The Final Five: June 22, 2012

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Tonight's Crazy Story:
World Record Set as Driver Catches Golf Ball in Car Going 120 MPH
Jake Shepherd, a British pro golfer, and David Coulthard, a former Formula 1 driver, teamed up to set the world record for "furthest golf shot caught in a moving car." Coulthard's shot went 275 yards and was caught in a $200,000 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster travelling at 120 mph.

Topic One: Fast & Furious
Is this Obama's watergate? "A lot of conservatives are writing at the moment that not only is Obama turning into Nixon Mark II, but Obama is worse because no one actually got killed during Watergate. The comparison is based on the myth that Nixon ordered the Watergate break in and that’s what he eventually had to resign over. But that’s not true. Nixon’s guilt was in trying to pervert the course of justice by persuading the FBI to drop its investigation of the crime. Mistake number one, then, was to involve the White House in covering up the errors of a separate, autonomous political department. Mistake number two was that when Congress discovered that evidence about the scandal might be recorded on the White House bugging system, Nixon invoked executive privilege to protect the tapes. In both cases, it was the cover up that destroyed Tricky Dick – not the original crime. And, forty years later almost to the day, here we have Obama making the same mistake."

Obama was against executive privilege before he was for it: "The Democrats are accusing Republicans of being political in issuing a contempt citation to Eric Holder because of his refusal to hand over additional documents in the Fast and Furious case. Of course the Republicans are being political. Both sides are political. Let’s everybody admit that politics is involved in everything a politician does. We’re not stupid, at least not all of us. While Executive Privilege is not mentioned in the Constitution, the Supreme Court has ruled that the principle is there in the Separation of Powers doctrine. The problem for President Obama is that Eric Holder has repeatedly said that Fast and Furious didn’t have anything to do with the White House. If this is true, then how can the President claim Executive Privilege? In the end, the courts might have to rule on whether the Republicans will get the documents they want."

D.C. Daily: June 22, 2012

Senate
Yesterday's Action:
During business yesterday, the Senate took the following actions:

• Passed S. 3240, the "Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act", by a vote of 64 yeas to 35 nays.
• Passed H.R. 33, the "Church Plan Investment Clarification Act".
• Passed S. Res. 471, commending the efforts of the women of the American Red Cross Clubmobiles for exemplary service during the Second World War.
• Approved the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to consideration of S. 1940, the "Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act", by a vote of 96 yeas to 2 nays. An agreement was then reached that the motion to proceed to consideration be agreed to no later than 5:30 PM on Monday, June 25.
• Began consideration of the House amendment to S. 3187, the "Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act".

Today's Schedule:
The Senate will not meet today. The next meeting of the Senate is scheduled for 2:00 PM on Monday, June 25.



House
Yesterday's Action:
During business yesterday, the House took the following actions:

• Passed H.R. 4480, the "Strategic Energy Production Act of 2012", by a vote of 248 yeas to 163 nays.
• Agreed to the McKinley motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 4348, by a vote of 260 yeas to 138 nays.
• Debated the Hoyer motion and the Black motion to instruct conferees on H.R. 4348, but postponed further proceeding on both motions.

Today's Schedule:
The House will not meet today. The next meeting of the House is scheduled for 2:00 PM on Monday, June 25.


Executive Agencies
Significant Proposed Rules:
There were no significant proposed rules printed today.

Significant Final Rules:

• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation: governing the calculation of the maximum obligation limitation (“MOL”), as specified in the Dodd-Frank Act. (Effective 7/23/12)
• Environmental Protection Agency: adding trans-1,3,3,3-tetrafluoropropene (also known as HFO-1234ze) to the list of compounds excluded from the definition of VOC on the basis that this compound makes a negligible contribution to tropospheric ozone formation. (Effective 7/23/12)

Presidential Documents:

• Determination No. 2012-08: determining that it is necessary, in order to protect the national security interests of the United States, to suspend for a period of 6 months the limitations set forth in sections 3(b) and 7(b) of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995.
• Memorandum: delegating the functions conferred upon the President by section 405(c) of the Child Soldiers Prevention Act of 2008, title IV of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008.

Supreme Court
The court has concluded scheduled oral arguments for the October 2011 term. However, the court is still meeting to finalize decisions on cases it heard during the preceeding term. The court's next session of oral arguments is scheduled to begin on Monday, October 1, 2012.

