I Don’t Hate America!

Now that Congress is done voting on resolutions condemning newspaper ads (notice I didn’t say “attacking free speech,” but yeah I should probably have a post on that specifically sometime), the House today is taking up H.R. 3121, legislation about the national flood insurance program.  The legislation would expand coverage to include wind damage.  Big surprise here: President Bush intends to veto the bill.  From Reuters:

WASHINGTON, Sept 26 (Reuters) - The Bush administration on Wednesday threatened to veto a post-Katrina bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would expand the federal government’s flood insurance program to cover wind damage.

The bill sponsored by California Democrat Maxine Waters was expected to reach the House floor on Thursday.

Among other steps, it would add wind damage to perils covered under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), set up in 1968.

The White House said in a statement it opposes adding wind coverage to the national flood program.

“Shifting liabilities for windstorm damage from the private sector to the NFIP would be fiscally irresponsible. Federal government insurance would displace insurance that is already provided by the private market,” it said.

In addition, the White House said including wind damage would mean all taxpayers would have to subsidize insurance rates for people in high-risk areas.

The White House also objected to aspects of the bill that would widen the national flood insurance program’s scope.

“Increasing the coverage amounts could further encourage expensive development in high-risk areas and leave the federal taxpayer with a larger debt burden following the next catastrophe,” the White House added.

There is no similar measure currently before the Senate.

Lawmakers have put forward numerous proposals after three hurricanes in 2005 — Katrina, Rita and Wilma — killed hundreds and caused billions of dollars in damages along America’s southern coastline.

Later today Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minnesota, will offer an amendment to the bill which would add a requirement that FEMA map areas in “the 100-year floodplain that would flood if not for a levee, dam, or other man-made structure.”

I’m sure he’s only offering it because MoveOn.org told him he could.  Hee hee.

In a procedural motion on a resolution to continue federal spending as the fiscal year ends Sunday, Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-California and ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, offered an amendment supporting Gen. David Petraeus and condeming MoveOn.org’s criticism of him. The motion was accepted by appropriations chairman Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wisconsin.

All I can say is: ugh! While I am not completely in agreement with Moveon.org’s advertisement (maybe that’s for another post), must Congress use this crucial time to vote on whether or not ads purchased by PACs should be given approval?

The fiscal year is winding down.

No spending bills have been signed into law yet.

Congress’s approval rating is at 11 percent.

And what do we get? Procedural motions that can produce nothing but “gotcha’ politics” and ammo to those on both sides. I’ll update as this continues.

The motion to amend (it was really a motion to recommit with amendment, but the bill is already back before the House as I write this, whatever) passed 341-79. All 79 nays were Democrats who will now be accused of “turning their backs on the troops” or some such nonsense by talk radio and right wing bloggers.

10 minutes of debate. 20+ minutes of the voting machine being open. You can laugh at this if you want, but that half hour is time that could have been spent on real legislation such as that before the House addressing popcorn lung disease. I will update with how the Minnesota delegation voted once the roll is posted (though I am sure there won’t be any surprises).

No surprises here on this roll call. Minnesota members voting aye: Walz, Kline, Ramstad, McCollum, Bachmann, Peterson, Oberstar. Voting nay: Ellison. At least maybe some people will let up on bullcrap such as calling Tim Walz “MoveOn.org’s Minnesota representative.”

While much has been made about candidate for Congress in Minnesota’s First District and state Sen. Dick Day’s commitment to make illegal immigration the defining issue in the campaign for the Republican endorsement, fellow candidate and state Rep. Randy Demmer, R-Hayfield, today told supporters in an email message the single issue he hears the most about from constituents is “family values.”

From BPOU picnics and meetings to parades, I have spent the summer crossing and re-crossing Minnesota’s First Congressional District meeting with prospective delegates and general election voters alike. In addition to meeting and exchanging ideas with so many people, I have shared many of these experiences with my wife Kathy, family members, friends and supporters making for enjoyable as well as informative opportunities.

Although the issues of importance to the people of the First Congressional District have varied from immigration to spending . . . from the War in Iraq to health care . . . from taxation to education, the one most repeated subject is that of family values. It is very obvious that the great majority share with me that certain beliefs are the core of family values.

Protecting the rights of the unborn . . . a ban on public funding of embryonic stem cell research . . . and the belief that marriage is a union of one man and one woman are fundamental. I firmly believe residents of the First Congressional District hold dearly to the philosophy that families that live, study, play and worship together are the foundation and very essence of our country.

Family values extend to education. Parents and families are far and away the most important determinant of success. People of the First District are not looking for federal government intrusion into education. They believe, as I do, it is a family and local issue.

As I continue in this campaign, which covers border to border in southern Minnesota, I continue to pledge my non-negotiable commitment to the family values that are so very important to the people of the First District. Please join me in our campaign to replace Tim Walz and return responsible Congressional representation to Minnesota’s First Congressional District.

Sincerely,

Randy Demmer

Yes, those evil gay marriages and that evil stem cell research again! They are OBVIOUSLY of much greater concern to southern Minnesotans than a war that is draining human and financial resources, a broken health care system or even immigration, an issue which virtually everyone thinks needs evaluation.  Or agriculture, which this message didn’t mention.  I guess this email message seems to illustrate that Demmer has decided that forgetting about agriculture needs of the First District will now be a recurring campaign theme.

