Today in Washington D. C. - May 22, 2008

On The Floor: Senate reconvened at 9:30 AM today and resumed consideration of the House message to accompany the war supplemental appropriations bill (H.R. 2642). After 2 hours of debate, the Senate is expected to proceed to a series of votes on provisions in the supplemental bill. All will require 60 votes to be adopted. The first vote will be on a domestic spending package that includes the Webb veterans’ benefits bill. If that fails to get 60 votes, a second vote will be held on the Webb bill alone. Following the votes on domestic spending, the Senate will vote on funding for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan that includes troop withdrawal requirements. The Democrats’ insistence on playing politics with the bill guarantees that the funding will not be resolved before June especially if domestic spending additions and troop withdrawal requirements remain on the bill.

Today, the Senate Armed Services Committee is holding a confirmation hearing for the nominations of Gen. David Petraeus to be commander of US Central Command and Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno to be commander of Multi-National Forces Iraq. The Senate Judiciary is meeting this morning and this will be its last chance to advance circuit court nominees before the Memorial Day Recess.

Farm Bill Fiasco! The Democrats’ impressive mismanagement of Congress again committed yesterday a major blunder in handling the farm bill which has thrown the floor schedules in both chambers into chaos. See prior morning post: Overide of Farm Bill Veto Stopped by a Clerical Error.

The Budget: According to Roll Call also writes, “The fiscal 2009 budget conference report, slated for adoption Wednesday night on the House floor, now appears to be off the schedule until after the recess. The farm bill faces a Senate pay-as-you-go rule violation if it is not passed before the budget resolution.” In other words, the farm bill violates the Democrats’ own budget, so they have to pass it before they pass the budget resolution.

Judicial & Other Appointments: Senate Democrats seem unlikely to be able to fulfill their pledge to confirm three circuit court nominees by Memorial Day. The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a meeting today which would be its last chance to move nominees before the recess, but it is unclear whether Chairman Pat Leahy (D-VT) will do so. Of course, their record has been just as troublesome on other White House nominations. Sen. Reid will yet again keep the Senate in pro forma sessions during the upcoming recess in order to block recess appointments from President Bush.

It is interesting to note, that any Bush recess appointments would only run for the remainder of this year. Barring judicial appointments which need to be permanently appointed, how much time and money would be saved if Congress would let an incumbent President have the people he needs for vacant positions for the remaining 10 months of his term. There are more important things for Congress to do. But the failed Congressional Democrat leadership continues to demonstrate their provocative but inept incompetence.

---

Tags: war supplemental appropriations bill, confirmation hearings, Gen. David Petraeus, Gen. Raymond Odierno, farm bill, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!