Bank of America called …Jess Kutch, Change.org

Sign Molly’s petition telling Bank of America to cancel its $5 debit card fee

When Molly Katchpole found out that Bank of America would charge $5 a month to use a debit card, she was upset — so she started a petition on Change.org.

Since then, 225,000 Change.org members have signed her petition. And now Bank of America is under enormous pressure to cancel its new debit card fee. A Bank of America executive even called Molly and told her that while cancelling the fee would be “premature,” the bank was “closely monitoring customer feedback.”

More public pressure could be enough to push the bank to cancel its new $5 debit card fee. Can you sign Molly’s petition asking Bank of America to cancel its new debit card fee? Bank of America is listening to you — and other banks are, too.http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-bank-of-america-no-5-debit-card-fees?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&alert_id=CHuXxznbBT_bKwoXhePWu

In less than three weeks, Bank of America went from announcing a new $5 monthly debit card fee, to reeling under huge pressure from the media, Congress, and Change.org members. Here’s a quick review of what happened:
September 29: Bank of America announces a new $5 monthly debit card fee.
September 30: Molly creates her petition on Change.org; more than 150,000 people sign in the next 5 days.
October 5: The petition becomes a major national story. ABC News interviews Molly, then tracks down Bank of America’s CEO Brian Moynihan and forces him to respond to it.
October 6: Molly delivers 153,000 petitions to Bank of America and closes her account. She appears on ABC World News again to discuss the petition. Local media in Charlotte (where Bank of America is based) openly speculate that the growing controversy could lead to the firing of Moynihan.
October 9: Molly is featured in a major article in the New York Times as an example of the public’s frustration with big banks.
October 10: Bank of America executive Andrew Pepler calls Molly Katchpole to discuss her petition.
October 13: Molly meets with Congressman Brad Miller to discuss a bill in Congress to make it easier to switch banks. The two later appear on CNN together.
October 18: Molly’s petition reaches 225,000, as Bank of America reports a $6 billion profit. The outrage continues to grow.

Other banks are paying attention to the public reaction to Bank of America’s new debit card fee. Citibank even said its “customers made it abundantly clear” that they wouldn’t like a debit card fee.

What’s next in this campaign to cancel Bank of America’s $5 debit card fees? It’s up to you.

Please sign the petition demanding Bank of America cancel its new $5 monthly debit card fee. Click here to add your name:

http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-bank-of-america-no-5-debit-card-fees

Thanks for being a change-maker,

- Jess and the Change.org team

Our Election Protection Project is up and running

“The Speaker of the [New Hampshire] State House was notoriously caught on tape telling a Tea Party group that he supported the bill because students tend to vote Democratic.”
– Report, Brennan Center for Justice

WWW.DSCC.ORG

Republican strategists think that Democrats can’t win if they cripple our voter registration activity; if students, minorities, and working Americans aren’t allowed to cast ballots, and if they can disqualify 5 million Americans from voting.

That’s why the Koch brothers and their corporate allies are backing a coordinated effort to manipulate the rules in 2012.  Their plan for taking the Senate and the White House is simple: Force us to fight with one hand tied behind our backs.

Republicans are hitting us where it hurts, trying to cut the legs out from under the grassroots organizing that has helped Democrats win close, tough races for years.  With 23 seats to defend — and Republicans needing only four to take the majority — this is a serious threat.

Our Election Protection Project is up and running — challenging the legality of these voter suppression tactics and expanding our turnout program to account for the new rules. But we need to raise $100,000 before midnight Sunday. Can you chip in $5 right now to help us fight back?

It’s no accident that these new laws — making it harder to register new voters, cutting back on early voting that allows working Americans to cast their ballots, even specifically targeting students and minorities — are aimed at disenfranchising Democrats.

And it’s no accident that Republicans are targeting states like Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Virginia — presidential battlegrounds with marquee Senate races in 2012.

