Today in Congress

Before we kick things off today, let's start out by noting that tonight's the night of the President's big speech. And among the job-boosting proposals he's expected to endorse tonight is the concept of an infrastructure bank. What is it? Glad you asked! Here's one of Main Street Insider's world famous* 90 Second Summaries to explain:

What's the *asterisk for? Don't make me say it. They're not world famous, OK? They should be, but they're not. Are you happy now?

Recapping yesterday's action:

The House finally returned to session from the August recess, and as we know, refused to make itself available for the President's speech, instead insisting its three scheduled suspension bills could not be interrupted. But just for the record, they only bothered to vote on two of them, and appear to have postponed the third for some later date. Which, of course, they could have done with any or all of them, but refused. What a bunch of jerks.

The Senate held no roll call votes at all today, instead looking to run out the post-cloture clock on the motion to proceed to the patent reform bill. But before long, they'd instead reached a unanimous consent agreement to yield back all post-cloture time, and move directly to actual consideration of the bill, with debate to conclude and voting on amendments and final passage to begin at 4:00 this afternoon. Progress!

Looking ahead to today:

With the President's speech scheduled for this evening, the House's workday will be shortened in order to make the chamber available for the necessary security sweep. On tap for the day: consideration of H.R. 2218, the "Empowering Parents through Quality Charter Schools Act," and up to eight listed amendments. Yippee.

The Senate, operating under its unanimous consent agreement, will consider three amendments to the patent reform bill, and then final passage. As the evening approaches, Senators will assemble and proceed to the House chamber together for the President's address. And then, I guess because Mitch McConnell feels like he missed out, having been denied a role in rejecting the President's request to speak on Wednesday, the Senate will return home to vote on S.J.Res.25. What's that? Well, it's the joint resolution of disapproval of the President?s exercise of authority to increase the debt limit. You remember that, from the debt ceiling deal, right? The President gets to raised the debt limit on his own say-so, but the Congress gets to hold a vote where Republicans get to go on record rejecting the increase, but without actually stopping it (unless they get a 2/3 vote somehow).

So Mitch McConnell has scheduled arranged for that vote to immediately follow the President's address. Nice.

Today's floor and committee schedules?including the first meeting of the new Politburo (formally the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction)?appear below the fold.

Source: http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/5EeZesZ6zZM/-Today-in-Congress

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