The Senate Agenda for 2009 -When is it DREAM's Turn Edition!!! - Page 3

^ Oh, the Upcoming Legislation List isn't in any order. I'm just trying to list items they want to discuss in the future. Sorry for the confusion.

Also, I agree with questionsIhave. They are moving faster this time because the reduced Senate Republican Caucus can't obstruct as much as they did back in the 110th Congress. Also, President Obama's popularity helps in moving these bills in short order. It's his agenda.

But I wish they'd move faster for Dream. From the looks of the Senate Agenda list, the Senate is averaging about a bill a week.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that there's been other bills that the Senate has passed apart from the list. The Digital TV Transition delay bill and the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act were attached to the bills on the Senate List. The Filipino Veterans bill was attached to the stimulus, but I don't remember what bill the Digital Transition delay (delayed till June) was attached to (could have been S-CHIP).

This week the Senate will discuss the Omnibus Budget Bill for Fiscal Year 2009. The government did not get a budget through last year because of the switch in government, and this bill will finally give 2009 a budget. There will be another budget bill for FY 2010 that will most likely be discussed in April, and the 2010 budget is the one the news shows are talking about.

UPDATE: The 2009 Omnibus Budget bill fell one vote short and is now delayed due to a Republican filibuster. They will try to finish the bill early next week or all of next week.

Normally, a budget bill can't be filibustered, but because this bill is a spending bill and not a budget resolution, it is subject to a filibuster. I was confused at first, but I found the answer over at TPM. The technical term for this bill is an "omnibus appropriations" bill.

The FY 2010 budget bill will not be subject to a filibuster and will only need 50 votes to pass with Vice President Biden able to cast the tie breaking vote if such a scenario came to pass (but there's enough votes to pass it without the Vice President).

UPDATE 2: President Obama will issue an executive order lifting the stem cell ban Monday March 9th. I heard on CNN that they either will go the executive order route or the legislation route and went with the executive order. They had enough votes to pass it but the Administration felt Congress already had a lot on the agenda.

I've erased the stem cell ban from the Upcoming Agenda List.

UPDATE 3: Omnibus Spending Bill passed the Senate. For the rest of the week, they will discuss Cabinet nominations.

UPDATE 4: President Obama also signed the Omnibus Spending Bill for FY 2009 this week.

From The Hill newspaper:


Sen. Specter actually supports the Dream Act but still voted No because he wants to placate the anti-immigrant Republican base in Pennsylvania. If he switched to Independent or Democrat, that problem would go away, and he would be free to vote for the Dream Act.

Switch Specter Switch! Sen. Specter is currently listed as On the Fence.

Next week, the Senate will move on to the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act.

Are the Republicans going to impotently filibuster this bill too? Looks like the answer is yes because this bill is heading straight to the floor and a cloture vote is planned on a motion to proceed with debate on the bill. If that sounds familiar, the Dream Act was brought straight to the floor and skipped the committee process but the Republicans filibustered on the motion to proceed with the Dream Act.

Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA) recently gave an interview on RNN-TV and said that he, Sen. Casey, and Vice President Biden all tried to convince Sen. Specter to switch to the Democratic Party. However, at this moment, Sen. Specter says he wants to stay as a Republican. The door is always open, Mr. Specter.

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This week's agenda will be HR 1388, Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.

UPDATE: The National Service bill passed the Senate.

They will start discussing the FY 2010 Budget next week.

UPDATE: FY 2010 Budget Passed the House earlier this week and the Senate passed their version a few hours ago. Next Business?

^ It's the Fraud Enforcement and Security Act relating to mortgage and security fraud.

The calendar and schedule is there for everyone to see over at the Democratic Senate page:

http://democrats.senate.gov/

Look at the lower right hand corner where you see "Today in the Senate" and click on Senate Floor Calendar.

http://democrats.senate.gov/calendar/2009-04.html

it does seem like they get a lot done in one day!