The powerful, corporate-backed, right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is pulling the strings here.  And they know exactly what they’re doing.  If their voter suppression can push the four states I just mentioned into the GOP column, they take the Senate.  And the states they’ve targeted could swing more than enough electoral votes to take the White House.

Our Election Protection Project is our best chance to stop this voter suppression campaign and make sure 2012 is a fair fight — but we must reach our goal by midnight Sunday. Can you help by sending a $5 contribution right now to help us reach $100,000?

Early grassroots support has made it possible for us to fight back, formally asking the Department of Justice to step in and researching every possible way to stop these rules from taking effect.  But we can’t keep up the fight if we can’t fund this project.

And with so much at stake in 2012, the truth is that we have to find a way to win whether it’s a fair fight or not.  We’re going to have to work that much harder to bring voters to the polls despite the Republicans’ voter suppression program.  It’s going to be harder.  It’s going to be more expensive.  We’re going to have to ask more of you.

Please don’t sit on the sidelines.  Help us fight back by funding our Election Protection Project today.

Thank you,

Guy Cecil

P.S.: If we can’t meet our goal by Sunday night, we can’t continue to fight back against the GOP plan to suppress the vote in 2012.  Please help by sending $5 right now.

Gov.Gregoire in the Newsroom …

• 
• 10/17/2011 – Gov. Gregoire appoints Marilyn Nitteberg-Haan to Cowlitz County Superior Court
• 10/17/2011 – Gov. Gregoire orders flags flown at half-staff Wednesday, Oct. 19th 
• 10/14/2011 – Gregoire asks that flags remain at half-staff until Tuesday afternoon in memory of Gov. Rosellini
• 10/13/2011 – State investment in Paris Air Show, European Trade Mission nets more than $4 million in new contracts, creation of new jobs
• 10/13/2011 – Gov. Gregoire to lead state, territorial governors on China trade mission

News Archive »

 

Gregoire on liquor privatization: Not right for Washington

Gregoire

C.R. Douglas at Q13 interviewed
Gov. Chris Gregoire recently, who
said she’s opposed to  Initiative 1183, the Costco-supported fall ballot
measure asking voters to get the state out of the booze business.

“The only way we get more money is if we sell a whole lot more,” Gregoire
said.

 

Expanded sales would generate revenue but they might also generate new
costs, the governor said. For example, in treatment for drug and alcohol
abusers.

 

“As a matter of policy, the tradeoffs aren’t there for me. I just don’t
think it’s the right thing for Washington State, ” Gregoire said.

The governor also had harsh words for Tim Eyman, who is sponsoring a measure
that would affect the way the state administers tolls.

Continue
reading →

Special session to deal with billion-dollar deficit to begin Nov.
28

The state’s economist, known as “Dr. Doom” for his increasingly dire revenue
projections, will present his next estimate Nov. 17.

On Thursday Gov. Chris Gregoire said she’ll convene a special legislative
session shortly after that, on Nov. 28, so lawmakers can deal with a $1.3
billion operating budget deficit. That shortfall was revealed by Arun Raha’s
forecast earlier this month, and it’s possible the news he’ll bring in November
will make the situation Olympia faces even more urgent. But on Thursday Gregoire
said lawmakers will actually have to cut about $2 billion, to ensure the state
has adequate reserves.

“Congressional gridlock, the European debt crisis and high unemployment
continue to take their toll on consumer confidence and our state’s economy,”
Gregoire said in a statement. “Once again, we are facing a budget shortfall and
once again I’m calling the Legislature back into special session to address the
state’s budget. My only option is across-the-board cuts, and that option is
unacceptable. Solving this budget crisis will require the Legislature to
act.”

Gregoire said the state has made almost $10 billion in reductions since the
Great Recession began.

Since the national recession began, the state has made nearly $10 billion in
cuts, the governor. Gregoire has warned that additional reductions will continue
to hurt public health, safety and education programs. She will release her
proposal to deal with the latest budget crisis on Oct. 24.

