Congress will be a bit busier this week after the new senator from West Virginia is sworn in as the 100th senator, filling the vacancy caused by the death of Democratic Sen. Robert C. Byrd.
Following the official swearing-in ceremony of Senator-designate Carte Goodwin on Tuesday, the Senate will conduct a procedural vote in an effort to pass the expired federal unemployment benefits bill. These benefits have been expired since June 1, in part because the Senate Democrats havent been able to convince enough GOP senators to vote for the $34 billion extension of the program through Nov. 30, 2010.
The GOP feels, if the program has merit, it should be paid for, and thus have been offering to pay the tab associated with the bill by tapping unspent stimulus funds. This idea falls on deaf ears on the part of the Senate Democrats, and thus the stalemate has been in effect since the end of May. Once the Senate garners the needed 60th vote to pass the unemployment benefits bill, the House will quickly follow suit and pass the Senate version, thereby sending the bill to the president to sign, potentially by weeks end.
Passing the unemployment benefits bill will free up the Senate calendar to consider and resume debate on the tax extenders bill and the small-business lending bill. Both of these bills have hefty price tags and are partially offset by budget gimmicks. However, they still add considerable amounts to our debt. It is for this reason that the Senate GOP has been balking at passing them. However, by weeks end the Senate should be on its way to passing one or both of these bills.
The Senate Judiciary Committee will also vote to report to the full Senate the Supreme Court nomination of Elena Kagan. This will be another Senate floor debate that will need to occur before the traditional congressional monthlong August recess.
In the meantime, the House side of the Capitol will be congratulating college sport teams, honoring commemorative months and considering the SECTORS bill. This strengthening employment clusters to organize regional success bill offers planning and implementing grants in an effort to create jobs.
However, typically, during the months of June and July, the House of Representatives is busy passing the 12 annual appropriations bills that make up the funding of our various agencies of the federal government for the upcoming fiscal year. This Congress is apparently going to be different. All signs are pointing to the House and the Senate punting on this constitutional responsibility of Congress.
These bills may make their way through the various subcommittees and the full committee of Appropriations, but full debate on the House floor is doubtful. You see, the House Democrats are asking the leadership not to make them cast votes that increase spending. Most of these bills have billions and billions of spending included for our various agencies.
Also, almost all of the 12 appropriations bills have sexy political issues attached to them. For example, the Energy and Water appropriations bill could see attempts to offer offshore drilling language. The Homeland Security appropriations bill could see border security/immigration amendments. This list goes on and on.
So, stay tuned to see if this Congress makes history again. Remember, they made history earlier this spring when they failed to pass an annual budget resolution through at least one chamber of our bicameral Legislature. Now they might make history by failing to properly fund our federal government through the appropriations process. When you add to these two accomplishments a third one -- that being the fact that they are considering scheduling a record-setting, jam-packed legislative lame duck session in November -- surely someone in Washington will recommend that the 111th Congress be awarded the hat trick. Unfortunately, not all feats that come in threes are good or positive!
Elizabeth B. Letchworth is a former four-times-elected United States Senate Secretary for the Majority and Minority (retired). Currently she is the owner of GradeGov.com.