Please Randy, run as a social conservative.  And please get the GOP endorsement.  Give the voters of the First a hard choice next November: male, southern Minnesota version of Michele Bachmann (you, Randy), or a common sense, pragmatic, hard working incumbent (Tim Walz).

Or you will get votes because of the thing most impressive about your campaign so far: your perfectly maintained hair. Seriously, watch for yourself: it keeps its terrific condition in the parade breeze.

Speaking of Randy Demmer taking on Tim Walz, Hal over at Blue Man in a Red District has a fantastic take on Demmer’s press release asking Walz to denounce Moveon.org.

The press release, it should be noted, was picked up by no one (that I can find via Google, anyway) other than Hal and Michael Brodkorb over at MDE. Must be that evil liberally controlled media…

Minnesota Republican Rep. John Kline has arrived in Iraq for the fifth time since the war started.  From the Star Tribune’s Kevin Diaz:

WASHINGTON - Minnesota Republican John Kline, one of the strongest congressional supporters of the U.S. war effort, arrived in Iraq Friday, beginning his fifth visit since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

The trip, coming as Congress debates the future of U.S. troop deployments in Iraq, will also include a stop in Afghanistan. Kline is part of a congressional delegation made up of three Republicans and three Democrats. The group is being led by Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii.

In an interview before he left Washington, Kline said he was encouraged by reports of progress given to Congress last week by Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker. But, he added, he wanted to see the latest conditions for himself.

“I’d like to see with my own eyes what progress has been made — or the lack of progress,” he said.

Kline, a retired Marine colonel, said he’s particularly interested in assessing the morale of U.S. troops, which is critical to military reenlistment rates. “I want to know what the soldiers and Marines feel about their mission,” he said.

He also said it will be important to meet with regional Iraqi leaders to assess the prospects of national reconciliation for the central Iraqi government.

Almost unwavering from George W. Bush’s Iraq policy.  “The surge is clearly working,” is what Kline will likely say upon returning.  Or if that quote has a “but” following it, his visit might bring back evidence of how salvageable things really are over there.

Meanwhile, anger is growing among Republicans, specifically House Armed Services Committee members Kline and ranking member Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-California) and the amount of corruption surrounding military contracts in Iraq.  The investigated contracts in these situations alone ring to the tune of $6 billion for “essential supplies” and $88 billion for body armor.  Some of the story from the New York Times:

Representatives from both parties pummeled the panel with angry questions and comments, assailing the Pentagon for having failed to overhaul the procurement system more than two years after Congress had identified serious problems in defense contracting and passed legislation aimed at helping the Pentagon correct them.

Someone refresh my memory: how much were those cases of Coca Cola being sold for?

The lawmakers also challenged assertions by the Pentagon officials that the corruption being uncovered was the work of a few isolated individuals. Several committee members suggested that the abuses were far more systemic.

“The problems were so severe that I fear they could represent a culture of corruption,” said Representative Ike Skelton, Democrat of Missouri, the chairman of the committee. “I am extremely disappointed to learn that so many individuals violated their integrity and undermined the oaths they made to this country.”

Representative John Kline, a Minnesota Republican and retired Marine colonel, said he was “doubly, triply, quadruply appalled” at the “clear breakdown in leadership” that allowed some Army contracting officers to corrupt the procurement system. He said it was inexcusable that it took so long for the Army to put adequate checks in place.

Pentagon officials did not dispute the seriousness of the problems. However, they took issue with lawmakers’ characterizations of their scope. “I think it’s isolated incidents,” said Thomas F. Gimble, the principal deputy Pentagon inspector general. “The real issue is a lack of control, a lack of integrity and lots of opportunity and lots of money.”

With the no-bid contracts over in Iraq, isn’t it inexcusable of Kline to take so long to start an accountability process?

As of Sept. 12, the Army reported that it had 78 cases of fraud and corruption under investigation, had obtained 20 criminal indictments, and had uncovered over $15 million in bribes.

Lawmakers scolded the Pentagon for just recently ordering the creation of a special contracting corps of experienced procurement specialists — authorized in the legislation two years ago — to bolster purchasing teams in the most active combat zones, and to report directly to a regional military commander.

“That it’s taken two years to do this is an indication of a system that’s quite slow,” said Representative Duncan Hunter of California, the senior Republican on the committee. “That’s half the time it took to win World War II.”

Now that DJ and I have moved on from Winona State, we hope the DM&E fight does not have to be reignited at our alma mater. DJ covered the DM&E sale to Canadian Pacific in a post a short little while ago. Recently, Congressman Walz and Oberstar met with Rochester leaders to discuss the future of the DM&E project. I wonder what the “Three D’s” (Dick Day, Brian Davis, and Randy Demmer) have to say about DM&E as Rochester represents a large part of district 1.

Here is the press release on the discussions:

U.S. REPS. OBERSTAR AND WALZ DISCUSS DM&E RAILROAD EXPANSION WITH ROCHESTER, MINN., LEADERS

ROCHESTER, Minn. (Sept. 21, 2007) – U.S. Reps. James Oberstar and Tim Walz met with Rochester Coalition and Mayo Clinic leadership today to discuss the sale of the Dakota Minnesota and Eastern (DM&E) railroad to Canadian Pacific and its affect on the proposed Powder River Basin expansion project. As proposed, the expansion of the DM&E line through downtown Rochester remains a major concern for local residents, businesses and Rochester’s Mayo Clinic, which is Minnesota’s largest private employer and a leading worldwide destination for health care.

