly $5 million to Republican candidates and conservative organizations, including $100,000 to the anti-John Kerry Swift Boat Veterans for Truth — but he isn’t even the most troubling entity to rain gifts upon Clarence Thomas. That honor goes to AEI, which gifted Thomas with a $15,000 bust of Abraham Lincoln even though AEI frequently files briefs in Thomas’ Court. Thomas has not recused himself from cases in which AEI participated.

SCANDALS UPON SCANDALS: If Thomas’ addiction to high dollar favors were his only problem, that would be deeply disturbing. But this is just one of many scandals facing the justice. Justice Thomas attended a Koch-sponsored political fundraiser intended to fund the conservative infrastructure of front groups, political campaigns, think tanks, and media outlets, an act that would likely violate his ethical obligation not to engage in fundraising if the Supreme Court were not exempt from the Code of Conduct for U.S. judges. Thomas claimed that his wife Ginni — a lobbyist and high-earning member of the professional right — earned no non-investment income whatsoever while she was working at the right-wing Heritage Foundation, despite having a legal obligation to disclose her income on his annual disclosure form. After Thomas’ failure to disclose this income was widely reported by the press, Thomas amended his disclosure forms to include Ginni’s income. And the fact that his wife is now working as a Tea Party lobbyist could raise recusal issues for Justice Thomas. Ginni Thomas has a right to do whatever she wants for a living, but if the Thomas family earned one dime to lobby in favor of repealing health reform, it would be a serious conflict of interest for Thomas to sit on a case that could make that repeal a reality.

THEIR MAN ON THE COURT: The rich and the powerful have been good to Justice Thomas, but Thomas has been extremely good to them. Thomas didn’t just join the infamous Citizens United decision opening up the flood gates to corporate money in elections, he also would have struck down essential transparency laws that allow Americans to know who is buying their democracy. Thomas stood behind decisions eviscerating consumer rights and the rights of workers in the workplace, and he embraces a vision of the Constitution that is nothing shy of terrifying. In three separate opinions, conservative Thomas called for a return to a discredited theory of the Constitution that early 20th century justices used to declare federal child labor laws unconstitutional. So Thomas has little regard for the Constitution and even less for precedent — perhaps that explains why he has thumbed his nose at the Fortas precedent and entangled himself so tightly with his wealthy and influential benefactors.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You May Have Missed

The natural gas industry has developed the coloring book “Talisman Terry’s Energy Adventure,” starring the “friendly fracosaurus,” a smiling dinosaur who glosses over environmental concerns and promotes the message that fracking is smart.

Several taxi companies and more than 2,000 cab drivers have filed a lawsuit against Georgia’s new immigration law, arguing that the provision that prevents anyone from transporting an undocumented immigrant would burden them with the responsibility of checking the immigration status of each and every one of their passengers.

The State Department warns that if you try to sail to Gaza, Israel may try to kill you.

Former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt now opposes IPAB, even though he once government intervention in the health sector that would have gone further when it comes to health care costs.

NBC has “rewarded” Donald Trump with a hefty paycheck: $65 million a year over two years, “a sum that’s apparently a ‘substantial increase.’”

An undocumented immigrant came forward today with his true identity, not in a police round-up, but on the front page of The New York Times Magazine. Jose Vargas, a Pultizer-Prize-winning journalist who has written for The Huffington Post, The New Yorker and The Washington Post, reports here on his own journey from a childhood in the Bay Area to his successful career to the moment he decided to go public.

The economy has not lived up to growth predictions for June, leading the Federal Reserve into “a zone of inaction” in which it proposes a cautious economic plan and most likely will stay clear of future bond-buying schemes.

Good news for Rep. Michele Bachmann: The double-bind predicament that then-presidential-candidate Hillary Clinton reportedly suffered from in 2008 may no longer be an issue for strong women in the media, according to a new study. Instead, women portrayed as tough seem to benefit in much the same way that tough men do with regards to public opinion.

And Stephen Colbert unveils who he thinks is the GOP’s best candidate: the stick figure from road signs.

what is Congress doing for or against Americans today –

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS
LEGISLATIVE DAY OF JUNE 23, 2011
112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION

 

6:49 P.M. – SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.

6:43 P.M. – ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.

H.R. 2219:

making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012, and for other purposes 

6:41 P.M. – Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 2219as unfinished business.On motion to rise Agreed to by voice vote.

Mr. Young (FL) moved to rise.

5:52 P.M. – GENERAL DEBATE – The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 2219.

