Politics

Bills on the Floor this Week

By Sunlight Foundation & Participatory Politics Foundation

Congress comes back today from a week of vacation to start what will probably be the most important five-week work period of the 11th Congress. Health care reform is coming back in a serious way, with a new, potentially final version of the bill coming out today, the big bipartisan White House summit taking place on Thursday, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid [D, NV] predicting final passage before April. The jobs bill and financial regulatory reform legislation are also expected to be passed in the Senate during the next five weeks.

Of course, we’ll have a lot more on all this as it develops. But, let’s not forget, the House and Senate will also be passing dozens of less contentious, less discussed bills each week. Every Monday morning we post the full schedule of bills that will be coming to the floor for the week in both the Senate and the House. Here err this week’s schedules.

On the House floor this week:

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2010

On Monday, the House will meet at 2:00 p.m. for legislative business with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m.

Suspensions (5 Bills)

1)      H.R. 4425 – To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2-116th Street in North Troy, New York, as the “Martin G. ‘Marty’ Mahar Post Office” (Rep. Tonko – Oversight and Government Reform)

2)      H.R. 4238 – To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 930 39th Avenue in Greeley, Colorado, as the “W.D. Farr Post Office Building” (Rep. Markey (CO) – Oversight and Government Reform)

3)      H.Res. 1046 – Recognizing the significance of Black History Month (Rep. Al Green – Oversight and Government Reform)

4)      H.Res. 1039 – Supporting the goals and ideals of American Heart Month and National Wear Red Day (Rep. Lee (NY) – Oversight and Government Reform)

5)      H.Res. 526 - Recognizing the historical and cultural significance of the John Mercer Langston Golf Course and its contributions to achieving racial equality (Rep. Norton – Oversight and Government Reform)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2010 AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK

On Tuesday, the House will meet at 10:30 a.m. for Morning Hour debate and 12:00 p.m. for legislative business. On Wednesday and Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for legislative business. On Friday, the House will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business.

Suspensions (8 Bills)

1)      H.Res. 1066 – Recognizing the bravery and efforts of the United States Armed Forces, local first responders, and other members of Operation Unified Response for their swift and coordinated action in light of the devastation wrought upon the nation of Haiti after a horrific 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Port-Au-Prince and surrounding cities on January 12, 2010 (Rep. Meek – Armed Services)

2)      H.Res. 1059 – Honoring the heroism of the seven United States Agency for International Development and Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance supported urban search and rescue teams deployed to Haiti from New York City, New York, Fairfax County, Virginia, Los Angeles County, California, Miami, Florida, Miami-Dade County, Florida, and Virginia Beach, Virginia, and commending their dedication and assistance in the aftermath of the January 12, 2010 Haitian earthquake (Rep. McMahon – Foreign Affairs)

3)      H.Res. 1074 – Honoring the life of Miep Gies, who aided Anne Frank’s family while they were in hiding and preserved her diary for future generations (Rep. Kilroy – Foreign Affairs)

4)      H.Res. 944 – Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on religious minorities in Iraq (Rep. Peters – Foreign Affairs)

5)      H.Res. 1048 – Commending the efforts and honoring the work of the men and women of USNS Comfort and the United States Navy in the immediate response to those affected by the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010 (Rep. Tim Murphy – Foreign Affairs)

6)      H.R. 3695 – Billy’s Law (Rep. Murphy (CT) – Judiciary)

7)      H.Con.Res. 227 – Supporting the goals and ideals of National Urban Crimes Awareness Week (Rep. Towns – Judiciary)

8)      H.Res. 274 – Expressing support for designation of March as National Nutrition Month (Rep. Castor – Energy and Commerce)

H.R. 2314 – Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2009 (Rep. Abercrombie ? Natural Resources) (Subject to a Rule)

H.R. __ – Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act (Rep. Perriello ? Judiciary) (Subject to a Rule)

H.R. 2701 – Intelligence Authorization Act (Rep. Reyes ? Intelligence) (Subject to a Rule)

* Conference Reports may be brought up at any time.

* Motions to go to Conference should they become available.

* Possible Motions to Instruct Conferees.

The Senate’s published schedule is less thorough, but here’s what we know at the moment:

Monday, Feb. 22, Convenes: 2:00pm:

Senator Burris will read Washington’s Farewell Address.

Following the reading, the Senate will resume consideration of the House Message with respect to H.R.2847, Jobs bill.

At 5:30pm, the Senate will proceed to a cloture vote with respect to the Jobs bill.

Full post as published by Open Congress on February 22, 2010 (boomark / email).