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Chambers Trading Priorities
Inside the Mountain
February 8, 2007
Arise, cry aloud in the night At the beginning of the night watches;
Pour out your heart like water Before the presence of the Lord;
Lift up your hands to Him For the life of your little ones
(Lamentations 2:19).
Since our last update: The House has finished its First 100 Hours agenda, and passed H.J.Res. 20, the spending bill to finish out Fiscal Year 2007. The Senate passed S. 1, Ethics Reform, without Section 220 (praise the Lord!), passed H.R. 2, the minimum wage increase, and has begun voting on Iraq resolutions.
This week has been quiet in the House (most of the activity early in the year is in committee), and the Senate was to begin debating Iraq in earnest which seems to be picking up again.
Next week the House takes up Iraq for three days, and other matters, while the Senate may debate Iraq more, and also has to pass the spending resolution to replace the one that expires next Thursday, February 15.
Martin Luther King Day Week - First 100 Hours Concluded
In order to live up to their speedy campaign promise, the House majority had no option but to temporarily (one hopes) postpone their bipartisanship promise and lock down the rules of debate in order to race their bills through the process.
Therefore, the minority had but only one option to have any say in the matter, and that's a parliamentary procedure called a motion to recommit with instructions.
The following is a table that summarizes the rapid-fire legislative activity from the First 100 Hours, the first six bills, including links to the text of the motions to recommit and the votes on those motions. It's interesting to note members that do not switch their votes, as one can see from the difference in vote totals, there are often more than a few who do this.
Extension of Remarks:
| January |
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
State of the Union Week
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22
March for Life, commemorating the 34th anniversary of Roe v. Wade
Lawmakers Pensions
H.R. 476
Passed 431-0
House Votes to Deny Pensions to Convicted Lawmakers
With the rhetoric of reformers bent on sweeping corruption from the Capitol, the House voted unanimously today to deny federal pensions to lawmakers convicted of bribery, perjury and other related felonies.
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23
State of the Union Address
The President summarized his State of the Union in his subsequent weekly radio address.
Virginia Senator Jim Webb delivered the Democratic Congressional response.
C-SPAN Video, Full Text
Extension of Remarks:
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24
Delegate Voting
H.Res. 78
Passed 226-191
Extension of Remarks
Delegates Gain Limited Voting Rights
The House gave D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton the right yesterday to vote on amendments to bills on the House floor, a privilege that legislators acknowledged is largely symbolic.
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) Response (Video)
Length: 00:26min.
This is not the end of the voting rights debate for D.C. H.R. 328 is still on the table to give the district full voting rights.
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25-26
House Republican Conference Retreat
Address by President Bush
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Last Week
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29 Suspensions |
30 Suspensions |
31
Fiscal Year 2007 Continuing Resolution (CR)
H.J.Res. 20
Debate
Motion 196-229
Passed 286-140
News Reports
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February 1-2 (and 3)
House Democratic Conference Retreat
President Bush Attends House Democratic Caucus Issues Conference (MP3 1,3)
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. It's nice to be here. Thank you very much.
The last time I looked at some of your faces, I was at the State of the Union, and I saw kind of a strange expression when I referred to something as the Democrat Party.
Now, look, my diction isn't all that good. (Laughter.) I have been accused of occasionally mangling the English language. (Laughter.)
And so I appreciate you inviting the head of the Republic Party. (Laughter and applause.)
News Reports
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This Week
Monday - White House FY2008 Budget
Getting Back To Regular Order
Next Week - Schedule
Iraq - Plans
White House 2007 Iraq Plan
The House Next Week: Iraq
House to Move on Its Own Iraq Resolution in Light of Stalled Senate Debate
With Senate debate stalled on President Bush's proposed troop increase in Iraq, House Democrats decided to forge ahead with their own resolution next week, aides said Monday evening.