5:51 P.M. – The Speaker designated the Honorable Lynn A. Westmoreland to act as Chairman of the Committee.House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 320and Rule XVIII.

Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2219with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be read by paragraph. Bill is open to amendments. Points of order against provisions in the bill for failure to comply with clause 2 of rule XXI are waived.

Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 320.

5:50 P.M. – Mr. Woodall filed a report from the Committee on Rules on H. Res. 328.

5:49 P.M. – The Speaker announced approval of the Journal. Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Journal stands approved.UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on the question of the Speaker’s approval of the Journal.

H.R. 1249:

to amend title 35, United States Code, to provide for patent reform 

The Clerk was authorized to correct section numbers, punctuation, and cross references, and to make other necessary technical and conforming corrections in the engrossment of H.R. 1249.

5:48 P.M. – On passage Passed by recorded vote: 304 – 117 (Roll no. 491).Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

5:42 P.M. – On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 172 – 251 (Roll no. 490).

5:24 P.M. – The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.

5:19 P.M. – DEBATE – The House proceeded with ten minutes of debate on the motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to report the same to the House with an amendment to require the U.S. Patent Office to prioritize patent applications filed by entities that pledge to develop or manufacture their products, processes, and technologies in the U.S., including, specifically, those filed by small businesses and individuals.

5:17 P.M. – Mr. Miller (NC) moved to recommit with instructions to Judiciary.

Mr. Miller (NC) moved to recommit the bill H.R. 1249 to the Committee on the Judiciary with instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith with the following amendment: � Add at the end of the bill the following (and conform the table of contents accordingly): � SEC. 34. PRIORITY IN PROCESSING PATENT APPLICATIONS. ***

5:16 P.M. – The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

5:15 P.M. – The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

5:14 P.M. – The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 1249.On agreeing to the Schock amendment Failed by recorded vote: 158 – 262, 1 Present (Roll no. 489).

5:11 P.M. – On agreeing to the Rohrabacher amendment Failed by recorded vote: 81 – 342 (Roll no. 488).

5:07 P.M. – On agreeing to the Manzullo amendment Failed by recorded vote: 92 – 329 (Roll no. 487).

5:02 P.M. – On agreeing to the Sensenbrenner amendment Failed by recorded vote: 129 – 295 (Roll no. 486).

4:58 P.M. – On agreeing to the Conyers amendment Agreed to by recorded vote: 223 – 198 (Roll no. 485).

4:55 P.M. – Amendment offered by Mr. Conyers.

An amendment numbered 9 printed in Part B of House Report 112-111 to restore language for calculation of 60-day period for application of patent term extension that the managers amendment strikes.

4:54 P.M. – PROCEEDINGS VACATED – By unanimous consent, the disposition proceedings for the Conyers amendment No. 9 were vacated and the Committee of the Whole proceeded to re-vote the Conyers amendment.

4:47 P.M. – On agreeing to the Baldwin amendment Failed by recorded vote: 81 – 342 (Roll no. 483).

4:40 P.M. – On agreeing to the Conyers amendment Failed by recorded vote: 105 – 316 (Roll no. 482).

4:14 P.M. – UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on the adoption of amendments which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings were postponed.

4:13 P.M. – POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Schock amendment, the Chair put t he question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Smith (TX) demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

3:59 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to the provsions of H. Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Schock amendment no. 15.Amendment offered by Mr. Schock.

An amendment numbered 15 printed in Part B of House Report 112-111 to strike section 18 of H.R. 1249, the Transitional program for covered business method patents.

3:58 P.M. – POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Rohrabacher amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced the noes had prevailed. Mr. Rohrabacher demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

3:48 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to the provsions of H. Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Rohrabacher amendment no. 14.Amendment offered by Mr. Rohrabacher.

An amendment numbered 12 printed in Part B of House Report 112-111 to eliminate the burden of post-grant reviews and reexaminations on individual inventors and small businesses with 100 or fewer employees.

3:47 P.M. – POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Manzullo amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced the noes had prevailed. Mr. Manzullo demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

3:38 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to the provsions of H. Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Manzullo amendment no. 13.Amendment offered by Mr. Manzullo.

An amendment numbered 13 printed in Part B of House Report 112-111 to eliminate the ability of the Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to set fees, retaining that authority for Congress.

3:37 P.M. – POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Sensenbrenner amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced the noes had prevailed. Mr. Sensenbrenner demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

3:26 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to the provsions of H. Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Sensenbrenner amendment no. 12.Amendment offered by Mr. Sensenbrenner.

