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The following is a roundup of political activity going on in Washington and across the nation. It’s courtesy of Scott Wilk, Community Organizer, and Anchor Consulting group. The Beacon will be posting these daily as they become available.

In the House:

  • The House convenes at 10:00 a.m. for legislative business.
  • Ten “One Minutes” Per Side
  • Complete Consideration of H.R. 3326 – Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010 (Rep. Murtha – Appropriations)
  • Manager’s Amendment (20 minutes)
  • Conaway Amendment (10 minutes)
  • Flake Amendment (10 minutes)
  • Sessions Amendment (10 minutes)
  • Tierney/Holt Amendment (10 minutes)
  • Flake Amendment #1 (Part B) (10 minutes)
  • Flake Amendment #2 (Part B) (10 minutes)
  • Flake Amendment #3 (Part B) (10 minutes)
  • Flake Amendment #4 (Part B) (10 minutes)
  • Flake Amendment #5 (Part B) (10 minutes)
  • Flake Amendment #6 (Part B) (10 minutes)
  • Flake Amendment #7 (Part B) (10 minutes)
  • Flake Amendment #8 (Part B) (10 minutes)
  • Flake En Bloc Amendment (Part B) (10 minutes)
  • Campbell Amendment #1 (Part C) (10 minutes)
  • Campbell Amendment #2 (Part C) (10 minutes)
  • H.R. 2749 – Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 (Rep. Dingell – Energy and Commerce) (Subject to a Rule)
  • The following bills will be considered under suspension:
    1. H.R. 2728- William Orton Law Library Improvement and Modernization Act (Rep. Lofgren – House Administration)
    2. H.R. 1752 – To provide that the usual day for paying salaries in or under the House of Representatives may be established by regulations of the Committee on House Administration (Rep. Brady (PA) – House Administration)
    3. H.R. 2510 – Absentee Ballot Track, Receive, and Confirm Act (Rep. Davis (CA) – House Administration)
    4. H.Res. 535 – Commending the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions for calling upon all nations to live in peace and mutual understanding (Rep. Faleomavaega – Foreign Affairs)
    5. H.Res. 550 – Recognizing the “Day of the African Child” on June 16, 2009, devoted to the theme of child survival and to emphasize the importance of reducing maternal, newborn, and child deaths in Africa (Rep. Payne – Foreign Affairs)
  • The House Energy and Commerce Committee is expecting to resume markup of health care reform legislation today, but the committee is in a state of deep uncertainty after a deal between the House leadership, committee chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA), and conservative Democrats ignited a revolt from liberals.  Democratic leaders worked for days to reach an agreement with the conservative Blue Dog Democrats, who had been holding up the legislation in committee because of concerns about cost, burdens on small business, and a public insurance option.  Chairman Waxman’s plan, under the deal, was to finish markup by Friday, and then move the bill to the House floor in September, when Congress returns from its August recess.  Now that plan is in doubt.
  • The compromise, which still must be reconciled with competing House and Senate versions, would significantly weaken the public option favored by liberals by delinking reimbursement rates to Medicare.  Liberal/Progressive Democrats have long sought a public insurance option that would compete with private insurers and reimburse providers at the same level that Medicare does.

In the Senate:

  • The Senate will convene at 9:30 a.m.
  • Morning Business with senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.
  • At a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, after consultation with the Republican Leader, the Senate will turn to the consideration of H.R. 3357, the Highway Trust Fund, as provided for under the previous order.
  • The Senate will recess from 2:00 until 3:00pm to accommodate the members-only briefing with Secretary Clinton and Secretary Gates.
  • Upon disposition of the Highway bill, the Senate will turn to the consideration of H.R. 2997, Agriculture Appropriations.
  • Roll call votes are expected throughout the day.
  • Senate negotiators said yesterday that they had pared the costs of a health care reform plan to cover 95 percent of Americans by 2015 to about $900 billion over 10 years, putting the price tag under the unofficial $1 trillion target the White House has set.
  • The Senate on Wednesday passed a $34.3-billion energy spending bill that backs up President Obama’s promise to close the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste facility in Nevada

Other News

  • A New York Times/CBS News poll reveals that “President Obama’s ability to shape the debate on health care appears to be eroding as opponents aggressively portray his overhaul plan as a government takeover that could limit Americans’ ability to choose their doctors and course of treatment.” (NYT)
  • President Obama went on the road yesterday to stump for health care reform legislation. “In a packed high school gymnasium in North Carolina and then” at a grocery store “along the Virginia-Tennessee line, Obama employed a sometimes-partisan defense of his economic stewardship and a sometimes-personal advocacy of his plan to extend insurance to the roughly 46 million Americans who do not have it.” (WaPo)
  • The steep cuts in California’s state budget have contributed to near-record lows in gubernatorial approval numbers.  “Only 28% of California residents approve of how” Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) “is doing his job, versus 59% who disapprove, according to a new poll to be released today by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California. The last time a governor had such low support was in August 2003, when Californians gave Gray Davis a 26% rating. (WSJ)
  • Gov. Schwarzenegger’s “cuts of hundreds of millions of dollars from state health and welfare programs are probably headed for the courts, which will decide whether he has the power to reduce spending that lawmakers have already lowered from previously approved levels.” (San Francisco Chronicle)
  • “Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) said Wednesday she’s stepping down from the Senate this fall to pursue her gubernatorial campaign, setting the stage for a Texas-sized senatorial battle next spring.” Sen. Hutchison will face a primary campaign against incumbent Gov. Rick Perry (R). (Politico)

Federal Grant of the Day

  • American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009; Notice of Availability of Funds and Solicitation for Grant Applications for State Labor Market Information Improvement Grants- The Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) announces the availability of approximately $50 million in grant funds authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act), Public Law 111-5, 123 Stat. 115, Division A, Title VIII, for the Workforce Agencies of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories, or a consortium of such agencies, to collect, analyze, and disseminate labor market information, and to enhance the labor exchange infrastructure for careers within the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries. The closing date for receipt of applications under this announcement is August 14, 2009. Applications must be received no later than 4 p.m. (Eastern Time).

Today in History

  • On July 30, 1976, American Bruce Jenner won gold in the decathlon at the Montreal Olympics. His 8,617 points set a world record in the event.

Source and thanks to www.anchor-consult.com | For more information, contact Jamie Gregorian at 202-258-3268 or [email protected]