Continue
reading →

 

Tell Senator Murray to Stop giving Big Oil subsidies

Below is an email from Katrina Rosen of Environment Washington, who created a petition at SignOn.org that is getting a lot of attention and may be of interest to people in your area. If you have concerns or feedback about this petition, click here.

Dear Washington MoveOn member,

Despite the five biggest oil companies making astounding profits of over $67 billion in just the first half of 2011, oil and gas companies continue to receive $15.6 billion each year in federal tax breaks.
We want Senator Murray to encourage the debt-reduction Super Committee to stop these wasteful subsidies to Big Oil. That’s why I created a petition to The United States Senate on SignOn.org,which says:
Despite being the cause of pollution and oil spills, even the wealthiest oil companies continue to receive billions of dollars in federal tax breaks. Please use your leadership on the debt-reduction Super Committee to protect our environment and our economy by stopping wasteful subsidies to Big Oil.

Will you sign the petition? Click here to add your name, and then pass it along to your friends:

http://www.moveon.org/r?r=265307&id=32104-17809870-eDblPqx&t=2

Thanks!

–Katrina Rosen

The text above was written by Katrina Rosen, not by MoveOn staff, and MoveOn is not responsible for the content. This email was sent through MoveOn’s secure system, and your information has been kept private. Environment Washington did not pay for this—we never sell or rent the MoveOn list.

She came out, they told her to leave school

She was a model student and a star athlete – an honest young woman in her final year at a private Christian high school, The Master’s School, in Connecticut.

But when school administrators asked her about her sexual orientation, she answered courageously and honestly that she is a lesbian.

And then those same administrators told her to withdraw or she would be kicked out.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students across the country are back in school, many facing bullying from peers. The last thing these students need is a school administration that refuses to protect them from unfair treatment.

Thousands of equality supporters like you have already sent letters to officials at The Master’s School calling on them to make it right and protect all of their students. Will you send a letter now, too?

Tell The Master’s School: Your LGBT students deserve protection – not expulsion. Now’s the time to enact a non-discrimination policy so that all students feel safe to be who they are.

National Coming Out Day was just last week and Spirit Day is Thursday – it’s a time each year when we celebrate openness and speak out against bullying. Together, we’re striving to create a world where no student, no soldier, no employee – no one – has to fear coming out.

In too many places around this country, LGBT students risk expulsion, bullying, and harassment that jeopardizes their academic futures and their emotional well-being.

The Master’s School in Connecticut has a chance to make it right with the student they asked to leave. They have an opportunity to lead by example – to institute modern-day policies, and to bring their model student back into their community.

Will you take one minute to send a letter to The Master’s School right now? Tell them to update their policies and treat all their students fairly.

The path to equality has taken us together on a lot of twists and turns. The Master’s School, with HRC‘s help, can become a model environment for diversity and tolerance in education, but they need to take the first step now and make things right.

Thanks for standing with us now and always.

Warmly,

Joe Solmonese
President, HRC

Congressional Budget Office: October Cost Estimates for the 112th Congress

SSI Extension for Elderly and
Disabled Refugees Act of 2011
September 30, 2011
pdf
Pay-as-you-go table for the
act as passed by the Senate

Options for Changing the Tax
Treatment of Charitable Giving
October 18, 2011

Use of Tax Incentives for Retirement Saving in 2006

Just over half of all workers participated in a tax-favored retirement plan
in 2006. That rate was virtually unchanged from CBO’s previous studies of data
from 1997, 2000, and 2003.

view the report

H.R. 674, A bill to Amend the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to Repeal the Imposition of 3 Percent Withholding
on Certain Payments Made to Vendors by Government Entities
October 17, 2011 pdf
Cost estimate for the bill as
ordered reported by the House Committee on Ways and Means on October 13,
2011