“We support responsible investment in transportation infrastructure, including rail,” said Glenn Forbes, M.D., CEO of Mayo Clinic Rochester. “Our goal is simply to ensure the safety of our patients, staff and community. We appreciate the support of Representatives Oberstar and Walz as they begin discussions with Canadian Pacific about the future of this project.”

It remains to be seen if Canadian Pacific’s acquisition of DM&E is a positive development for Rochester and other communities along the line. Canadian Pacific’s willingness to have meaningful discussions about how to mitigate the project’s negative impacts and protect communities along the line is the Coalition’s primary concern.

“This sale represents an opportunity to meet directly with a new set of owners to ensure that the safety needs of our community are addressed in a meaningful way,” said Olmsted County Commissioner Ken Brown. “We see this acquisition as potentially positive and believe the Canadian Pacific will be interested in finding common ground.”

“We have actively reached out to Canadian Pacific and asked for early meetings,” said Rochester City Council President Denny Hanson. “We are optimistic they will work with our community to allow for a safer railroad through southern Minnesota.”

Hat tip to Bluestem Prairie.

Previously Missing in Action Minnesota second district Rep. John Kline (R-Some non-disclosed shelter) will debate first district DFLer Tim Walz about the future of America’s presence in Iraq tomorrow night on Almanac. Almanac airs locally on TPT 2 (KTCA) at 7:00 p.m. with replays on TPT2 and can also be viewed online at www.tpt.org/almanac.

Kline was very conspicuously absent during the August congressional recess from town hall meetings or forums and performed virtually no other constituent outreach efforts with the exception of a “telephone town hall meeting,” the legitimacy of which was to say the least, questionable. Kline continues to have unwavering support for President Bush’s Iraq war policy with little explanation to his constituents. Meanwhile, virtually ever other member of Minnesota’s congressional delegation did constituent outreach work within his or her district, most notably Walz’ work on flood relief efforts in southeastern Minnesota.

As I’ve said before, I’m quite an Almanac fan, especially of David Gillette’s visual essays.

Jason and I will be playing softball tomorrow night (go Diamond Runners in the Prior Lake Co-Rec league!) but I will be sure to have my thoughts after viewing a recap.

Hey kids, here we go with the promised liveblog.

10:38 a.m.: We are awaiting the commencement of the first meeting of the day. The House Capital Investment Finance Division (otherwise known as the “bonding committee”) is set to gavel to order any second now. The Senate doesn’t start anything until 2 p.m. with its full finance committee.

10:55 a.m.: Still waiting for the meeting to start, as if these things are known for starting on time. I had an opportunity to see the capital investment committee when they were in Winona last week, however I made the mistake of going to the farce of a hearing on historic preservation down the street.

11:00 a.m.: Chair Alice Hausman (DFL-St. Paul). Hausman explained that Rep. Ken Tschumper (DFL-La Cresent) will be the chief author of the bill providing flood relief, however he will be late arriving to the meeting because he was unable to get someone to relieve him of cow-milking duty in time.

Seriously. They are citizen legislators! Members are looking at images of the destruction.

11:07 a.m.: Rep. Gene Pelowski (DFL-Winona) is at the microphone and walking members through the appropriations in the bill and criteria for receiving those appropriations. This is tough to follow without a copy of the bill in front of me (since it officially has yet to be introduced). I’ll be attempting to get my electronic hands on a copy over the next few hours (hopefully sooner).

11:19 a.m.: Rep. Pelowski is going over relief for items ranging anywhere from school bus fleets to property tax abatement. Again, without a copy of the bill it is tough to follow along closely.

11:26 a.m.: According to Rep. Jean Wagenius (DFL-Minneapolis), someone within the state Department of Health said the department will be unable to fund testing for drinking water and hopes that by the time the bill gets to the finance committee the issue will be addressed. Pelowski explained that due to the fragile topography of the land, any disaster quickly affects drinking water. Finance chair Rep. Lyndon Carlson (DFL-Crystal) explained that for any amendment to be brought forward would have to be approved by all three major entities (House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller and Gov. Tim Pawlenty) due to the general understanding already reached by all three. The general feeling is that the tentative version of the bill is flexible, but it is questionable as to how flexible.

11:51 a.m.: Carlson has explained that the capital investment meeting was meant as a walk-through so items can be brought up (such as those about the drinking water) and so the leadership and governor can sign off on them. Amendments should be adopted by the finance committee with the bill being introduced at 5:00 p.m.

It seems to me a more logical way to do this would have been to call the special session to order this morning, recess until 5:00 p.m., and allow the committees to do their business in the interim. But I suppose there is that whole thing about 201 “citizen legislators” needing to leave their permanent lively hoods earlier than necessary.

The capital investment committee has adjourned and now we await the full finance committee to come to order.

11:55 a.m.: Sadly it appears TPT17 has chosen not to broadcast coverage of the legislative session so I am stuck with the webcast. Over on C-SPAN though the US Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees are questioning Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker about the situation in Iraq. Presidential candidate and Sen. Barack Obama is up now.

12:04 p.m.: Carlson has called the Finance committee to order. With the resignation of Rep. Steve Sviggum, Rep. Pat Garafolo (R-Farmington) has been named the ranking GOP member. Carlson explained that they are operating on a “working draft” of the bill, but will be incorporating amendments and will take testimony.

