1) The Hitchhiker’s Guide On Why Today Is Such An Important Day For The Future Of The Filibuster
2) Today could be mark the beginning of the end for the filibuster in the Senate.
The Senate today likely takes a procedural vote to launch debate on the bill to create a commission to study the January riot. That vote requires 60 yeas.
3) A handful of Republican senators will likely vote to begin debate - joining all Democrats. But it’s doubtful they get to 60 yeas.
This will infuriate Democrats. They will argue Republicans don’t want to get to the bottom of January 6.
4) Democrats will direct their public ire at Republicans. But Democratic leaders could use some of the frustration about Republicans as a wedge to convince Democratic senators to eventually end the filibuster.
5) It’s one thing for Democrats to oppose altering the filibuster on DC statehood. But some Democrats concede privately that riot was such an atrocity that blocking the creation of the 1/6 commission may be worthy of blowing up the filibuster.
6) Today’s vote is procedural just to start debate on the bill. It is not an actual vote on the bill itself. But this vote could serve as a barometer as to whether there is a chance to eventually advance this bill, and more significantly, the future of the filibuster.
7) Halting the January 6 commission bill could serve as a gateway for Democrats to change filibuster provisions and potentially pass bills on their own without Republican assistance.
8) That could include bills on voting rights, the courts, DC statehood, infrastructure, the environment ans guns. Granted, all 50 Senate Democrars aren’t on the same page on many or those bills yet.
9) But upending the filibuster could put the Democrats a little closer to advancing their agenda, forever altering the filibuster and leaving the Republicans behind - if Democrats stick together.
10) The Senate won’t vote to change the filibuster today. And the procedural vote on the commission isn’t locked in yet. But today could prove to be very telling about the future of the filibuster.
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1) A couple of notes about President Biden releasing his budget today.
Remember one thing: budget proposals sent to Congress are aspirational. Press releases on steroids. They are phantoms.
Never does Congress enact a President’s budget. Nor are they binding.
2) Budgets are mythical beasts. Budgets are simply wish lists. Ideas and priorities spelling out where a President would direct federal dollars if they got their way.
3) Yet lawmakers in both the House and Senate incinerate an inordinate amount of time embracing or criticizing a President’s budget proposal.
Much of the money the federal government will spend this fiscal year - 70% - is already on automatic pilot, devoted to entitlements
A) The Hitchhiker’s Guide To Why The Procedural Vote On the 1/6 Bill Still Hasn’t Happened
B) The Senate meets today at 9 am et. Senators met until 2:51 am et today after the Senate found itself in a complicated tangle over the science and technology bill with a lot of Republican senators balking.
C) Unless the Senate is able to forge a separate agreement, it must first finish the science and technology bill before a critical, procedural vote on a measure to create a commission to investigate the January 6 riot.
1) The Senate is in a real tangle right now ovee a science and technology bill we thought senators would complete Thursday afternoon.
2) A coalition of several Republican senators are holding things up on a panoply of issues hours after leaders thought they would be able to advance the science and technology plan.
3) The Senate just voted to Instruct the Sergeant At Arms to Request the Attendance of Absent Senators, 84-7.
A) USCP: At approximately 2:55pm, the USCP motorcycle officer was struck by a white van at the intersection of Washington Avenue and C Street, SW.
B) USCP: Two USCP motorcycle officers were traveling south on Washington Avenue when a white van traveling north attempted to cut across traffic towards the freeway on-ramp and struck one of the officers while he was on his motorcycle.
C) USCP: The injured officer was conscious and breathing when he was airlifted to the hospital.
The driver of the vehicle was not injured and stayed on the scene. He was arrested for driving without a valid permit.
1) The House of Representatives fined multiple Republicans recently for failing to don a mask on the floor. $500 for a first offense. $2,500 for a second offense.
There’s a general premise on Capitol Hill that Members of Congress don’t like to be told what to do.
2) But, lawmakers agree to a certain set of rules – on which Members themselves vote – for how the House and Senate operate. A lot of those rules deal with how lawmakers comport and conduct themselves and respect the institution. Lawmakers may vote no or disagree with the rules.
3) But…
Them’s the rules.
Article I, Section 5 of the Constitution grants both the House and Senate the authority to establish their own rules. For a short period, or, practically indefinitely.