S. 605, Dangerous Synthetic
Drug Control Act of 2011
October 14, 2011 pdf
Cost estimate
for the bill as reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on July 29,
2011

H.R. 2059, A bill to prohibit
funding to the United Nations Population Fund
October
14, 2011 pdf
Cost estimate for the bill as
ordered reported by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on October 5,
2011

H.R. 2576, A bill to amend the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the calculation of modified adjusted
gross income for purposes of determining eligibility for certain
healthcare-related programs
October 14, 2011
pdf
Cost
estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the Committee on Ways and Means on
October 13, 2011

H.R. 1254, Synthetic Drug
Control Act of 2011
October 14, 2011 pdf
Cost estimate
for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce
on July 28, 2011

Flood Insurance Reform and
Modernization Act of 2011
October 13, 2011 pdf
Cost estimate
for the bill as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing,
and Urban Affairs on September 8, 2011

S. 1641, United States-Colombia
Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act
October
12, 2011 pdf
Cost estimate for the bill as
reported by the Senate Committee on Finance on October 11, 2011

S. 1642, United States-Korea
Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act
October 12,
2011 pdf
Cost estimate for the bill as
reported by the Senate Committee on Finance on October 11, 2011

S. 1643, United States-Panama
Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act
October
12, 2011 pdf
Cost estimate for the bill as
reported by the Senate Committee on Finance on October 11, 2011

H.R. 1981, Protecting Children
from Internet Pornographers Act
October 12, 2011
pdf
Cost
estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on the
Judiciary on July 27, 2011

S. 1218, Lumbee Recognition
Act
October 12, 2011 pdf
Cost estimate for the bill as
ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on July 28, 2011

S. 379, Indian Tribes of
Virginia Federal Recognition Act of 2011
October 12,
2011 pdf
Cost estimate for the bill as
ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on July 28, 2011

S. 1549, American Jobs Act of
2011
October 7, 2011 pdfblog post
Cost estimate for the
bill as introduced on September 13, 2011

S. 1660, American Jobs Act of
2011
October 7, 2011 pdfblog post
Cost estimate for the
bill as introduced in the Senate on October 5, 2011

H.R. 2832, An act to extend the
Generalized System of Preferences, and for other purposes
October 6, 2011 pdf
Cost estimate for the bill as
passed by the Senate on September 22, 2011

S. 50, Commercial Seafood
Consumer Protection Act
October 6, 2011 pdf
Cost estimate
for the bill as ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science,
and Transportation on June 8, 2011

H.R. 3078, United
States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act
October 5, 2011 pdf
Cost estimate for the bill as
ordered reported by the House Committee on Ways and Means on October 5, 2011

H.R. 3079, United States-Panama
Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act
October
5, 2011 pdf
Cost estimate for the bill as
ordered reported by the House Committee on Ways and Means on October 5, 2011

H.R. 3080, United States-Korea
Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act
October 5,
2011 pdf
Cost estimate for the bill as
ordered reported by the House Committee on Ways and Means on October 5, 2011

H.R. 2192, National Guard and
Reservist Debt Relief Extension Act of 2011
October
5, 2011 pdf
Cost estimate for the bill as
ordered reported by the House Committee on the Judiciary on September 21,
201

S. 1549, American Jobs Act of
2011
October 5, 2011 pdf
Cost estimate for the spending
provisions of S. 1549 as introduced in the Senate on September 13, 2011.

H.R. 2480, Administrative
Conference of the United States Reauthorization Act of 2011
October 4, 2011 pdf
Cost estimate for the bill as
reported by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on September 22, 2011

the Progress Report

By         ThinkProgress War Room

Who Will the GOP Put First: Teachers & First Responders OR Millionaires & Billionaires?

Last week, the Senate GOP voted down the president’s jobs plan — and thousands of jobs in each and every state across the country.

But President Obama isn’t taking no for an answer and is breaking his jobs plan into pieces to give Republicans a few more chances to go on record about their priorities. Are they for hundreds of thousands of American jobs or are they for letting millionaire and billionaires get away without paying their fair share.