12:10 p.m.: Pelowski is going over the bill again to the finance committee. He touched on language moving funding from one area to another and preventing individuals and business from “double dipping” by getting funds for the same thing from both the state and federal government.

12:22 p.m.: There are still negotiations amongst the leadership on certain items being general fund appropriations or funding via bonding, Pelowski said. State parks, child care, storm sewers, Rushford’s waste treatment plant and Home and Community Options in Winona are a few additional things set to receive funding. There are several historic structures which are set to receive funding and according to Pewloski discussions are still on going.

In Houston, the one bridge some students have in order to get to school was destroyed therefore those students must now attend school in Winona. In the bill there will be reimbursement to school districts for per-pupil losses.

There will be $3 million from a national employment grant and Pelowski says language on this issue is still under consideration. Flexibility in addressing truth-in-taxation issues for local governments was included. The Department of Revenue wants language dealing with reassessment of property values but apparently there is disagreement with the House fiscal people about language.

It seems the bill is under 25 pages. A copy of this would be nice. Anyone who can give a hook-up reading this? djdanielson(at)gmail.com.

12:51 p.m.: Quite a bit of inside baseball and nitpicking at number (which I cannot even see) that is all going right over my head. Finance Commissioner Tom Hanson has joined the meeting.

12:58 pm.: Rep. Tom Huntley (DFL-Duluth) asked if reporting requirements will be waived for those needing health services since most records were wiped away with the flood. Carlson said that it should be routed through the speakers office. Rep. Al Juhnke (DFL-Willmar) has stated the agriculture provisions have been agreed to in principle with the legislative leadership and the governor’s office.

1:01 p.m.: Some concern has been raised about non-profits, such as CAP Agencies and organizations dealing with transitional housing, and making sure they are funded by the appropriations for the businesses if they already aren’t by human services or the federal government. Amendments to the working draft that have been approved by the leadership, however I am unable to see them.

1:15 p.m.: Rep. Loren Solberg (DFL-Grand Rapids), chair of Ways and Means, announced that the 3:00 p.m. meeting of that committee has been canceled. It appears the House will gavel in at 5:00 p.m., recess so Ways and Means can meet quickly to make a budget resolution, and then reconvene the full chamber. Carlson has said that he “hopes” members will abide by the agreement between the leadership and the governor and get amendments checked-off by all parties. Rep. Ann Lenczewski (DFL-Bloomington), the Tax chair in the House, has stated she does NOT intend to offer a tax amendment beyond the points agreed upon previously as to not breach the agreement. No gotcha’ politics from either side thus far. Whoo hoo.

1:21 p.m.: Rep. Tom Rukavina (DFL-Virginia) has just arrived and is very, very frustrated that the bill does not address unemployment.

“These people were told to go online and apply for unemployment. How are they supposed to go online without a computer, electricity or a house?”

1:37 p.m.: Rukavina has also shown frustration at how much control the legislative leadership and the governor have grasped in the process of coming to an agreement. Carlson again explained to him that he hoped members would stick to the guidelines of running amendments past the leadership and the governor.

“As a duly elected member of this body do I not have a say Mr. Chairman?” Rukavina replied.

The Finance committee has recessed to the call of the chair apparently to go through the three main players to get amendments okayed.

Rukavina had one more noteworthy quote: “It’s been 41 days since the bridge collapsed and the leadership and the governor haven’t been able to come to an agreement yet. Why should we think this is going to get done in four hours?”

2:01 p.m.: It doesn’t appear House TV plans on picking up the finance committee when it reconvenes. We are waiting for the Senate to call to order its finance committee.

2:17 p.m.: It appears House TV WILL be picking up coverage of the House finance committee when it reconvenes. Still waiting for Senate finance to begin. Members, staff and audience are finally filing in.

2:31 p.m.: Sen. Richard Cohen (DFL-St. Paul) has called the Senate finance committee to order. Sen. Sharon Ropes (DFL-Winona) has begun her testimony telling stories of a home on top of railroad tracks, a 91 year-old woman who didn’t hear the emergency alarm and businesses that lack buildings and inventory.

3:22 p.m.: Sen. Linda Berglin has shown concern about nursing homes and other health and human services being funded adequately.

4:53.: Since the last post the Senate finance committee has been going over largely small details of the bill. I must have missed the House finance committee finishing their work. Unexplainably, Senate TV cut away from the Finance hearing. Session set to start at 5:00 p.m. Coverage on TPT17. Whoo.

5:04 p.m.: Waiting for session to begin. TPT17 (KTCI) just finished about 10 straight minutes of the same acoustic guitar melody but is now playing a historical clip about Minnesota’s statehood. I can see on the webfeed, though, that members are filing into the House chamber. In the Senate, you can see President Jim Metzen sitting in his chair. For a legislature junkie like me, hearing his raspy voice again will be a treat!

5:07 p.m.: I forgot to mention: in the bill there is some matching funding for Minneapolis for the bridge collapse and some money for northern Minnesota fire previously part of the tax bill vetoed by Gov. Pawlenty. Beyond that though, there is no comprehensive transportation funding or tax legislation.

5:18 p.m.: Both chambers are underway with prayers, pledges and roll calls. Expect a certain amount of procedural resolutions dealing with organizing each chamber.

5:23 p.m.: House majority leader Tony Sertich has asked for a moment of silence for September 11th and the disasters here in Minnesota. The Senate had a similar moment.