An amendment numbered 12 printed in Part B of House Report 112-111 to strike Section 3 of the legislation, which would convert the U.S. patent system from `first-to-invent’ to `first-to-file.’

3:25 P.M. – By unanimous consent, the Watt amendment was withdrawn.

3:24 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to the provsions of H. Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Watt amendment no. 11.

3:23 P.M. – Amendment offered by Mr. Watt.

An amendment numbered 11 printed in Part B of House Report 112-111 to add a severability clause protecting the remainder of the bill if the Supreme Court determines that certain sections or provisions are unconstitutional.

3:22 P.M. – On agreeing to the Speier amendment Agreed to by voice vote.

3:17 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to the provsions of H. Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Speier amendment no. 10.Amendment offered by Ms. Speier.

An amendment numbered 10 printed in Part B of House Report 112-111 to direct the PTO to prescribe a requirement that parties provide sufficient evidence to prove and rebut a claim of derivation.

3:16 P.M. – POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Conyers amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced the noes had prevailed. Mr. Conyers demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

3:07 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to the provsions of H. Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Conyers amendment no. 9.Amendment offered by Mr. Conyers.

An amendment numbered 9 printed in Part B of House Report 112-111 to restore language for calculation of 60-day period for application of patent term extension that the managers amendment strikes.

On agreeing to the Polis amendment Failed by voice vote.

2:58 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to the provsions of H. Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Polis (CO) amendment no. 8.Amendment offered by Mr. Polis.

An amendment numbered 8 printed in Part B of House Report 112-111 to clarify that the new legislation would apply only to new tax planning patents, not already filed patents which would disclose patent information leaving the applicants vulnerable.

2:57 P.M. – On agreeing to the Peters amendment Agreed to by voice vote.

2:49 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to the provsions of H. Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Peters amendment no. 7.Amendment offered by Mr. Peters.

An amendment numbered 7 printed in Part B of House Report 112-111 to mandate a USPTO-led study on what USPTO, SBA, and other agencies can do to help small businesses obtain, maintain, and enforce foreign patents. This study is to be conducted using existing resources.

2:48 P.M. – On agreeing to the Lujan amendment Agreed to by voice vote.

2:45 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to the provsions of H. Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Lujan amendment no. 6.Amendment offered by Mr. Lujan.

An amendment numbered 6 printed in Part B of House Report 112-111 to add requirements to the satellite office location selection process to ensure that (1) the purposes, as described in the bill, of establishing satellite offices are achieved, (2) recruitment costs are minimized by considering the availability of knowledgeable personnel in the region, and (3) the economic impact to the region is considered. It would also require that the Director in the required report to Congress on the rationale in selecting the location of any satellite office include an explanation of how the selected location will achieve the purposes of satellite offices and how the required considerations were met.

On agreeing to the Jackson Lee (TX) amendment Agreed to by voice vote.

2:39 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to the provsions of H. Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Jackson Lee (TX) amendment no. 5.Amendment offered by Ms. Jackson Lee (TX).

An amendment numbered 5 printed in Part B of House Report 112-111 to add a sense of Congress that it is important to protect the rights of small businesses and inventors from predatory behavior that could result in cutting off innovation and may provide an undue advantage to large financial institutions and high-tech firms.

2:38 P.M. – On agreeing to the Moore amendment Agreed to by voice vote.

2:34 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to the provsions of H. Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Moore amendment no. 4.Amendment offered by Ms. Moore.

An amendment numbered 4 printed in Part B of House Report 112-111 to direct the USPTO to develop methods for studying the diversity of patent applicants, including those applicants who are minorities, women, or veterans. Any results of the study shall not be used for preferential treatment in the patent process.

2:33 P.M. – POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Baldwin amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced the noes had prevailed. Ms. Baldwin demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

2:23 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to the provsions of H. Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Baldwin amendment no. 3.Amendment offered by Ms. Baldwin.

An amendment numbered 3 printed in Part B of House Report 112-111 to strike Section 5, the `prior user rights’ language, and conform H.R. 1249 to H.R. 1908, as passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on September 7, 2007, and S. 23, as passed by the U.S. Senate on March 8, 2011.

2:22 P.M. – POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS – At the conclusion of debate on the Conyers amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced the noes had prevailed. Mr. Conyers demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.

2:11 P.M. – DEBATE – Pursuant to the provsions of H. Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Conyers amendment no. 2.Amendment offered by Mr. Conyers.

An amendment numbered 2 printed in Part B of House Report 112-111 to insert language to move the United States to a first to file system only upon a Presidential finding that other major patent authorities have adopted a similar one-year grace period.