Here’s the rundown of the first piece of the jobs plan to be voted on separately — plan to save the jobs of teachers and first responders.

By the Numbers: Keeping Cops on the Beat and Teachers in the Classroom

• 392,100…the total number of educator jobs at stake in the American Jobs Act.
• 300,000…the number of teacher jobs lost since 2008.
• 280,000…the number of teachers whose jobs are at risk in the next year due to ongoing state and local budget cuts.
• 112,100…the number of educators that could be put back to work under the American Jobs Act.
• 25,900…the number of educator jobs at stake in Florida, which Sen. Marco Rubio (R) already voted against once last week.
• 13,400…the number of educator jobs at stake in North Carolina, which Sen. Richard Burr (R) already voted against once last week.
• 6,300…the number of educator jobs at stake in Massachusetts, which Sen. Scott Brown (R) already voted against once last week.

How many teachers and first responders could be back to work in your state? Complete details HERE.

The Teacher Depression Visualized

Matt Yglesias pulls two charts and explains “the teacher depression” the country is currently suffering through:

Contrast that with the reasonably sharp rebound in private sector employment under conditions of Kenyan anti-colonialism:

The deeper logic here goes as follows. Imagine a world where unemployment is low and wages are rising. In a world like that, teachers who get laid off would get new jobs quickly. Private firms, after all, would be looking to expand but they’re having trouble finding workers.

In the real world, unemployment is high and wages are flat so this doesn’t happen. Instead the teacher’s family just faces an immediate need to restrain spending. Defer any purchases of durable goods, stop eating at restaurants, don’t update the wardrobe this season, etc. So now there’s a drag on employment of cooks and waitresses, of clothing retailers, of truck drivers, of guys who install refrigerators, and so forth.

A new CNN poll out yesterday found strong support for this element of the president’s jobs plan — as well as how it would be paid for:

Do you favor or oppose “providing federal money to state governments to allow them to hire teachers and first responders”?

Republicans in favor: 63%
Republicans opposed: 36%

Do you favor or oppose “increasing the taxes paid by people who make more than one million dollars a year”?

Republicans in favor: 56%
Republicans opposed: 43%

IN ONE SENTENCE: Republicans have yet another chance to prove what they care about most: putting Americans back to work or protecting millionaires and billionaires.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You May Have Missed

Ron Paul’s economic plan.

Meet the teachers’ union contract of the future.

Charles Evans continues to beat the drum for more monetary stimulus.

Jasmin Ramsey takes stock of the Hill, where pressure to sanction Iran’s central bank in a bid to collapse its currency — innocent Iranians be darned — continues to gain steam.

At TomDispatch, Rebecca Solnit writes an open letter to a dead man, Mohammed Bouazizi, whose self-immolation set off the Arab Spring, to explain to him the Occupy/99 percent movement he helped spark.

Herman Cain: “I’m very proud of the relationship that I have with the Koch Brothers.”

Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) calls out Rush Limbaugh on Senate floor for supporting murderous African guerrillas.

Pollster who attacked Occupy Wall Street touts ties to Citibank and also grossly misrepresented the results of his own poll.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) breaks campaign pledge to pay for his own pension after forcing workers to pay theirs.

VIDEO: Herman Cain ‘Imagines’ a World Without Pizza

Other recent Progress Reports

Oct 17, 2011: A Closer Look At Alabama’s Disastrous Immigration Law

The fact that Alabama has HB 56, the nation’s harshest anti-immigrant law on the books, has become a point of pride of some Alabama Republicans. The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Scott Beason (R), has bragged about its success even as farmers described to him the crops they were losing without enough workers to pick them. [...]

