November

4:00pm resume H.R.3548, Unemployment Benefits Extension Act of 2009.

There is a 3:00pm filing deadline for first degree amendments and 4:00pm filing deadline for second degree amendments to HR3548.

5:00pm cloture vote on the Reid-Baucus substitute amendment to H.R.3548.

The Senate is in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

There will be no further roll call votes during today's session.

Adopted S.Res.332, a resolution commemorating the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall

At 10:30am, German Chancellor Angela Merkel will address a Joint Meeting of Congress.

Following the Joint Meeting, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R.3548, Unemployment Benefits Extension Act of 2009, post-cloture.

The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:115pm to allow for the weekly caucus luncheons.

Resume H.R.3548, Workers, Home Ownership, Business Assistance Act.

12:15pm cloture vote on H.R.3548, as amended.

334: Passage of H.R.3548, Workers, Home Owners Assistance:
Passed: 98-0

Following Morning Business, there will be 40 minutes for debate with respect to HR2847, Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations. At approximately 12:25pm, the Senate will proceed to a cloture vote on the committee reported substitute amendment to HR2847.

336: Coburn #2631 (Political Science funds);
Not Agreed To: 36-62

337: on the motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to the Coburn #2667 (IG at Commerce Dept); Not waived: 42-57

338: on the motion to table the Graham amendment #2669: (Article 3 Courts); Tabled: 54-45

339: On the motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to the Ensign #2648, as modified; Not Waived: 32-67

340: On Passage of HR2847, as amended; Passed: 71-28

341: On Confirmation of Executive Calendar #462 Ignacia S. Moreno, of New York, to be an Assistant Attorney General (Environment and Resources Division); Confirmed: 93-0

Passed S.1860, a bill to permit each current member of the Board of Directors of the Office of Compliance for 3 terms

Adopted S. Res.342, a resolution recognizing National American Indian and Alsska Native Heritage Month

The Senate confirmed the following nominations:

Arturo Valenzuela, Assistant Secretary of State--Western Hemisphere Affairs

Rolena Klahn Adorno, Member National Council on the Humanities

Marvin Krislov, Member National Council on the Humanities

Laurie Robinson--Assistant Attorney General

Benjamin Wagner, US Attorney Eastern District of California

Anne Ferro, Adm--Federal Motor Carrier Safety

Cynthia Quarterman, Adm, Pipeline Safety Administration

Elizabeth Robinson, CFO NASA

Patrick Gallagher, Director NIST

Susan Tsui Grundmann, Chair/Member Merit System Protection Board

Anne Marie Wagner, Member Merit systems Protection Board

Carmen Milagros Ortiz, US Attorney, Massachusetts

Edward Tarver, US Attorney, Southern District of Georgia

Pending amendments to HR3082:
Johnson-Hutchison #2730 (Substitute)
Udall (NM) #2737 ($150 million for medical services for homeless veterans)

There will be no roll call votes during Friday’s session of the Senate.

The next vote is expected to begin around 5:30pm Monday.

Adopted S. Res.344, Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the tragic shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, on Noember 5, 2009.

Confirmed the following nominations:

Joseph Pizarchik, to be Director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

Davis Ferriero, to be Archivist of the United States

Barbara J. Bennett, to be Chief Financial Officer, Environmental Protection Agency.

At 3:00pm, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R.3082, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations. Senators are encouraged to come to the floor to offer and debate their amendments to the bill.

At 4:30pm, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider the nomination of Andre Davis to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Fourth Circuit.

At 5:30pm, the Senate will proceed to vote on confirmation of the nomination. An additional vote in relation to an amendment to Military Construction/ VA appropriations is possible following the 5:30pm vote.

343: Confirmation of Charlene Edwards Honeywell, of Florida, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida;
Confirmed: 88-0

Passed the following Postal Naming bills:

HR955
HR1516
HR1713
HR2004
HR2215
HR2760
HR2972
HR3119
HR3386
HR3547

Passed S.1825, a bill to extend the authority for relocation expenses test programs for Federal employees (with a Lieberman amendment)

Adopted S. Res.312, expressing the sense of the Senate on empowering and strengthening the USAID (with Dodd amendments to the resolution and preamble)

Adopted S.Res.346, expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the 21st regular meeting of the International Commission on the conservation of Atlantic tunes

Confirmed David Gompert, Principal Deputy Director, DNI

Morning Business for 1 hour. The Majority will control the first 30 minutes and the Republicans will control the next 30 minutes.