House Democrats Huddle on Iraq
House Democrats moved closer to crafting a resolution criticizing President Bush's troop buildup in Iraq, as several senators threatened to attach a similar measure to any bill that comes to the Senate floor.
War Casualty: Soldiers' Marriages
Soldiers' marriages are becoming a casualty of the war in Iraq. There is a startling rise in divorce rates among members of the military who've served in Iraq.
- Pray for the peace of Baghdad and Iraq. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem
- Pray that our leaders would pray for peace in Iraq!
- Pray that pastors all across our country would pray for peace in Iraq!
- Pray that our leaders in church and in state would beg the people across this land to pray for peace in Iraq every day until our troops can leave behind a stable government in Iraq.
Seek the welfare of the city (Babylon/Baghdad) where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare (Jeremiah 29:7).
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. "May peace be within your walls, And prosperity within your palaces." For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, "May peace be within you." For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good (Psalm 122:6-9).
Looking Ahead
Leadership Next Priorities
Committee Work
Floor Activity
Legislation
Debate Highlights
Member Notes
Norwood's Final Trip Home
Rep. Charlie Norwood, R-Ga., has decided to forgo further treatment to fight lung cancer and will return to his home in Augusta, Georgia, for hospice care.
Follow-Up
Bennett Amendment to S. 1
Bennett Amdt No. 20 to S. 1: To strike a provision relating to paid efforts to stimulate grassroots lobbying.
Passed 55-42. 100% of Republicans supporting, 86% of Democrats opposing.
- Praise the Lord this provision was removed from the bill!
S. 1 Completed in the Senate
Senator Tom Coburn, a minority of one, had some harsh words about S. 1. He declared "I was one of two people who voted against that ethics bill because it's going to tear up the Senate. It's going to tear up the ability for the American people to have great people come and represent them."
Therefore, "If this becomes law, I will guarantee you I won't run again. I'm not about to put what I've worked for, for 35 years as a physician and a businessman, at risk, so I can represent the people. I will say I'm cashing it in. We've just imploded ourselves."
- Pray that Congress does not pass a law that would preclude God-honoring leaders from running for office.
Choose wise and discerning and experienced men from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads (Deuteronomy 1:13).
First 10 Bills ~ First 100 Days
"The Senate rules are so screwed up that we have more power in the minority than when we were in power." (MSNBC's Joe Scarborough quoting an unnamed Senator)
The Senator was referring to a procedure known as cloture. While technically a tool of the majority to advance debate, the 60-vote requirement means in practice it's more a tool of the minority.
In our summary of domestic legislative activity thus far, we highlight both the votes on cloture and on final passage. As with motions to recommit in the House, it's interesting to note the differences in votes.
The original schedule for the opening of the 110th Congress in the Senate:
The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps (Proverbs 16:9).
Senate Finishes Minimum Wage
Of the Democratic agendas from both the House and the Senate, minimum wage is the first bill to pass both chambers. The bill now goes to conference where Congress will be deciding whether or not to include tax provisions for small business in the bill.
The House passed a stand-alone minimum wage increase. The Senate rejected that and included the tax provisions. The president has promised to veto the bill if it does not include those provisions. The question then will likely come down to whether or not the House will include those tax provisions.
- Pray for a minimum wage bill to which all parties can agree that brings justice to both employers and employees.
The Lord is known by his justice (Psalm 9:16).
Iraq
"When it came to the issue of Iraq, there seemed to be little or no common ground" ABC News reported. Reid said, "Iraq is where it is, the country is where it is, Iraq is an issue we need to work on and we will work on that in a bipartisan manner, but we're not going to let that divert our attention from the other important issues that face the country.
- White House 2007 Iraq Plan
- This Week
- Speeches by Senators Sam Brownback, Tom Coburn
- Legislation - Iraq, War on Terror, Iraq, Military, Homeland Security, Domestic Enemies
- Iraq Debate (Search)
- Iraq Votes
7 GOP Senators Back War Debate
Senate Republicans who earlier this week helped block deliberations on a resolution opposing President Bush's new troop deployments in Iraq changed course yesterday and vowed to use every tactic at their disposal to ensure a full and open debate.