2:09 P.M. – On agreeing to the Smith (TX) amendment Agreed to by recorded vote: 283 – 140 (Roll no. 481).

1:51 P.M. – UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced the unfinished business was on the question of adoption of an amendment which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings were postponed.The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.

Considered as unfinished business.

H. Res. 320:

providing for consideration of the bill ( H.R. 2219) making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2012, and for other purposes 

1:50 P.M. – On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by recorded vote: 251 – 173 (Roll no. 480).Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

1:33 P.M. – On ordering the previous question Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 247 – 168 (Roll no. 479).

12:31 P.M. – DEBATE – The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H. Res. 320.

12:30 P.M. – Considered as privileged matter.

12:28 P.M. – ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House resumed one minute speeches.

12:26 P.M. – The Speaker laid before the House a message from the President transmitting a notification of the continuance of the national emergency with respect to the Western Balkans -referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 112-41).

12:24 P.M. – The Speaker laid before the House a message from the President transmitting a notification of the continuance of the national emergency with respect to the proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula and the actions and policies of the Government of North Korea that destabilize the Korean Peninsula – referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 112-40).

12:04 P.M. – ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches which by direction of the Chair, would be limited to 15 per side of the aisle.

12:03 P.M. – ADJUSTMENT OF WHOLE NUMBER OF HOUSE – Under clause 5(d) of Rule XX, the Chair announced to the House that, in light of the resignation of the Gentleman from New York, the whole number of the House is 432.

12:02 P.M. – The House received a communication from Cesar A. Perales, Secretary of State, State of New York. Mr. Perales informed the House he had received the resignation of Anthony D. Weiner as New York’s 9th Congressional District Representative in the United States House of Representatives. The New York State Department of State filed the letter on June 20, 2011. A copy of Mr. Weiner’s letter of resignation was attached.PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Altmire to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

12:01 P.M. – SPEAKERS APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL – The Chair announced that he had examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and had approved it. Mr. Hultgren demanded that the question be put on agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal and by voice vote, the Chair announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Hultgren objected to the voice vote based upon the absence of a quorum and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal until later in the legislative day.Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Patrick J. Conroy.

12:00 P.M. – The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of June 23.

11:12 A.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 P.M. today.

10:01 A.M. – MORNING-HOUR DEBATES – The House proceeded with Morning Hour Debates. At the conclusion of Morning Hour, the House will recess until 12:00 p.m. for the start of legislative business.

10:00 A.M. – The Speaker designated the Honorable Michael G. Fitzpatrick to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.The House convened, starting a new legislative day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

• The Senate Convenes: 10am June 23, 2011
• • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business until 11:30am with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, with the time 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.
  • Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S.679, the Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act with the Vitter amendment #499 regarding czars and the DeMint amendment #510 regarding Bureau of Justice Statistics debated concurrently with up to 30 minutes of debate, with Senators Vitter, DeMint, Reid, and McConnell, or their designees, each controlling 7 ½ minutes.
  • Upon the use or yielding back of time (at approximately 12pm), the Senate will conduct 2 roll call votes in relation to the following:
    • Vitter amendment #499 regarding czars (60-vote threshold)
    • DeMint amendment #510 regarding Bureau of Justice Statistics (majority-vote threshold)
  • The following amendments are pending to S.679, the Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act:
    • DeMint amendment #501 (IMF bailouts)
    • DeMint amendment #511 (legislative & public affairs)
    • Portman amendment #509 (Comptrollers of Navy, Army, Air Force; Controller of OMB and department CFOs)
    • Cornyn amendment #504 (strike provisions re: Comptroller of the Army, Navy and Air Force)
    • Toomey amendment #514 (strikes the provision relating to the Governors and alternate governors of the IMF and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development)
    • Carper amendment #517 (GAO report)
    • McCain amendment #493 (Navajo and Hopi Relocation Office)
    • Akaka amendment #512 (Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans)
    • Paul amendment #502 (Treasurer of the United States)
    • Paul amendment #503 (Director of the Mint)
• • • VOTES
  • The Senate began a roll call vote on the Vitter amendment #499 (czars) to S.679, the Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act (60-vote threshold); Not agreed to: 47-51.
  • The Senate began a roll call vote on the DeMint amendment #510 (Bureau of Justice Statistics) to S.679, the Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act; Not Agreed to: 41-57

Adopted S.Res.215, designating the month of June 2011 as “National Cytomegalovirus Awareness Month.”