5:38 p.m.: Senate File 1, dealing with flood relief, and SF2, a Sen. Linda Berglin bill dealing which motor vehicle insurance (hmmm?), have been introduced. The House is in recess for approximately one-hour. Senate majority Larry Pogemiller is explaining that the House and Senate versions of the flood relief bill are not exact and must be ironed out. According to Pogemiller, the possibility of a conference committee cannot be ruled out. In order to limit the possibility of this, he has encouraged amendments to be brought to the rules committee. Senate minority leader David Senjem is encouraging Senators to “hold the line and work within the framework of the bill.”

“As Senator (Dick) Day often says, we all have election certificates. I do not want to suppress debate, but encourage everyone to use their best judgment,” Pogemiller said.

The House is adjourned until approximately 6:30 p.m; the Senate likewise until approximately 6:45 p.m. House Minority Leader Marty Seifert announced the House GOP caucus would be meeting.

“May we all come over for supper?” Speaker Kelliher asked.

6:32 p.m.: The Senate rules committee is waiting to be called to order. Visible by the camera view provided by Senate TV show Pogemiller and Metzen both in the room waiting. House TV is showing some member sitting idly in the chamber waiting to go back to work.

Senate TV has such soothing piano music. Maybe they think the only people dorky enough to be watching this are cultured enough to enjoy listening to it on a regular basis.

6:38 p.m.: Pogemiller has called the rules committee of the Senate to order and Sen. Ann Lynch (DFL-Rochester) is begining to explain SF 1, the flood relief bill. The bill is FINALLY availiable for all to see WHOOOO YEAHHHH BABY!

Okay, just relieved I get to see what they have been talking about all day; always easier to follow along when they are referencing pages when you can actually SEE the pages.

Looks like this explanation will be much shorter than those previously today. The House chamber is very close to empty currently. I wonder if Seifert has any hotdish or sloppy joe’s left?

6:56 p.m.: Berglin is keeping up her day-long theme of ensuring that nursing homes are being covered adequately and is hoping that the Dept. of Human Services is involved. She wasn’t satisfied in the language in the bill dealing with that, but Ropes explained that when three parties are involved not all language can be agreeable.

7:05 p.m.: A point of contention has been met in regards to the budget surplus from FY ‘07. Apparently the fiscal year ended with ~$370 million in the general fund. Pogemiller argued in a brief spat with Sen. Gen Olson that surplus money could be used as opposed to bonding.

7:11 p.m.: Pogemiller announced that Berglin’s bill about auto insurance would be incorporated into the larger flood relief bill. The discussion of amendments is set to begin.

I am praying here people that there will be no gotcha’ politics from either side.

7:18 p.m.: An issue has been brought up concerning the Help America Vote Act and where the correct language should be. Sen. Ann Rest (DFL-New Hope) is concerned that by including language about delaying the deadline for townships effected by the flood to come in compliance with HAVA could violate a “one bill, one subject” principle. They are now trying to find a way to move that process along quicker.

7:38 p.m.: Senate rules committee is going over language in order to fit in an amendment(s) with counsel. Dotting I’s and crossing T’s and making sure articles like “the” are in the right spot.

Well, I was serious about the third part. Borrrrring TV. You all owe me BIG TIME for sitting through this.

7:44 p.m.: As the Senate rules committee continues to pick apart VERY technical language, I finally found a copy of SF2, the Berglin auto insurance bill, which basically prohibits penalties against those drivers who were driving on the 35W bridge when it collapsed. Seems logical to me.

9:03 p.m.: Alright, I took a recess of my own for food. Neither body is doing anything, I’m reading rumors on other blogs and it definitely isn’t 6:30 p.m. anymore. What’s going on?

9:34 p.m.: I forgot to mention: Al Juhnke agreed with me during one of the finance committee meetings earlier this morning about starting session early in the morning, letting the committees do their work, then going back into session. By putting session off until 5:00 p.m., there is a much greater sense of urgency if not confusion. I have read elsewhere that the governor and the legislature might not both be on the same page. The Senate rules committee (Chair Pogemiller included) appears to be all assembled and waiting for something and the House chamber seems to be about half full. I wonder: are both bodies of the legislature even on the same page right now?

9:48 p.m.: Senate rules committee is back in order. SF2, the Berglin bill about auto insurance, is being presented as an amendment to SF1. Welcome to any readers from www.minnesotademocratsexposed.com and www.scsuscholars.com.

9:52 p.m.: Looks like they found money, I think $200,000, for well testing (referenced by Jean Wagenius earlier in the House finance committee) and indoor air quality.

10:01 p.m.: It appears the House and Senate STILL aren’t on the same page. According to Ropes the House was not in complete agreement about from where to take the money for the air quality. The Senate rules committee went and passed the bill anyway and I guess is in recess until they get a House file.

If this is confusing to read here for you, trust me, its confusing to follow everything thats going on.

10:17 p.m.: To think: the last time I was up this late live-blogging the legislative session there was controversy because the previous question was being moved. This time, there is controversy because there has yet to be a question presented! I know everyone is working hard within the short time frame given to them by the governor, but when stuff like this is prolonged by technical stuff it makes people question the effectiveness of our democracy.

By the way, if there are any legislators reading this right now: thanks for the hard work and leaving your day jobs as it is appreciated regardless of any criticism the blogsphere or anyone else may throw your way.

I heard the vote board in the Senate chamber go “BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP,” not sure what to expect. I know it was the Senate because Pat Flahaven, Senate secretary, pushes the button quite a few times, as opposed to House Chief Clerk Al Mathiowetz only hits it three times. Oh, the more you know!

