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.
House Office Buildings Superintendent Joe Yates begins the new member office lottery: "This is the main event...I would like to congratulate you on your win and welcome you to the 119th Congressional suite selection. It's awesome."
Rep.-Elect Sarah McBride (D-DE) picks 13. "Lucky number 13" House Office Buildings Superintendent Joe Yates says.
Memorial Service for Ethel Kennedy is being held today at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle in DC.Eulogies will be delivered by President Biden, fmr Presidents Obama & Clinton,fmr Speaker Pelosi,MLK III & her children.@cspan,online & cspan now app c-span.org/video/?539264-…
46, 44 and 42 with Nancy and Paul Pelosi at the memorial service for Ethel Kennedy today.
Surprise performance by Sting at the memorial service for Ethel Kennedy.
House passed legislation reauthorizing state grants for traumatic brain injury projects for 5yrs by voice vote. It's one of the last bills by the late Rep Bill Pascrell Jr (D-NJ) before he died last month.Bill names National Program for TBI Surveillance & Registries in his honor.
Pallone on Pascrell: “Before I talk about the importance of the bill, I want to take a moment to talk about our dear friend and colleague, Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr., who served here in this House for 27 years.”
Pallone on Pascrell: “He truly was the first son of Paterson and left an indelible mark on north Jersey throughout his public service career as a mayor, a public
schoolteacher, an assemblyman, and a Congressman.”
204-210:House defeated FL GOP Rep. Luna's inherent contempt resolution to fine Attorney General Garland $10,000 a day for failing to comply with a subpoena to provide Special Counsel Hur’s audiotapes of President Biden's interview.4Rs voted No: Duarte, Joyce, McClintock & Turner.
12 House Republicans and 7 Democrats missed the full House vote on Florida GOP Rep. Luna's inherent contempt resolution against AG Garland.
Rep. Luna (R-FL) on today's House vote defeating her inherent contempt resolution and 2025 legislative branch spending bill.
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."