Congressional Agenda for the Summer

2Face · 05-21-2010, 04:31 PM

Here's a nice article summarizing the prospects of major legislation this summer...

Sensing momentum, Senate Dems don’t want to ease up

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/9...ant-to-ease-up

Quote:

In the four weeks that separate the Memorial Day recess from the Senate’s week-long July 4 break, Democratic leaders want to pass campaign finance reform legislation and a jobs-promotion package with incentives for small businesses. The summer will also bring confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan and a confirmation vote on the floor before the August recess.

That means it could be September — two months prior to the elections — before the Senate could consider hot-button topics like climate change, immigration and the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

And that leads some party leaders to flatly predict it won’t happen.

“It seems to me we’re going to be pretty well into the summer on other things,” said Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Menendez. “Then in the time frame that’s left, there has to be an intellectually honest assessment as to what could be actually done. So I’m not sure those things get pursued … I certainly don’t see that in the cards.”

Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) this week gave no hint of slowing down the party’s agenda in the upper chamber. Reid said that after the week-long Memorial Day recess he plans to meet with the committee chairmen who are in charge of climate change legislation to plot a path forward on the bill. The following week, Reid said, he plans a full Democratic Caucus meeting on the topic.

One senior Senate aide said immigration reform is generally more likely to surface this summer or fall because bipartisan support is more possible than for a climate change bill.

DA User · 05-21-2010, 04:51 PM

Looks like we will see a CIR bill before Elections.

dreamy14 · 05-21-2010, 05:00 PM

Quote:

One senior Senate aide said immigration reform is generally more likely to surface this summer or fall because bipartisan support is more possible than for a climate change bill.

That makes me happy

Sonawabich · 05-21-2010, 06:24 PM

Single good thing I've heard in a long ass time

gebodupa · 05-21-2010, 06:36 PM

Hey,maybe it is just me but seriously....fuck the climate and the bills that go along with it. If the scientists and experts can't agree on whether human induced pollution actually has any effect, how can people view this thing as something more important than peoples' lives.

It's like the crazy people who kill doctors who do drug tests on animals to find a cure for HIV....completely insane.

2Face · 05-21-2010, 06:39 PM

Yes, that is precisely why I bolded it. However the previous comments by Senator Menendez paints a gloomy picture and just keeps adding to our uncertainties. Who are we to believe? Overall, I'm just happy with the Democratic mindset that we should continue pressing for changes despite the looming mid-term elections. Even slight help from a Republican or two would help. Those republicans and democrats alike from the states mentioned that are affected most by immigration should respond or face defeat in the elections.