10:26 p.m.: The Senate is in order with an introduction of the bill by Sen. Ropes. It is MUCH easier (and more interesting) to follow along with an actual copy of the bill.

10:32 p.m.: “What was the research? Where did these numbers come from, how were they produced?” Sen. David Hann (R-Eden Prairie) asked Ropes. What is this, a police interrogation? Geez.

10:39 p.m.: First term Sen. Erickson Ropes has handled herself tremendously today while carrying the weight of a very urgent matter to the Senate floor and deserves congratulations. The the Ann Rest bill dealing with the postponement of measures of Help America Vote Act is being brought up as SF 3 and an urgency declared allowing it to be voted upon the same day as its introduction. It passed 63-0.

11:02 p.m.: Debate in the Senate ensues about which course of action to take as the house has done nothing. The Senate is now taking amendments on the bill. The pickle in which they are stuck is that since the bill contains bonding language it so it must originate in the House. So essentially they can just wait for the House or come up with a “Senate position.” They are doing the latter.

“They might be looking for leadership from this body. That’s just an opinion, maybe my opinion,” Sen. Pres. Jim Metzen said referring to the House of Representatives. Ouch.

11:06 p.m.: The Senate is in recess for approximately ten minutes so that the Senate GOP Caucus can meet. “We need to talk,” Minority Leader Senjem said about his caucus in a disappointed if not disgruntled tone.

11:17 p.m.: The House is back in order while the Senate is voting on the SF 1. It passed 62-1 with the only nay being Ann Rest. They then laid the bill on the table and are now recessing to wait for the House.

11:23 p.m.: Ken Tschumper is explaining HF 1, the House version of the flood relief bill. He has noted losses of homes and businesses including pharmacies, grocery stores and a locally owned bank which does business with all the other businesses that are going under! If a business cannot stay afloat it cannot pay its debts to the bank; if a bank can’t claim its debts, it can’t stay afloat.

11:25 p.m.: I’m sure Tschumper found someone to milk his cows tonight.

11:33 p.m.: Kelliher has announced there are two written amendments and one oral amendment to come. The first one is from Rep. Willie Dominguez (DFL-Minneapolis) dealing with the 35W bridge to make sure that contractors working on the 35w reconstruction effort make a good faith effort to hire people of color. I’m trying to get the exact amendment; the House website isn’t on its usual “A” game tonight.

11:38 p.m.: Dominguez, apparently realizing an agreement had already been met, has withdrawn his amendment, but vowed to not give up come regular session in February.

11:41 p.m.: Pelowski moved an oral amendment of some number I missed. New Rep. Steve Drazkowski (R-Wabasha) is now talking.

11:43 p.m.: Drazkowski is giving a heartfelt first floor speech thanking all of those helping the relief effort. In addition to Ropes, he and Tschumper have both handled themselves in spectacular fashion through this all.

11:49 p.m.: Pelowski is offering the next amendment, this time dealing with indoor air quality and wells. Not sure if this is inline with the Senate language, but Pelowski says all three entities (House and Senate leadership and the governor, if you haven’t learned that by now) have agreed. It passed on voice vote. Has been given its third reading (meaning no more amendments). Rep. Andy Welti (DFL-Plainview) is thanking members for taking time out of their lives for coming to the capitol to respond.

11:52 p.m.: Welti told a story of a disabled veteran from Eyota who lived in the lower level of his home and lost literally everything he owned. He has explained that all estimates thus far and that there will be hundreds of thousands of dollars of infrastructure damage likely yet to be discovered and that the legislature will likely have to send more help in regular session.

11:53 p.m.: Rep. Jeanne Poppe (DFL-Austin) has plugged http://www.rootrelief.org, a portal for fund raisers in southeastern Minnesota. Mark Olson has the floor.

11:56 p.m.: Olson was asking if language waiving statutes is standard “boilerplate” language because he has concerns that oversight might not be present as was in the case of FEMA in New Orleans. Pelowski assured him it was the case.

11:57 p.m.: “I hope we illustrate that theres a difference between how the U.S. Congress acts, and how we act here in Minnesota,” Pelowski said. Tschumper thanked the church community for providing up to 2,000 meals daily in some cases.

“This has been the greatest hotdish competition you would ever see,” he said. “This is not so much a disaster aid package as it is an investment in these people.”

12:00 a.m.: Rep. Seifert urges a yes vote for the bill. “Today we are Minnesotans, not Democrats or Republicans,” he said.

12:05 a.m.: “We are one state and in that tradition and in times of need we help each other out,” Majority Leader Sertich said. He went on to show dissapointment though that the legislature has not been “proactive” but rather exlusively “reactive” by not lowering property tax burdens, focusing on job creation and investing in infrastructure with the opportunity they were given tonight. Awesome speech by Sertich; he is the real deal. The bill passes the house 130-0.

12:16 a.m.: Applause followed the bill passage, an act normally not allowed but I don’t think anyone will object this time. The elections bill from the Senate is now being brought up. Rep. Seifert asked Rep. Pelwoski if it was his intention that there would be no amendments and they can all get out of there. “That’s my intention,” Pewloski replied getting a laugh from the chamber. Seifert said that the governor has signed off on it and he encourages support. The bill passed 128-2.

12:17 a.m.: Sertich, Seifert and Kelliher are all three having a whisper fest up on the rostrum.