- Pray for the peace of Baghdad and Iraq. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem
- Pray that our leaders would pray for peace in Iraq!
- Pray that pastors all across our country would pray for peace in Iraq!
- Pray that our leaders in church and in state would beg the people across this land to pray for peace in Iraq every day until our troops can leave behind a stable government in Iraq.
Seek the welfare of the city (Babylon/Baghdad) where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare (Jeremiah 29:7).
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. "May peace be within your walls, And prosperity within your palaces." For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, "May peace be within you." For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good (Psalm 122:6-9).
Human Life
Genetic Discrimination
Protecting the Unborn: It's Genetic!
Yesterday, a Senate bill called the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (S. 358) was passed out of committee to prevent health insurance companies and employers from discriminating against people who test "positive" for a genetic disease. A major concern of pro-lifers is that while it covers individuals and their families, it excludes unborn children. The definition of "family member" includes the individual and "a dependent child of the individual, including a child who is born to or placed for adoption with the individual."
Research suggests that as many as 92% of unborn children who test positive for Down Syndrome are aborted.
Bill to block discrimination based on genetics goes to full Senate
Pray for the protection of the unborn in genetics
He made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith (Acts 15:9).
S. 5 - Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Senate First on Embryo Research
- What this debate is not about: making embryo research illegal
- What this debate is about: how many more tax dollars the federal government is going to give to embryo research--than we already are.
Biopolitical Times, a left-leaning biotech blog, recently pointed it's readers to an editorial in Slate that said, "To eradicate diseases with today's technology, you'd have to screen embryos and flush the ones with bad genes. With tomorrow's technology, you'll be able to re-engineer them. Each of these advances saves life at the price of dissolving it. We're taking ourselves apart. We're so not ready for this. But we can't stop ourselves . So we try to simplify the oncoming technologies, treating them like issues we already know. On the right, that means equating ESC research with abortion. ... On the left, the instinct is to treat ESC research like health care."
The point of having legislators is to "stop ourselves" by making laws accordingly. Our leaders should be urging caution and restraint as we explore the very essence of humanity--not funding its dissection as it's doing now. That's the point of having laws. Instead, we have politicians in a race to secure the most funding for the home states with no eyes even to the financial consequences.
- Pray we would stop funding life-taking research.
- Pray we would exercise restraint in our treatment of the fundamentals of human life
When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders (Matthew 27:3).
Floor Activity
Speeches
New Legislation
- Recent Legislation
- To Make You Think, Part 2
- Energy, Technology, More Energy, More Technology
- Foreign Policy, Trade, Federal Policy, Part 2, Part 3, Iraq
- Education
- Social Security
- Life, Health, Family
- The Rule of Law
- Government Operations
Judicial Nominations
- Pray for confirmation of the President's judicial nominees.
And I will make justice the measuring line, And righteousness the level; Then hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters shall overflow the secret place (Isaiah 28:17).
Now Here's a Measure That Has Some Urgency to It
When it comes to legislation, there are priorities--and then there are priorities.
For New Staff Offices, Winning the Election Was Only the Beginning
In freshman offices, everyone has a "door" story. Since the official work in Congress began almost immediately after the swearing-in, January has been [quite a] month for Hill newbies. Every office is rushing to get desks, e-mail, voice-mail and the all powerful BlackBerries in working order. Not to mention usable doors.
- Pray for the new members of Congress as they get settled and get their local and Washington offices off the ground.
They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem; and they served in their office according to their order (1 Chronicles 6:32).
Upcoming Events - 2007 Calendars: House (In), Senate (In)
Majority Leader Speeches: House, Senate (a good indicator of the upcoming Legislative Program)
Legislative Update Archive
All Legislative Updates are produced by Timothy T.C. McGhee
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