Yesterday, the court issued decisions in the following cases:

• Southern Union Company v. United States: The court ruled that the decision in Apprendi v. New Jersey, which said that facts that increase a maximum sentence must be proven to the jury beyond a reasonable doubt, applies to criminal fines. (Justice Sotomayor wrote for the majority; Justice Breyer was joined by Justices Kennedy and Alito in his dissenting opinion.)
• Knox v. Service Employees Int’l Union, Local 1000: The court ruled that a public-sector union cannot impose a special assessment on its members without the affirmative consent of the members upon which the assessment will be imposed. (Justice Alito wrote for the majority; Justice Sotomayor was joined by Justice Ginsburg in a concurring opinion; and Justice Breyer was joined by Justice Kagan in his dissenting opinion.)
• Dorsey v. United States: The court ruled that mandatory minimum sentences prescribed by the Fair Sentencing Act can be applied to defendants who committed an offense before the law was in effect but who were sentenced after the law was in effect. (Justice Breyer wrote for the majority; Justice Scalia was joined by Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Thomas and Alito in his dissenting opinion.)
• Federal Communications Commission v. Fox Television Stations, Inc.: The court ruled that the FCC failed to give FOX and ABC proper notice of what constituted indecent conduct. (Justice Kennedy wrote for the unanimous majority (excluding Justice Sotomayor, who recused from the case); Justice Ginsburg filed a concurring opinion.)

The next meeting of the court to release decisions will be Monday, June 25 at 10:00 AM.

The Final Five: June 21, 2012

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Tonight's Crazy Story:
Woman Made Cab Driver Wait While She Robbed a Store
A Florida woman called a cab to take her to a convenience store, and asked the driver to wait while she ran inside. The cab driver, worried that she was trying to beat the fare, summoned a police officer, who arrived just as she returned from robbing the store.

Topic One: Fast & Furious
The DOJ's Fast & Furious rationale is falling apart: "For those who keep a constant wary eye on the left's never-ending war on our 2nd-Amendment right to keep and bear arms, the increasingly fishy smell emanating from Washington led to connecting the dots back to the year-earlier revelations in the liberal media that weapons being used in Mexican crimes were traceable back to American sources more than 90% of the time. That false meme had spread quickly through the major liberal media, along with calls for stricter gun control laws in this country by...guess who! How about our president, our secretary of state, our attorney general, and other notable Democrats, for starters?"

Invoking executive privilege puts the Obama campaign in a tough place: "The answers to his critics’ questions could have broad implications for Obama five months before voters decide whether to grant him a second term. The expected protracted legal dispute has the potential to embarrass and distract the White House during the heart of the reelection campaign. Obama’s assertion of privilege quickly became fodder for his political opponents, who have latched onto the Fast and Furious scandal to accuse the president of trying to avoid congressional scrutiny. Sen. Charles E. Grassley (Iowa), a senior Republican on the Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to Obama on Wednesday asking for more detail on the exact scope of the privilege that Obama invoked."

Paul Mirengoff at PowerLine adds: "This election is, above all else, about the economy. But the fact that Obama is now on record as officially seeking to conceal documents relating to a significant scandal will add to his discomfort."

D.C. Daily: June 21, 2012

Senate
Yesterday's Action:
During business yesterday, the Senate took the following actions:

• Passed S. Res. 500, celebrating the accomplishments of title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, also known as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, and recognizing the need to continue pursuing the goal of equal educational opportunities for all women and girls.
• Passed S. Res. 501, supporting National Men's Health Week.
• Passed S. Res. 502, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the signing of the First Morrill Act.
• Continued consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of S. 1940, the "Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act". A motion was made to close debate and proceed to consideration of the bill, and a vote on the motion to invoke cloture will occur on Friday, June 22.
• Rejected the motion to proceed to consideration of S.J. Res. 37, to disapprove a rule promulgated by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency relating to emission standards for certain steam generating units, by a vote of 46 yeas to 53 nays.
• Continued consideration of S. 3240, the "Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act", by taking action on proposed amendments to the bill.

Today's Schedule:
The Senate will meet at 10:30 AM today. The Senate will resume consideration of S. 3240, the "Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act", with votes on amendments and final passage of the bill taking place later in the day.