Following Morning Business, resume HR3082, Military Construction/VA Appropriations.

Pending amendments to HR3082:
- Johnson-Hutchison #2730 (Substitute)
- Udall (NM) #2737 ($150 million for medical services for homeless veterans)
- Johnson #2733 ($50 million homeless Veterans construction projects)
- Franken #2745 (Service Dogs)
- Inouye #2754 (Missile Defense)
- Durbin #2759 (Rural Health Care Administrators)
- Durbin #2760 (Naming Norther Chicago VA Center)
- Akaka #2740 (extend authority for VA regional office in Phillippines)
- Menendez #2741 $4 million grants to States for veterans cemeteries)

Recess for caucus luncheons from 12:30 until 2:15pm.

There will be no roll call votes during Tuesday's session.

S.Res.340, expressing support for designating of a National Veterans History Project Week

S.Res.349, supporting & encouraging greater support for Veterans day

S.Res.350, recognizing November 14, 2009, as the 49th anniversary of the first day of integrated schools in New Orleans, LA

S.Res.351, designating the week beginning on November 9, 2009, as "National School Psychology Week"

S.Res.352, encouraging banks & mortgages services to work with families affected by contaminated drywall to allow temporary forbearance without penalty on payments on their home mortgages.

Confirmed PN933, Jeffery Bleich, Ambassador to Australia

Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R.3082, MilCon VA Appropriations until 5:30pm.

Pending amendments to HR3082:
- Johnson-Hutchison #2730 (Substitute)
- Udall (NM) #2737 ($150 million for medical services for homeless veterans)
- Johnson #2733 ($50 million homeless Veterans construction projects)
- Franken #2745 (Service Dogs)
- Inouye #2754 (Missile Defense)
- Durbin #2759 (Rural Health Care Administrators)
- Durbin #2760 (Naming Norther Chicago VA Center)
- Johanns #2752 (ACORN)
- Akaka #2740 (extend authority for VA regional office in Phillippines)
- Menendez #2741 $4 million grants to States for veterans cemeteries)
- Inhofe #2774 (Guantanamo)
- DeMint #2779 (Guantanamo)
- Durbin #2781 to #2779
- Feingold #2746 (alternative designs for nuclear weapons facilities)
- Feingold #2748 (veterans outreach pilot program)

345: Coburn Motion to Commit the bill with instructions;
Not Agreed To: 24-69

There will be no further roll call votes tonight.

Adopted S.Res.335, Drive Safer Sunday

Adopted S.Res.338, National Reading education Assistance Dogs day

Following Morning Business, the Senate will resume consideration of HR3082, Military Construction/ VA Appropriations.

Feingold #2748 was modified and agreed to by voice vote

Cochran #2763 was agreed to by unanimous consent.

The Inouye amendment 2754, was modified and agreed to by unanimous consent. The McCain amendment #2776 was withdrawn.

The Senate will recess from 12:30 until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus luncheons.

At 2:20pm, the Senate will proceed to vote in relation to the Inhofe amendment #2774 (Guantanamo) to be followed by a vote on passage of HR3082, as amended.

Upon disposition of HR3082, there will be up to 60 minutes for debate with respect to the nomination of David Hamilton to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit. Upon the use or yielding back of time, the Senate will proceed to a cloture vote on the nomination.

347: Motion to Table Inhofe #2774 (Guantanamo);
Tabled: 57-43

348: Passage of H.R.3082, Military Construction/VA Appropriations;
Passed: 100-0

The Senate is in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Following morning business, the Senate will resume post-cloture debate on the nomination of David Hamilton to be U.S. Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit. If all post-cloture debate time is used, the Senate would vote on confirmation of the nomination at approximately 11:00pm Wednesday.

