ON THE FLOOR
The Senate will reconvene at 2 p.m. and begin a period of morning business. Roll call votes are not expected.
The House is not in session. Votes are postponed until Monday, Feb. 22, due to inclement weather.
NOMINATIONS
Labor lawyer Craig Becker’s nomination to the National Labor Relations Board failed to get the needed 60 votes this week, with 2 Democrats joining with Republicans to block the controversial anti-right-to-work nominee. The failure of the Democrats to get this nominee, or to pass the worker stifling “Card Check” legislation, has led labor leaders to threaten Democrats of withholding support. Unions generally give millions to elect Democrats. Just recently some Union activists set up a number of dummy Astroturf organizations to launder Union money through, while making it look like a “grassroots effort.” More can be read here on that.
The failed vote had President Obama chastising the Republicans, though he remained silent on the Democrats, Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Ben Nelson (D-Fla.) The President threatened to do recess appointments* over the coming President’s Day holiday. Originally opposed to recess appointments, outgoing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) now is ready to embrace them. During his overlapping term as Majority Leader and President George W. Bush’s final years as President Senator Reid kept the chamber open during breaks to prevent recess appointments.
Another likely recess appointment is Dawn Johnsen. The Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a vote on the nomination of the rabidly pro-abortion Ms. Johnsen as assistant attorney general in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). The reason for the postponement is the Judiciary Committee failed to reach a quorum last week – with the weather that is likely to occur this week as well.
*A recess appointment occurs when the President fills a vacant federal position, of a sufficiently senior level that the nomination must be confirmed by the Senate, while the Senate is in recess.
HEARINGS
Senate Armed Services
‘DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL’
Postponed: 9:30 a.m. Feb. 11, G-50 Dirksen Bldg., Full Committee Hearing
Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy regarding gay men and lesbians serving in the military.
Senate Environment & Public Works
GLOBAL WARMING IMPACTS
Postponed: 10 a.m. Feb. 11, 406 Dirksen Bldg., Full Committee Hearing
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing on global warming impacts, including public health, in the United States
House Oversight & Government Reform
SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY
Postponed: noon Feb. 11, 2154 Rayburn Bldg., Subcommittee Hearing
National Security and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee of House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold a hearing titled “Sexual Assault in the Military Part IV: Are We Making Progress?”
Note: The subcommittee previously held hearings on this topic on July 31 and Sept. 10, 2008 and on June 25, 2009.
Witnesses Scheduled:
Representatives from the Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the Military Services, the Government Accountability Office and the Department of Defense.