House
Yesterday's Action:
During business yesterday, the House took the following actions:

• Agreed to the Walz motion to instruct conferees H.R. 4348, to provide an extension of Federal-aid highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund, by a vote of 386 yeas to 34 nays.
• Debated the McKinley motion to instruct conferees H.R. 4348, to provide an extension of Federal-aid highway, highway safety, motor carrier safety, transit, and other programs funded out of the Highway Trust Fund.
• Suspended the rules and passed S. 3187, the "Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act".
• Began consideration of H.R. 4480, the "Strategic Energy Production Act of 2012".

Today's Schedule:
The House will meet today at 9:00 AM. The House is expected to complete consideration of H.R. 4480, the "Strategic Energy Production Act of 2012", subject to a rule.


Executive Agencies
Significant Proposed Rules:
There were no significant proposed rules printed today.

Significant Final Rules:
There were no significant final rules printed today.

Presidential Documents:

• Presidential Proclamation 8839: proclaiming June 17, 2012, as Father's Day.
• Presidential Notice: continuing for 1 year the national emergency with respect to the risk of nuclear proliferation created by the accumulation of weapons-usable fissile material in the territory of the Russian Federation.
• Presidential Notice: continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared with respect to the actions and policies of the Government of North Korea.

Supreme Court
The court has concluded scheduled oral arguments for the October 2011 term. However, the court is still meeting to finalize decisions on cases it heard during the preceeding term. The court's next session of oral arguments is scheduled to begin on Monday, October 1, 2012.

The court will meet today to release opinions.

The Final Five: June 20, 2012

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Tonight's Crazy Story:
Walmart: Thieves Admired, Pocketed "Pretty Money" from Register
Police in an Atlanta suburb are on the lookout for someone who is tricking clerks into allowing them to look at the "pretty money" in their register. Two women with Eastern European accents recently asked if they could take a closer look at the money, which they said looked better than the "boring" money back home. The thieves returned some of the money--but not all--leaving the drawer $841 short.

Topic One: Fast and Furious
Holder met with Issa last night, but still failed to bring the documents Issa has demanded: "On Monday afternoon, Issa told Holder he needed documents — not a promise of future document production — before he would agree to postpone contempt proceedings. Holder did not come to the meeting with the documents in hand. “To summarize, he [Holder] came with an offer of a briefing,” Issa said. “We went through the process of what was being offered and responded, as I think we have to, which is the documents that they may choose to give in the future, we need to have before tomorrow.” That said, Issa said he thinks the “documents necessary to cause a postponement appear to be in their possession,” and he hopes Holder gives them to him tonight."

Obama came to the rescue today, claiming executive privilege on the documents: "The White House move means the Department of Justice can withhold the documents from the House Oversight Committee, which was scheduled to consider a contempt measure Wednesday against Holder. In a letter to Obama seeking the assertion of executive privilege, Holder said the documents involved related to the Justice Department's "response to congressional oversight and related media inquiries," and that release of internal executive branch documents would have "significant, damaging consequences." Holder also said releasing the documents would "inhibit the candor of executive branch deliberations in the future and significantly impair the ability of the executive branch to respond independently and effectively to congressional oversight."

This goes against what Obama said in 2009, but what's new? "In 2009, President Obama said in a statement on the Freedom of Information Act that "The Government should not keep information confidential merely because public officials might be embarrassed by disclosure, because errors and failures might be revealed, or because of speculative or abstract fears." Obama and administration officials also pledged to run the "most transparent administration in history." This statement seems particularly timely today since President Obama is invoking executive privilege in deciding not to release Attorney General Eric Holder's Fast and Furious documents."

Mid-Week Media: Obama's Pivots, Steak Dinners, Immigration Plans, and 'Doing Fine'

It's Wednesday, so that means it's time to check out some of the best media from the past week:

Dick Morris explains why the deficit is Obama's fault:



The RNC put out this ad on Obama's lack of focus on jobs:



Obama's steak dinner analogy fell apart when he ordered more:



Does "U.S. Open" refer to golf or immigration policy?



Is this what Obama was thinking when he said 'doing fine'?



