Posted on 03/01/2006 6:27:28 AM PST by OXENinFLA
Since "Free Republic is an online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web. We're working to roll back decades of governmental largesse, to root out political fraud and corruption, and to champion causes which further conservatism in America.", I and others think it's a good idea to centralize what the goes on in the Senate (or House).
So if you see something happening on the Senate/House floor and you don't want to start a new thread to ask if anyone else just heard what you heard, you can leave a short note on who said what and about what and I'll try and find it the next day in THE RECORD. Or if you see a thread that pertains to the Senate, House, or pretty much any GOV'T agency please link your thread here.
If you have any suggestions for this thread please feel free to let me know.
Here's a few helpful links.
C-SPAN what a great thing. Where you can watch or listen live to most Government happenings.
C-SPAN 1 carries the HOUSE.
C-SPAN 2 carries the SENATE.
C-SPAN 3 (most places web only) carries a variety of committee meetings live or other past programming.
OR FEDNET has online feed also.
A great thing about our Government is they make it really easy for the public to research what the Politicians are doing and saying (on the floor anyway).
THOMAS where you can see a RECORD of what Congress is doing each day. You can also search/read a verbatim text of what each Congressmen/women or Senator has said on the floor or submitted 'for the record.' [This is where the real juicy stuff can be found.]
Also found at Thomas are Monthly Calendars for the Senate Majority and Senate Minority
And Monthly Calendars for the House Majority and Roll Call Votes can be found here.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT (aka The Dept. of Defense)
This amendment is, in effect, an effort to plug the holes that were not placed in this legislation by the Rules Committee and the Homeland Security Committee. I hope we have a good debate on this issue. This is not something that should take a long time. I have told the distinguished majority leader this is no attempt to stall this legislation. I have told the majority leader that unless there are issues outside of what the two committees did that are within their jurisdiction, we have no intention of offering a myriad of issues we have Members clamoring to offer--issues on the port security deal, minimum wage, all kinds of things dealing with health care. There is a long list of issues we want to bring up as soon as possible, but we are not going to do it on this legislation. We believe this should be for lobbying reform. So I think it needs the good faith of both parties to see if we can move down that road.Senate, March 7, 2006 - Pages S1851 & S1852 <- Direct link
Not just seminar callers.
Was impressed at COLLINS rant just now. She sounds better when she's cranked up. Opposite of Snowe, who sounds more like an old biddy when she gets cranked up.
So this morning we're going to be treated to the public expression of disappointment with Schumer. This portends to be an entertaining morning.
McCain is up about lack of respect and distrust in the Senate
McCain is embarrassed and a little ashamed (of the Senate). Many more of them should be ashamed. I agree Collins is much more bearable in a rant than is that biddy, Snowe.
He is slamming Schummer for that amendment yesterday .. saying he mislead the Senate by pulling the amendent out of his pocket at the last miinute
This is almost as ironic as stopping an amendment against secret holds, by using a secret hold.
So, here is the Senate, trying to work on rules that intstitutionalize more transparency and better order and accountability, smoother operation, and Schumer uses THAT effort as the venue to toss in a big monkeywrench.
Inasmuch as it illuminates the nature of the Senate, I think it's all pretty funny. Circus act indeed.
The dem mentality is that they will be nice and cooperative when they are in power and not otherwise.
This is good stuff. Reid requests UC to rescind the SChumer amendment and to have it stand as its own bill, to have 2 hours of debate, equally divided, followed by a vote. Collins objected.
Reid tries to withdrawl Schummers amendment and enter it as a bill of it's own
Collins objects
Dodd is up now to comment on McCain's remarks
Also mentions the senator(S?) of NY also want to speak
Now he's complaining about the short work week - start on Tuesday at 5PM, end on Thursday at 5PM.
Dodd says people aren't happy with how the legislators are working. Duh. This measure has a lot to do with how the Senate is perceived as a body - perfect opportunity to act like a bunch of clowns, I say.
Dodd is moving on to make the argument that the Senate ought to take up the port matter. It's timely, important, critical. Wants to, in general, handle the port matter NOW, before resuming action on ethics and lobbying.
What was that yelling in the background?
I know Schumer is there. He's got the floor now. Likely will make the same argument, that Port issue is sooo important that it should interrupt the ethics and lobbying reform.
That was me, trying to get the trapeze act up and running.
and what is it with the grean ties?
Chuckie said they can get this done "this week", riiiiiiiiiiight.
There is a gallery open to the public. People are shuffled though daily.
Sea-green, representing concern over matters maritime.
Dorgan says this is not about partisanship. Now he's blaming Newt for polluting the House. This is getting exeedingly ugly.
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