Today in Congress/Open Thread

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

FLOOR SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2008

House meets at 10:00 a.m.: Legislative Business
Ten "One Minutes" Per Side
Last vote predicted: 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

H.Res. 1367 - Providing for consideration of motions to suspend the rules (Rep. Slaughter – Rules)

Suspension (1 Bill):

1.     H.R. 6578 – Consumer Energy Supply Act of 2008 (Rep. Lampson – Energy and Commerce)

H.R. 5501 - Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008 (Rep. Berman – Foreign Affairs) (Subject to a Rule)

H.Res. 1368 - Relating to the House procedures contained in section 803 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (Rep. Slaughter – Rules)

Complete Consideration of H.R. 3999 - The National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act (Rep. Oberstar –Transportation and Infrastructure) (Subject to a Rule)

Postponed Amendment Votes:

·         Childers Amendment

Postponed Suspension Bill (1)

1.     H.Res. 1296 – Supporting the designation of a National Child Awareness Month to promote awareness of children's charities and youth-serving organizations across the United States and recognizing their efforts on behalf of children and youth as a positive investment for the future of our Nation (Rep. Calvert - Education and Labor)

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

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

Convenes: 9:30am

9:30am - 10:30am equally divided and controlled between the Leaders or their designees with the Majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the final half.

10:30am - 5:30pm Equally divided and controlled in 30 minute-alternating blocks of time with the Majority controlling the first 30 minutes.

1:00pm filing deadline for all first degree amendments to S.3268, the Energy Speculation bill.

3:40pm Moment of silence in remembrance of the fatal shootings of U.S. Capitol Police Officers, Officer Jacob J. Chestnut and Detective John M. Gibson. All Senators are encouraged to be on the Senate floor prior to 3:40pm.

Note the 1:00pm deadline listed above for all "first degree amendments" to S. 3268. What's a "first degree amendment?" That's the term for amendments  proposed directly to the text of a bill. An amendment to an amendment is a second degree amendment. Senate rules prohibit taking this any farther, and there are no third degree amendments permitted. See this explanation of the "amendment tree" for more information. Harry Reid is employing the strategy of "filling the amendment tree" on two bills this week: the energy speculation and housing bills discussed below.

On the Radar:

• Republican delays on the Energy Speculation bill have spilled over beyond expectations, and chewed up more floor time than anticipated, and yesterday's House action on the housing bill (H.R. 3221) puts that ball back in the Senate court with the August recess looming. That almost certainly means a weekend session is in store in the Senate, and it's also pushed consideration of the "Coburn Omnibus" (S. 3297) back into next week. Expect cloture votes on the energy and housing bills this Friday, keeping the Senate occupied with post-cloture debate over the weekend.
• The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee meets this morning at 10 to consider a subpoena to EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, in pursuit of documentation that would expose White House interference in EPA compliance with the Massachusetts v. EPA ruling and state-based greenhouse gas standards. Good luck to Senator Barbara Boxer, as she heads into the exact same stone wall that met Henry Waxman in late June, prompting him to issue the required Stern Words.