And finally, what Obama really was saying in his immigration speech:

D.C. Daily: June 20, 2012

Senate
Yesterday's Action:
During business yesterday, the Senate took the following actions:

• Passed S. 3314, to specifically authorize certain funds for an intelligence or intelligence-related activity and for other purposes.
• Passed S. Res. 496, observing the historical significance of Juneteenth Independence Day.
• Passed S. Res. 497, congratulating the Los Angeles Kings on winning the 2012 Stanley Cup Championship.
• Passed S. Res. 498, designating June 20, 2012, as "American Eagle Day", and celebrating the recovery and restoration of the bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States.
• Passed S. Res. 499, recognizing the tenth anniversary of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.
• Considered the motion to proceed to consideration of S. 1940, the "Flood Insurance Reform And Modernization Act".
• Continued consideration of S. 3240, the "Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act", by taking action on proposed amendments.
• Agreed that the minority leader be authorized to make a motion to proceed to consideration of S.J. Res. 37, to disapprove a rule promulgated by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency relating to emission standards for certain steam generating units, on Wednesday, June 20.

Today's Schedule:
The Senate will meet at 9:30 AM today. After remarks by the majority leader, the minority leader will be recognized to make a motion to proceed to consideration of S.J. Res. 37, to disapprove a rule promulgated by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency relating to emission standards for certain steam generating units. The Senate will then vote on the motion to proceed to consideration at approximately 11:30 AM. If the motion is not agreed to, the Senate will then resume consideration of S. 3240, the "Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act", by taking action on proposed amendments.


House
Yesterday's Action:
During business yesterday, the House took the following actions:

• PassedH.R. 2578, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act related to a segment of the Lower Merced River in California, and for other purposes, by a vote of 232 yeas to 188 nays.
• Suspended the rules and passed H.R. 2938, the "Gila Bend Indian Reservation Lands Replacement Clarification Act", by a vote of 343 yeas to 78 nays.

Today's Schedule:
The House will meet today at 10:00 AM. The House is expected to consider H.R. 4480, the "Strategic Energy Production Act of 2012", subject to a rule.


Executive Agencies
Significant Proposed Rules:
There were no significant proposed rules printed today.

Significant Final Rules:

• Defense Department: assigning responsibilities and provides procedures for implementing a Pilot Program for the Temporary Exchange of Information Technology Personnel.
• Justice Department: adopting national standards to prevent, detect, and respond to prison rape, as required by the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003.

Presidential Documents:

• Presidential Proclamation 8838: proclaiming June 15, 2012, as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
• Executive Order 13616: facilitating broadband deployment on Federal lands, buildings, and rights of way, federally assisted highways, and tribal and individual Indian trust lands (tribal lands), particularly in underserved communities

Supreme Court
The court has concluded scheduled oral arguments for the October 2011 term. However, the court is still meeting to finalize decisions on cases it heard during the preceeding term. The court's next session of oral arguments is scheduled to begin on Monday, October 1, 2012.

The Final Five: June 19, 2012

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Tonight's Crazy Story:
Woman Super Glued to Walmart Toilet Seat
A woman sat down on a toilet seat at a Walmart only to later discover that super glue had been placed on it.

Topic One: The Totalitarian President
Obama close to totalitarianism: "In January, the president illegally appointed a director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, along with three appointments to the National Labor Relations Board, all without the approval of a Senate still legally in session, as the Constitution requires."

"The president also selectively decides which laws he'll enforce and which he won't. Regarding education, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently granted waivers to 10 states, freeing them from the strict requirements of the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act."

"In February 2011, the Justice Department announced it would not defend the Defense of Marriage Act against court challenges. Last August, Obama's DHS announced it would no longer deport the noncitizen spouses of gay Americans — a direct contradiction to DOMA as well."

"Maybe all this works in Venezuela, but it won't wash here. We still have free elections, and there's one in November when we can fundamentally restore respect for the law and the Constitution."

D.C. Daily: June 19, 2012

Senate
Yesterday's Action:
During business yesterday, the Senate took the following actions:

• Passed S. Res. 470, designating July 28, 2012, as "National Day of the American Cowboy".
• Passed S. Res. 495, designating the period beginning on June 17, 2012, and ending on June 23, 2012, as "Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Week".
• Began consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of S. 1940, to amend the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, to restore the financial solvency of the flood insurance fund.
• Agreed to a unanimous-consent-time agreement for consideration of S. 3240, the "Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act".
• Agreed to a unanimous-consent-time agreement for consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of S.J. Res. 37, to disapprove a rule promulgated by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency relating to emission standards for certain steam generating units.
• Passed S. Res. 488, commending the efforts of the firefighters and emergency response personnel of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, who came together to extinguish the May 23, 2012, fire at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.
• Confirmed the nomination of Mary Geiger Lewis to be District Judge for the District of South Carolina, by a vote of 64 yeas to 27 nays.