The Senate also reached an agreement to consider S.1963, Veterans Health Care initiatives bill upon disposition of the Hamilton nomination. Under the agreement, the only amendment in order is the Coburn amendment regarding funding priorities. There will be 30 minutes of general debate on the bill and 3 hours for debate on the amendment.

Senators will be notified when any votes are scheduled.

Adopted S.Res.353, American Education Week

Following Morning Business, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of Calendar #190, S.1963, the Caregivers and Veterans Health Services Omnibus bill. Under an agreement on the bill, there will be up to 30 minutes for general debate on the bill and 3 hours for debate for the Coburn amendment.

At 2:00pm, the Senate will resume debate on the nomination of David Hamilton with 30 minutes for debate equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Sessions or their designees.

At 2:30pm, the Senate will proceed to vote in relation to the following items listed below.

- Confirmation of David Hamilton, of Indiana, to be U.S. District Judge for the Seventh Circuit
- Coburn amendment #2785 (spending priorities) to S.1963
- Passage of S.1963, as amended, if amended (Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009)

The Senate is in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

There will be no further roll call votes today.

349: Confirmation of David Hamilton, of Indiana, to be U.S. District Judge for the Seventh Circuit;
Confirmed 59-39

350: Coburn amendment #2785: (spending priorities) to S.1963;
Not Agreed To: 32-66

351: Passage of S.1963, as amended, if amended (Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009);
Passed: 98-0

Debate time will be controlled as follows:

10-11am Majority
11am-12pm Republicans
12-1pm Majority
1-2pm Republicans
2-3pm Majority
3-4pm Republicans
4-5pm Majority
5-6pm Republicans
6-7pm Majority
7-8pm Republicans
8-9pm Majority
9-10pm Republicans
10-10:30pm Majority
10:30-11pm Republicans

The Senate confirmed the following Executive nominations:
-Paul K. Martin to be Inspector General, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

-James LaGarde Hudson to be United States Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

-Jose W. Fernandez to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs)

-Frederick D. Barton to be Representative of the United States of America on the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador.

-Daniel W. Yohannes to be Chief Executive Officer, Millennium Challenge Corporation
-Gustavo Arnavat to be United States Executive Director of the Inter-American Development Bank for a term of three years

-Frederick D. Barton to be an Alternate Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations during his tenure of service as Representative of the United States of America on the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

-Robert R. King to be Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues, with the rank of Ambassador.

-William E. Kennard, of the District of Columbia, to be Representative of the United States of America to the European Union, with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.

-Carmen Lomellin to be Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the Organization of American States, with the rank of Ambassador

-Cynthia Stroum to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Luxembourg.

-Michael C. Polt a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Estonia.

-John F. Tefft a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Ukraine.

-David Huebner to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to New Zealand, and to serve concurrently and without additional compensation as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Samoa.

-Peter Alan Prahar, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Federated States of Micronesia.

-Pamela S. Hyde to be Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services

At 8:00pm, the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R.2590.

The 8pm vote will be the only vote of the day.

Debate time will be controlled as follows:

Saturday, November 21
10-11am Majority
11am-12pm Republicans
12-1pm Majority
1-2pm Republicans
2-3pm Majority
3-4pm Republicans
4-5pm Majority
5-6pm Republicans
6-6:30pm Majority
6:30-7:15pm Republicans
7:15-7:30pm Majority
7:30-7:45pm Republican Leader
7:45-8pm Majority Leader

S.Res.359, Majority Party committee appointment

S.Res.360, honoring the Prime Minister of India

Confirmed the following Executive Calendar Items:
#532, Kenyen Brown, US Atty, Southern District of AL
#533, Stephanie Rose, US Atty, Northern District of IA
#534, Nicholas Klinefeldt, US Atty, Southern District of IA
#553, Chistina Reiss, US District Judge, VT
#554, Abdul Kallon, US District Judge, Northern District of AL
#558, Daniel Gordon, Administrator, Federal Procurement Policy

At 3pm, the Senate will resume consideration of H.R.3590, the legislative vehicle for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009.

The following amendments are pending to HR3590:
Reid #2786 (Substitute)
Mikulski #2791 (Preventive care for women)
McCain Motion to Commit the bill with instructions (Medicare)

There will be no roll call votes on Monday.