Oct 14, 2011: A Texas-Sized Giveaway To Big Oil

Rick Perry’s Jobs Oil Above All Plan Today, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who has received more than $11 MILLION in campaign contributions from Big Oil, unveiled a series of giveaways to Big Oil that he packaged together as his “jobs plan.” Here’s the rundown. Rick Perry’s Top 10 Giveaways to Big Oil ThinkProgress’ Judd Legum [...]

Oct 13, 2011: Let Women Die?!

House Republicans Focus on Jobs Extreme Anti-Woman Agenda Senate Republicans voted down the president’s jobs plan on Tuesday. Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) said House Republicans won’t even allow a vote on it.  So what’s the House working on instead? An extreme, savage bill that would actually let women die. Here’s the rundown. WHAT: The [...]

Oct 12, 2011: GOP Goes On Record Against Jobs (Again)

How Many American Jobs Did Your Senator Vote Against? Yesterday evening, every single Republican senator and two Democrats — Sens. Ben Nelson (NE) and Jon Tester (MT) — voted against taking up the president’s jobs plan. Even though the plan enjoyed the support of 51 senators — a majority — it failed to advance because [...]

wicked weather Wednesday &some News …

just another rant ….

In response to an article written by AFL-CIO  … I was sent an article by Rep.Dennise Kucinich from jhaines, which i may not agree with because it is full of his “real” truth with not that much reality in my opinion

jhaines: What American Workers Don’t Need – by Rep. Dennis Kucinich, | 2012: What’s the ‘real’ truth?
jhaines6.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/what-american-w…

ME:

While i did not agree with what Clinton did by implementing NAFTA to begin with, certainly with hindsight being 20/20 he might if given better info changed the process of trade some to favour Americans more so than it ended up doing.” NAFTA was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on December 8, 1993 and entered force January 1, 1994. Although it was signed by President Bush, it was a priority of President Clinton’s, and its passage is considered one of his first successes. (Source: History.com, NAFTA Signed into Law, December 8, 1993.” from about.com   I will say that after hearing how President Obama put some stipulations into the Korea agreement i am far more trusting of trade agreements that our current President is trying to implement …  it’s called fair and balanced contracts. I also feel that rep.Kucinich just does not agree or support President Obama from all of his comments and statements … I worry that Kucinich is against President Obama for reasons that are coming from the far right and that for me is enough to ignore
everything that Kucinich says. I would like to ask you- how do you feel that Kucinich was willing to jump out to Washington State at the drop of a hat just
to stay in the political game. I was offended that this guy would shop States because he wants to stay in the game not because he cares? Kucinich knows
nothing about Washington State let alone love my State and this is a sad example for any member of Congress but Kucinich is the topic so
his truth is just that … Rep.Dennis Kucinich truth. I prefer President Obama’s

thank you Jhaines for taking the time to respond to the Afl-cio article … I say talk is cheap action gets traction …I get it people have been ill-treated in
the past &why should Obama be different? I think that years of BS has been dumped at the doorstep of this President yet he has little slim or no partners
in that change we can believe in … why? Frankly, both chambers in Congress are okay with the status quo. We all have to remember that President Obama does not
create or pass the laws Congress does and so far they do not seem willing to get the job done… first they accuse him of not writing or presenting bills then
when he does both sides of the aisle whine. I say we need better members of Congress that will do the right thing, do their jobs, and work with President
Obama not against him …, which i feel Kucinich does