Today's Schedule:
The Senate will meet at 10:00 AM today. The Senate will resume consideration of S. 3240, the "Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act" and will begin consideration of the motion to proceed to consideration of S.J. Res. 37, to disapprove a rule promulgated by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency relating to emission standards for certain steam generating units.


House
Yesterday's Action:
During business yesterday, the House took the following actions:

• Suspended the rules and passed H.R. 1556, to amend the Omnibus Indian Advancement Act to allow certain land to be used to generate income to provide funding for academic programs, and for other purposes.
• Suspended the rules and passed H.R. 4027, to clarify authority granted under the Act entitled "An Act to define the exterior boundary of the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation in the State of Utah, and for other purposes.
• Suspended the rules and passed S. 684, to provide for the conveyance of certain parcels of land to the town of Alta, Utah, by a vote of 383 yeas to 3 nays.
• Suspended the rules and passed S. 404, to modify a land grant patent issued by the Secretary of the Interior, by a unanimous vote of 380 yeas.
• Suspended the rules and passed S. 997, the "East Bench Irrigation District Water Contract Extension Act".
• Suspended the rules and passed H. Res. 683, expressing the regret of the House of Representatives for the passage of laws that adversely affected the Chinese in the United States, including the Chinese Exclusion Act.
• Suspended the rules and passed H.R. 3668, the "Counterfeit Drug Penalty Enhancement Act of 2011".
• Suspended the rules and passed H.R. 1272, the "Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Judgment Fund Distribution Act of 2012".
• Debated H.R. 2938, the "Gila Bend Indian Reservation Lands Replacement Clarification Act" under suspension of the rules.

Today's Schedule:
The House will meet today at 10:00 AM. The House is expected to consider H.R. 2578, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act related to a segment of the Lower Merced River in California, and for other purposes, subject to a rule.


Executive Agencies
Significant Proposed Rules:
There were no significant proposed rules printed today.

Significant Final Rules:
There were no significant final rules printed today.

Presidential Documents:

• Presidential Determination No. 2012-09: determining that there is a sufficient supply of petroleum and petroleum products from countries other than Iran to permit a significant reduction in the volume of petroleum and petroleum products purchased from Iran by or through foreign financial institutions.

Supreme Court
The court has concluded scheduled oral arguments for the October 2011 term. However, the court is still meeting to finalize decisions on cases it heard during the preceeding term. The court's next session of oral arguments is scheduled to begin on Monday, October 1, 2012.

Yesterday, the court issued the following opinions:

• Williams v. Illinois: The court affirmed a decision by the Illinois Supreme Court which stated that admission of testimony regarding DNA analysis by an expert who did not conduct the analysis did not violate the Confrontation Clause. Justice Alito wrote the opinion. Justice Breyer issued a concurring opinion, and Justice Thomas filed an opinion in which he concurred with the judgment only. Justice Kagan wrote a dissenting opinion which was joined by Justices Scalia, Ginsburg, and Sotomayor.
• Christopher v. SmithKline Beecham Corp.: The court affirmed a decision by the Ninth Circuit which stated that pharmaceutical sales representatives qualify as outside salesmen under the Department of Labor's regulations, and are therefore not subject to overtime regulations. Justice Alito wrote the opinion. Justice Breyer wrote a dissenting opinion, which was joined by Justices Ginsburg, Sotomayor, and Kagan.
• Salazar v. Ramah Navajo Chapter: The court affirmed a decision by the Tenth Circuit ruling that Congress must allocate sufficient funding to honor its promises under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act. Justice Sotomayor wrote the opinion. Chief Justice Roberts wrote a dissenting opinion, which was joined by Justices Ginsburg, Breyer, and Alito.
• Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians v. Patchak: The court affirmed a decision by the D.C. Circuit which stated that a neighbor could sue to stop construction of a casino on land taken by the federal government and given to an Indian reservation. Justice Kagan wrote the opinion. Justice Sotomayor wrote a dissenting opinion.

