Appropriations
10:30 a.m. May 12, 192 Dirksen Bldg., Subcommittee Hearing
Senate Defense Subcommittee of Senate Appropriations Committee will hold hearings on proposed fiscal 2010 appropriations for programs under its jurisdiction.
2:30 p.m. May 12, 124 Dirksen Bldg., Subcommittee Hearing
Senate Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of Senate Appropriations Committee will hold hearings on proposed fiscal 2010 appropriations for programs under its jurisdiction.
10 a.m. May 12, 2362-B Rayburn Bldg., Subcommittee Hearing
House Energy and Water Development Subcommittee of House Appropriations Committee will hold hearings on proposed fiscal 2010 appropriations for programs under its jurisdiction.
2 p.m. May 12, 2220 Rayburn Bldg., Subcommittee Hearing
Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee of House Appropriations Committee will hold hearings on fiscal 2010 appropriations for programs under its jurisdiction.
1 p.m. May 12, 2359 Rayburn Bldg., Subcommittee Hearing
Homeland Security Subcommittee of House Appropriations Committee will hold hearings on proposed fiscal 2010 appropriations for programs under its jurisdiction.
1:30 p.m. May 12, B-308 Rayburn Bldg., Subcommittee Hearing
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of House Appropriations Committee will hold hearings on proposed fiscal 2010 appropriations for programs under its jurisdiction.
10 a.m. May 12, 2359 Rayburn Bldg./ 2 p.m. May 12, 2358-C Rayburn Bldg., Subcommittee Hearing
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of House Appropriations Committee will hold hearings on fiscal 2010 appropriations for programs under its jurisdiction.
Nominations
Today at 10:15 the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Harold Koh to be legal adviser, Department of State and Susan Burk to be special representative of the president for nuclear nonproliferation. Mr. Koh has argued in favor of the prevailing force of international law and the rulings of foreign courts and for international gun control laws. He also supports international treaties that could be used to force countries into legalizing abortion. Thanks to the support of Senator Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) Mr. Koh will likely be voted out of committee, where Senator Jim DeMint is likely to place a hold on his nomination.
Today Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.)) will hold a confirmation hearing on the nomination of Cass R. Sunstein to be administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget and on the nomination of Robert M. Groves to be director of the Census, Department of Commerce.
On the Floor
The Senate will reconvene at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 12, and proceed to a period of morning business for up to one hour. The Senate will then resume consideration of a bill that would impose new regulations on the credit card industry (HR 627). The Senate will recess from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. for the weekly caucus lunches. Roll call votes are possible.
The House will reconvene at 2 p.m. for legislative business and take up several measures under suspension of the rules. Votes are expected at 6:30 p.m.
If We Kill You It will Make You Stronger
The Office of Management and budget released on Saturday “The Health Care Reserve Fund: A Historic Commitment to Reform” http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/blog/09/05/09/TheHealthCareReserveFundAHistoricCommitmenttoReform/ The document notes that “the limitation on itemized deductions has been re-estimated [by OMB] to save about $51 billion less over [the next 10 years].” Then the document uses a form of class warfare to further justify President Obama’s plan to tax charitable donations.
“Second, as in the February overview, the Budget would also limit the tax rate at which families making more than $250,000 can take itemized deductions to a maximum of 28 percent. This is a matter of fairness. If you’re a teacher making $50,000 a year and decide to donate $1,000 to the Red Cross or United Way, you enjoy a tax break of $150. If you are Warren Buffet or Bill Gates and make that same donation, you currently get a $350 deduction—more than twice the break as the teacher. Limiting itemized deductions for high-income Americans would help restore balance to the tax code, and any effect on charitable giving is likely to be swamped by other Administration policies. The best way to boost charitable giving is to jumpstart the economy and raise incomes—and the purpose of the Recovery Act enacted in the Administration’s first month in office was to do precisely that. The limitation on itemized deductions is now expected to raise about $267 billion over the next 10 years, which we will devote entirely to health care reform.”
H/T Friend on the Hill