Other News …

Secretary Napolitano Updates Congress on Border Security

Senators Look Into Concussions in Sports

Exchange-Traded Funds Scrutinized

Grammy Award Winner Natalie Cole Remarks on Hepatitis C Awareness

President Obama Jobs Bus Tour

Social Security recipients to get 3.6 percent more  | ajc.com

Florida Moves Primary Date from March 6 to January 31

Congress: the Republican led House – the Senate

the Senate Convened at 9:30amET October 19, 2011

• Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in morning business for one
  hour with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each with the
  Republicans controlling the first half and the Majority controlling the final
  half.
• Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of
  H.R.2112, the Agriculture, CJS, and Transportation/HUD Appropriations bill.  The
  time until 12:00pm will be equally divided and controlled between the Leaders or
  their designees.  At approximately 12:00pm, the Senate will conduct a roll call
  vote in relation to the McCain amendment #739 (critical surface transportation).
• Additional roll call votes are expected during WednesdayThe following amendments are pending to H.R.2112, the Agriculture, CJS, and
  Transportation/HUD Appropriations bill:
  • Inouye substitute amendment #738 (text of the 3 appropriations bills)
  • Webb amendment #750, as modified (National Criminal Justice Commission)
  • Kohl amendment #755 (spending plan)
  • Murray amendment #772 (reconstruction of highway facilities damaged by
    natural disasters or emergencies)
  • McCain amendment #741 (ethanol blender pumps and storage facilities)
  • Sanders amendment #816 (energy efficiency programs for small businesses)
  • Landrieu amendment #781 (farmer program loans)
  • Vitter amendment #769 (drug reimportation)
  • Coburn amendment #791 (prohibit funds for direct payments to individuals
    with income over $1M)
  • Coburn #792 (end payments to slumlords)

   

The previous order has been amended to consider 3 District Judges at noon.
There are now 2 roll call votes expected at approximately 12:10pm in
relation to the Mariani nomination and the McCain amendment #739.  The
details of the agreement are below.

At noon, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the
following nominations with 10 minutes of debate equally divided and controlled
between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees:

• Calendar #272, Mark Raymond Hornak to be US District Judge for the Western
  District of Pennsylvania
• Calendar #273, Robert David Mariani, to be US District Judge for the Middle
  District of Pennsylvania
• Calendar #274, Robert N. Scola, Jr., to be US District Judge for the
  Southern District of Florida

The Hornak and Scola nominations will be confirmed by unanimous consent; the
Mariani nomination will require a roll call vote.  The Senate will then resume
Legislative Session and consideration H.R.2112 with two minutes of debate
equally divided and controlled between Senators McCain and Boxer or their
designees prior to the vote in relation to the McCain amendment #739.

Senator Harkin asked unanimous consent the HELP Committee be authorized to meet
in Executive Session today for the consideration of a bill to reauthorize the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act.  Senator Paul then objected to Senator
Harkin’s request.

The Senate has reached an agreement that the next first degree amendments in order to be called up and made pending to H.R.2112 and the substitute amendment #738 be the following:

- Ayotte #753 (prohibit funds for coastal and marine spatial planning);

- Crapo #814 (implementation of provisions of title VII of Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform);

- Moran #815 (Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act);

- Coburn #793 (Transparency in federally attended and funded conferences);

- Coburn #798, as modified, with the changes that are at the desk (prohibit funds for purchase of new passenger motor vehicles);

- DeMint #763 (prohibit funds to implement regulations regarding removal of essential-use designation for epinephrine);

- DeMint #764 (Eliminate increase in funding);

- Grassley #860 (accountability in federal grant programs administered by DOJ);

- Sessions #810 (prohibit funds to allow categorical eligibility for supplemental nutrition assistance program);

- Lautenberg #836 (additional funding for Economic Development Assistance Programs);

- Brown #874 (increase funds to carry out section 561 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987, with offset);

- Merkley #879 (limit appropriations for freight and rail transportation unless products used are manufactured in US);

- Bingaman #771 (funds to investigate trade violations);

- Gillibrand #869 (increase funding for emergency conservation/emergency watershed protection programs);

- Feinstein #855 (Farm Service Agency must enforce certain average adjusted gross income limitations); and

- Menendez #857 (extend loan limits for FHA, VA and others).

Further, that a motion to recommit from Senator Lee be in order; that, if offered, the motion be set aside and the Senate return to the consideration of the pending amendments.