12:24 a.m.: Procedural motion is now before the House dealing with the journal and passes easily. Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL-Minneapolis) is moving a resolution adjourning the special session until one month from today as opposed to sine die (for good). Kahn noted that three-fourths of the 35W bridge was in her district and that the effort of clean up and current constant monitoring of the situation costs money and “is unfinished business we have not done.” Kahn is seemingly realistic about the required two-thirds vote to suspend the rules in order to pass the motion being an unrealistic proposition and is withdrawing her motion. The House now stands at ease waiting for the Senate to confirm they have received the bill.

12:27 a.m.: Deputy Minority leader Tom Emmer (Delano) apparently doesn’t trust that the leadership is not going to pull shenanigans and has moved to adjourn sine die. Another conference with the three leaders is taking place at the rostrum.

12:31 a.m.: Rep. Emmer has withdrawn his motion. The staff is being honored with a round of applause for all of their hard work. There is a motion notifying the Senate and governor that the House is about to adjourn sine die.

12:41 a.m.: Still waiting. If I were a House member I would be eager to exit so I could visit the White Castle on Rice St. Yummmmm!

12:50 a.m.: Still waiting. Channel 17 just flashed briefly from House TV to Senate TV maybe just to show viewers still holding on that nothing has changed. I’ll take this opportunity to welcome new readers from Minnesota Monitor, Tild (visit there for some “Legislated Palliative”) and Bluestem Prairie. Oh, if only the microphones in the House chamber were more sensitive and it was less noisy I could hear the subject of the gossip.

12:56 a.m.: Channel 17 is running a scrolling ticker that they will be breaking away from coverage at 1:00 a.m. Boo, now I have to watch two screens do nothing on my computer at once. In the meantime, does anyone know what’s going on?

1:03 a.m.: Sertich, Seifert and Kelliher are all still at the House Speaker’s rostrum. Metzen is swiveling in his chair in the other chamber but not tossing his gavel in the air and catching it. This is worse than a west coast evening Twins game going into extra innings: are these people really trying to get me to fall asleep before the exciting conclusion?

1:07 a.m.: The House has adjourned sine die via voice vote. The Senate is now in order.

1:09 a.m.: It appears the delay was due to Sens. Ropes and Lynch meeting with counsel and House leadership due to “a handful” of differences and it was determined that the differences are technical and everyone can sit alright with them and they can be dealt with at a later date.

HF 1 passed then passed the Senate 62-1 with Rest again being the only negative vote. Next it goes to the governor for a signature and if signed, will be deposited with the Secretary of State to become law. This is how a bill becomes a law.

1:16 a.m.: Metzen has gaveled the Senate into adjournment sine die.  I can’t believe I followed this off and on for almost 14 hours.  Wow.  Tomorrow I will have a wrap up with my thoughts and analysis.  Thanks for reading.

Well it sure has been a hectic couple weeks with school starting up and with my new Student Senate responsibilities kicking in. This year has gone well so far and I can only see it getting better with time. It sure was great to see DJ last weekend in Winona, making his first visit to the Student Senate as an alumni. Without further adu, here are the Obama weekly points…

Challenging Conventional Thinking in Washington

Barack Obama belivees that what’s stopped us from meeting our challenges isn’t a lack of good ideas; it’s a politics that puts the partisan and special interests ahead of the people’s interests. Too many in Washington see politics as a game, instead of a mission. That’s why Barack Obama believes this election cannot be about who can play this game better. It has to be about who can put an end to the game-playing. Barack Obama is the one candidate with the judgment to challenge conventional thinking in Washington and bring about fundamental change in this country.
Iraq

Barack Obama opposed the Iraq war from the start – at a time when it was unpopular to do so. He believes this war should never have been authorized and never been waged. He introduced a plan back in January that would have gradually and responsibly removed all combat troops from Iraq. He’s kept the pressure on the Republican Senators and Congressmen who continue to support the President’s failed course. Now he’s calling for an immediate end to the surge that begins to bring our troops home. If we don’t end the war before George Bush leaves office, then it will be the first thing Barack Obama does as President.
Health Care

Over the last decade, the drug and insurance industries spent $1 billion in lobbying. And their friends in Congress made it illegal for our government to negotiate with the drug companies for cheaper drug prices. As President, Barack Obama will sign a universal health care bill into law by the end of his first term that will cover every American, cut the cost of a typical family’s premiums by up to $2,500 a year, make sure that if you lose your job, you don’t lose your health care, too, and make it legal to negotiate with the drug companies for cheaper drugs.
The Experience America Needs

The pundits say Barack Obama lacks experience because to them, only the years you spend in Washington count. But Dick Cheney and Don Rumsfeld had two of the longest resumes in Washington and they got us into the worst foreign policy fiasco in recent history. So time served doesn’t mean sound judgment. Barack Obama may not have the experience Washington likes; but he has the experience America needs.
Barack Obama’s experience tells him that real change comes not by dividing, but by bringing people together to get things done – like when he worked with police officers and civil rights advocates to reform a death penalty system that had sent thirteen innocent people in Illinois to death row. Or when he worked with Republicans and Democrats to expand health care for 150,000 Illinoisans, or put $100 million worth of tax cuts in the pockets of working families.
Barack Obama’s experience tells him that real change comes when we put the people’s interests before the special interests and partisan interests. That’s what he did in Illinois when he took on money in politics and passed the first major ethics reform in twenty-five years, and in Congress when he challenged both parties and pushed through a landmark ethics law – and for the first time in history forced Washington lobbyists to disclose who they’re raising money from and who in Congress they’re funneling it to.
Univision Debate