The Final Five: June 18, 2012

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Tonight's Crazy Story:
Railway Work Gets Seal of Approval
"Albert" the seal began watching railroad workers as they worked on the tracks, but then had to be shooed away when he came a little too close.

Topic One: Immigration
Obama's immigration strategy ignores laws: "Rather than pushing new laws through a divided Congress to enact his agenda, Obama is relying on federal agencies to ignore, or at least not defend, laws that some of his important supporters — like Hispanic voters and the gay community — don’t like. “If the president says we’re not going to enforce the law, there’s really nothing anyone can do about it,” University of Pennsylvania constitutional law professor Kermit Roosevelt said. “It’s clearly a political calculation.” A White House official said the strategy is the result of a stalemate in Washington."

Did Obama say he could not stop deportations? "In March 2011, speaking at Univision town hall in Washington, D.C., Barack Obama firmly stated that, as president, he can't simply "suspend deportations" with only an executive order. "With respect to the notion that I can just suspend deportations through executive order, that’s just not the case, because there are laws on the books that Congress has passed," President Obama said then."

Is Obama violating his oath of office? "From the very beginning, the president and his administration made clear they had no intention of enforcing laws they didn’t like. Mr. Obama and his minions decided that they would simply stop enforcing the Defense of Marriage Act, no longer prosecute growers of “medical” marijuana, and let some states walk away from provisions in the No Child Left Behind law (which, by the way, was co-authored by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat, and passed the Senate by a 91-8 vote). Mr. Obama’s Justice Department has even more flagrantly flouted the laws of the land. Out of the blue, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, reinterpreted America’s gambling laws (and dumped the decision on Christmas Eve so as to avoid scrutiny). More recently, Mr. Holder has decided to thwart congressional oversight by refusing to release documents on the disastrous “Fast and Furious” gun-running scheme, and he is actively fighting Florida for trying to expunge dead people from its voter rolls."

D.C. Daily: June 18, 2012

Senate
Friday's Action:
The Senate was not in session on Friday.

Today's Schedule:
The Senate will meet at 3:00 PM today. The Senate will resume consideration of S. 3240, the "Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act". At 5:00 PM, the Senate will begin consideration of the nomination of Mary Geiger Lewis to be District Judge for the District of South Carolina, with a vote on the nomination taking place at approximately 5:30 PM.


House
Friday's Action:
The House met Friday in a pro forma session.

Today's Schedule:
The House will meet today at 2:00 PM. The House is expected to consider nine measures under suspension of the rules: 1) H.R. 4027, to clarify authority granted under the Act entitled "An Act to define the exterior boundary of the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation in the State of Utah, and for other purposes; 2) H.R. 1272, the "Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Judgment Fund Distribution Act of 2012"; 3) H.R. 1556, to amend the Omnibus Indian Advancement Act to allow certain land to be used to generate income to provide funding for academic programs, and for other purposes; 4) S. 684, to provide for the conveyance of certain parcels of land to the town of Alta, Utah; 5) S. 404, to modify a land grant patent issued by the Secretary of the Interior; 6) S. 997, the "East Bench Irrigation District Water Contract Extension Act"; 7) H.R. 2938, the "Gila Bend Indian Reservation Lands Replacement Clarification Act"; 8) H. Res. 683, expressing the regret of the House of Representatives for the passage of laws that adversely affected the Chinese in the United States, including the Chinese Exclusion Act; and 9) H.R. 3668, the "Counterfeit Drug Penalty Enhancement Act of 2011".


Executive Agencies
Significant Proposed Rules:

• Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board: amending the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Accessibility Guidelines to specifically address emergency transportable housing units that are provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency or other entities on a temporary site in response to an emergency need for temporary housing. (Comment period ends 8/17/12)

Significant Final Rules:

• Environmental Protection Agency: amending the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) regulations. (Effective 6/18/12)
• Environmental Protection Agency: adopting several new aircraft engine emission standards for oxides of nitrogen (NO X), compliance flexibilities, and other regulatory requirements. (Effective 7/18/12)

Presidential Documents:
There were no Presidential Documents published today.


Supreme Court
The court has concluded scheduled oral arguments for the October 2011 term. However, the court is still meeting to finalize decisions on cases it heard during the preceeding term. The court's next session of oral arguments is scheduled to begin on Monday, October 1, 2012.

The court is expected to issue opinions and orders from last Thursday's conference today.