The Ayotte amendment #753 (prohibit funds for prosecutions of enemy combatants in Article III Courts), the Crapo amendment #814 (implementation of title VII of Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform) and the Merkley amendment #879 (limit appropriations for freight and rail transportation unless products used are manufactured in US) are now pending to H.R.2112, the Agriculture, CJS and Transportation/HUD Appropriations bill.

Additionally, Senator Vitter modified his amendment #769 (drug importation) with the changes at the desk.

The Moran amendment #815 (Watershed Protection and Flood Protection Act) and the Bingaman amendment #771, as modified with the changes at the desk (funds to investigate trade violations) are now pending to H.R.2112, the Agriculture, CJS, and Transportation/HUD Appropriations bill.

The following amendments are pending to H.R.2112, the Agriculture, CJS, and Transportation/HUD Appropriations bill:

• Inouye substitute amendment #738 (text of the 3 appropriations bills)
• Webb amendment #750, as modified (National Criminal Justice Commission)
• Kohl amendment #755 (spending plan)
• Murray amendment #772 (reconstruction of highway facilities damaged by natural disasters or emergencies)
• Sanders amendment #816 (energy efficiency programs for small businesses)
• Landrieu amendment #781 (farmer program loans)
• Vitter amendment #769, as modified (drug reimportation)
• Coburn amendment #791 (prohibit funds for direct payments to individuals with income over $1M)
• Coburn amendment #792, as modified (end payments to slumlords)
• Ayotte amendment #753 (prohibit funds for prosecutions of enemy combatants in Article III Courts)
• Crapo amendment #814 (derivatives – Dodd-Frank)
• Merkley amendment #879 (freight and rail products made in the US)
• Moran amendment #815 (spending levels for Watershed Protection)
• Bingaman amendment #771, as modified (funds to investigate trade violations)
• Grassley amendment #860 (DOJ Federal Grants)
• Menendez amendment #857 (extend loan limits for FHA, VA and others)
• Lee motion to recommit H.R.2112 (FY11 levels)
• Sessions amendment #810 (prohibit funds to allow categorical eligibility for supplemental nutrition assistance program)
• DeMint amendment #763 (epinephrine)
• DeMint amendment #764 (eliminate increase in funding)
• Lautenberg amendment #836 (Economic Development Assistance Program)

The following amendments have been considered and voted on

• Cornyn amendment #775, as modified (Operation Fast and Furious); Agreed to: 99-0
• McCain amendment #740 (eliminate TAA funding for firms); Not Agreed to: 44-55
• Collins amendment #804 (vegetables in school meal programs); Agreed to by Voice Vote
• McCain amendment #739 (critical surface transportation); Tabled: 59-39
• McCain amendment #741 (ethanol blender pumps and storage facilities); withdrawn

VOTES

12:10pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Robert David
Mariani to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of
Pennsylvania; Confirmed: 82-17

The following amendments and motion are now pending to H.R.2112, the Agriculture, CJS, and Transportation/HUD Appropriations bill:

• Grassley amendment #860 (DOJ Federal Grants)
• Menendez amendment #857 (extend loans limits for FHA, VA and others)
• Lee motion to recommit the bill (FY2011 levels)
• Sessions amendment #810 (prohibit funds to allow categorical eligibility for supplemental nutrition assistance program)

Additionally, Senator Coburn modified his amendment #792 with the changes at the desk.

During Wednesday’s session of the Senate, Senator Reid filed cloture on the motion to proceed to Calendar #204, S.1723, the Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act.

Senator McConnell then filed cloture on the motion to proceed to Calendar #205, S.1726, the Withholding Tax Relief Act.

Additionally, Senator Reid announced there will be no further roll call votes during today’s session of the Senate.

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Passed Calendar #125, S.894, the Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2011

Adopted S.Res.299, designating October 2011 as “National Work and Family Month”.

Adopted S.Res.300, supporting the goals and ideals of Red Ribbon Week.

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

———————————————————————————————-

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on October 21, 2011.