Empty chairs and empty tables in the US Senate this morning.
9:15am: Still awaiting for the Senator scheduled to gavel in today's 9am pro forma session. No votes are scheduled today during the Senate's 2-week break over the July 4th holiday.
9:45am Awaiting Kaine.
9:55am: Kaine arrives
9:59am: Senator Kaine (D-VA) gavels in Senate's 9am pro forma session.
10am: Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) gaveled out the Senate's brief pro forma session, delayed for an hour this morning until he arrived. Senate next returns for votes after its 2-week break during July 4th holiday on Monday, July 12th.
Why the Senate's pro forma session started an hour late this morning with Kaine presiding.
Education Sec. Cardona on whether what's happening to Jewish students at Columbia & other colleges & universities is okay:"Absolutely not. I think what's happening on our campuses is abhorrent. Hate has no place on our campuses & I'm very concerned w/the reports of antisemitism."
Cardona:"I've spoken to Jewish students who have feared going to class as a result of some of the harassment that they're facing on campuses. It's unacceptable and we're committed as a Department of Education to adhering to Titile VI enforcement. We have 137 open cases."
Cardona: "We take this very seriously. We've increased the number of communications to college campuses to make sure that they have what they need in terms of the law and best practices on how they make sure they're protecting students."
Justice Alito responds to Senate Judiciary Chair Durbin: "There is no valid reason for my recusal in this case. Sen. Durbin’s letter expressed the view recusal is necessary because I participated in 2 interviews that resulted in 2 articles about my work that appeared in the WSJ."
Alito: "There was nothing out of the ordinary about the interviews in question. Over the years, many Justices have participated in interviews with representatives of media entities that have frequently been parties in cases before the Court."
Altio: "We are required to put favorable or unfavorable comments and any personal connections with an attorney out of our minds and judge the cases based solely on the law and the facts. And that is what we do."
220-213: House on a near party line votes approved the rules for 118th Congress under a Republican majority. Rules package allows 1 mbr to force a vote on removing the House Speaker by offering a motion to vacate the chair. TX Rep Tony Gonzales was the only Republican to vote No.
McCarthy: House-approved rules package for the 118th includes “Rules that empower Members to debate & legislate are replacing rules that silenced their voice & centralized power. Rules that increase transparency are replacing rules that kept lawmaking hidden behind closed doors.”
McCarthy: “And rules that reopen Congress to We the People are replacing rules like proxy voting that kept this floor empty.”
Diaz-Balart:"I am a long-standing advocate against discrimination of all types. I, however, cannot support any effort that undermines religious liberties by failing to provide legitimate safeguards for Faith-Based orgs. that object based on their deeply-held religious beliefs."
Diaz-Balart (R-FL) on his Yes to No vote on final marriage equality bill: "It is unfortunate the Senate missed an opportunity to protect marriage equality while also guaranteeing religious freedom."
Salazar (R-FL): “I am disappointed to see the final House version of the Respect for Marriage Act did not include full protections for churches and Americans with sincerely held religious beliefs."
Senate unanimously passed legislation tonight to honor U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall with a bust in the U.S. Capitol, replacing the bust of Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, author of the Dred Scott decision, located near the old Supreme Court Chamber.
The bill specifically “directs the Joint Committee on Congress on the Library to remove the bust of Roger Brooke Taney in the Old Supreme Court Chamber of the Capitol and to obtain a bust of Thurgood Marshall for installation in the Capitol or on the Capitol Grounds.”
Senate Rules Chair Klobuchar; “The Capitol is our most recognizable symbol of democracy, a place where all Americans have their voices represented and heard. We must ensure that its art reflects the values on which our country stands.”