This debate was an opportunity for the Hispanic community to learn more about Barack Obama’s record of standing up for comprehensive immigration reform, fighting against health care disparities, and challenging the failed policies of the last seven years. The Hispanic community is just getting to know Barack Obama and what we are seeing in places like Florida, Nevada and California is the more people get to know him, the more they believe he is the right leader to bring the change this country needs.
Barack Obama Schedule:

Senator Obama was in Las Vegas last Thursday for a town hall meeting at the Doolittle Community Center before going to San Francisco on Friday for the California Women for Obama kick off luncheon. Friday evening Senator Obama kicked off the campaign’s “Countdown to Change” program in Portland, OR that promotes supporters to host house parties on September 15th to help the campaign in the early states. On Saturday, Obama was in Santa Barbara, CA for a grassroots rally before heading to Miami on Sunday for the first ever Univision Democratic Presidential Candidates Forum.
Senator Obama will be in Clinton, IA on Wednesday morning to deliver a policy speech at Ashford University. He will be holding multiple town hall meetings across Iowa on Wednesday and Thursday in Davenport, Maquoketa, Anamosa and Dubuque.

Who wants a DJ liveblog of tomorrow’s special session? For old time’s sake. Maybe I can get a couple of mentions on AM1280 The Patriot by Michael Brodkorb again…

Hmmm.

Let’s see how early I awake (I am fighting an illness) and I will get right too it.

I just hope Channel 17 (KTCI) has coverage so I don’t have to watch it on the 2 inch web video feed, but I will handle it either way.

It is great to see one of the Democrats main platforms when they took over Congress has now passed both the House and Senate.  The vote, pending administration approval, will increase aid to students in a few ways.  The maximum for Pell grants increases from $4,310 a year to $5,400 by the year 2012.  Federal loan interest rates have been slashed from 6.8% to 3.4% over the next four years. Democrats claim this will help students because it cuts $20 billion in government subsidies to banks that give out the loans, despite objections from Republicans and those in the banking industry to the cost-saving measure.  The vote passed 79-12 in the Senate and 292-97 in the House.  All 97 were Republicans.

“The bill also sets up a loan-forgiveness program for college graduates who work for 10 years in public service professions, such [as] teaching or nursing.” I am curious to see how this will pan out.  With the nursing shortage ever increasing, my hope is that recruitment will accelerate by hiring more educators and allowing an increased number of students to get through qualified programs.

College Cost Reduction Act of 2007, Roll Call 864.  Tim Walz, Jim Ramstad, Betty McCollum, Keith Ellison, Collin Peterson, and James Oberstar all voted FOR the measure.  John Kline and Michele Bachmann voted AGAINST the savings for students.  In the Senate, both Norm Coleman and Amy Klobuchar voted FOR the measure.

 Source and quote from http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/biz/5117233.html

Senate OKs legislation increasing aid to college students

WASHINGTON  — Congress sent President Bush legislation today to boost financial aid for college students by cutting some $20 billion in government subsidies to banks that make student loans.

Bush has indicated he will sign the legislation, despite previous objections to parts of the bill. Specifically, the administration has criticized a student loan interest-rate cut and a new loan-forgiveness program, among other things.

House Democrats had made the popular interest-rate cut a priority during the run-up to the last election in which they regained control of Congress.

The House voted 292-97 for the student aid bill today. Earlier in the day, the Senate approved the measure 79-12. All the lawmakers who voted against the bill were Republicans.

The boost in financial aid to college students was one of half a dozen domestic priorities Democrats set when they took control of Congress this year. Two others — an increase in the minimum wage and mandatory air and sea cargo inspections — already have become law, and a third, ethics reform, is awaiting Bush’s signature.

“This is an exciting day for parents and students who struggle to put together the financial means to pay for college,” said Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., chair of the House education committee.

The bill would increase the maximum Pell grant, which goes to the poorest college students, from $4,310 a year to $5,400 a year by 2012.

It also would cut interest rates on federally backed student loans to poor and middle-class students from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent over the next four years.

California Rep. Buck McKeon, the leading Republican on the House education committee, criticized the rate cut. He said students will go back to paying the higher rate in four years or taxpayers will have to foot the bill for the cut to continue.

“What once was a campaign promise has become a trap that will ensnare either students or taxpayers,” McKeon said.

Democratic lawmakers say the roughly $20 billion in cuts to banks are aimed at excessive government subsidies to lenders. The subsidies were established to ensure that banks enter and stay in the college loan business.

Banking industry officials have objected to the cuts and have said they could adversely affect services provided to borrowers.

Nearly all of the cuts would go toward making college cheaper, but $750 million would be spent on federal budget deficit reduction. The legislation is part of a must-pass bill needed to meet spending targets in the federal budget.

The bill also sets up a loan-forgiveness program for college graduates who work for 10 years in public service professions, such teaching or nursing.

It also would cap annual payments for students at a percentage of their income, which lawmakers say would prevent people from having to pay back more than they can afford.

“Today, with this bill, we’re sending a message, and that message is that no qualified student will be denied a college education because of cost,” said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., chairman of the Senate education committee.

Once signed by the president, the legislation will begin taking effect Oct. 1.