The "CRomnibus" Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (H.R.83) bill that the House passed Thursday night is unresolved in Senate deliberations (or whatever is going on behind the closed doors).
Senator Lee objected to Senator Reid's request to adjourn until Monday. In response Senator Reid scheduled a working Saturday session that will begin at Noon Eastern Time and will continue all day until very late evening or even Sunday morning for the purpose of staging several votes on different matters and various floor activities (speeches, etc.)
Senator Warren floor speech earlier this evening was aimed at "CITIGROUP" whereas yesterday she spoke to Republicans and the day before she spoke to Democrats. Her comments were extremely pointed in decrying the abuses that the largest bank in the U.S. has forced We The People to endure despite the nearly half-trillion dollar bailout that the bank received in 2008. (See the unedited, uncorrected transcript of her speech below the FlyingOrangeThingy.)
The Senate today passed the $577-Billion defense spending bill and worked on the $1.1 trillion spending deal approved by the House late Thursday. That makes the pot for today a total of about $1.7 trillion still being cast about thanks to the demolition of order and its replacement with chaos that the Grand Old Party (GOP) is gifting to the U.S. this week.
Roll Call Vote today on "defense" spending passed 89-11 (Click Here) On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 3979 ) Vote Number: 325 Vote Date: December 12, 2014, 04:48 PM
Regarding the House action Thursday: Thank You for holding firm in your opposition, Mrs. Pelosi, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Ellison, Ms. Schakowsky, Mrs. Slaughter, Mr. Hastings (FL-20), Mr. McGovern, Mr. Polis, Ms. Waters, and every member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) including Senator Sanders.
Shown below are both some Authorization bill data and data about appropriation as part of the "CRomnibus" spending bill (Continuing Resolution omnibus)
The H.R.3979, Carl Levin and Howard P. "Buck" McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 had its last vote in the Senate on Friday -- passed as a Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 3979 Vote Number: 325 Vote Date: December 12, 2014, 04:48 PM
The 11 "Nays" included Gillibrand (D-NY), Merkley (D-OR), Sanders (I-VT), Wyden (D-OR).
JOINT EXPLANATORY STATEMENT TO ACCOMPANY THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015:Available here is explanatory material toaccompany the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015. There are lots of $-totals & otherwise descriptive data in this document!
CRomnibus $554.1 billion for the Pentagon, including base-budget growth according to one source but the diary above, as edited, put the figure at $557 billion (0.557 trillion dollars) based on many sets of numbers flying around in the chaos Friday night, 12-12-14, when the diary was first posted. Part of the "CRomnibus" is $490.1 billion base 2015 Pentagon appropriations bill.
The Continuing Resolution (CR) on FY-2015 funding expired Thursday night midnight (end of 12-11-14) for the first 10 weeks and 2 days period of the current federal fiscal year (FY2-2015) that began 10-01-14. The CRomnibus has been characterized as the $1.013 trillion FY-2015 Appropriations bill that funds the Appropriations bills for Department of Defense and 10 other appropriations bills (including Military Construction / Veterans Affairs) through the end of FY-2015 and part of the 12th appropriations bill (the appropriations for Dept. of Homeland Security).
See at appropriations.house.gov The House Appropriations Committee Tuesday, 12-09-2014,Tuesday, 12-09-2014, unveiled the fiscal year 2015 Omnibus Appropriations bill, the legislation that will provide discretionary funding for the vast majority of the federal government for the current fiscal year.
The bill includes full Appropriations legislation and funding for 11 of the 12 annual Appropriations bills through the end of the fiscal year, September 30, 2015. The 12th bill, which funds the Department of Homeland Security, is also included in the legislation, but is funded under a temporary “Continuing Resolution” mechanism that expires on February 27, 2015.
...the
statement continues with lots of summarizing. There are hyperlinks to individual summaries of appropriations bills within the
Omnibus, for each of the following 11 concerns:
Agriculture (cuts $93-Million from WIC + adds white potatoes to WIC and cuts SNAP $332 million below fy-2014 enacted level ($2.4 billion below POTUS’s request); SNAP is food assistance to 46 million people monthly, Commerce/Justice/Science, Defense, Energy and Water, Financial Services, Interior and Environment, Labor/Health & Human Services/Education, Legislative Branch, Military Construction/Veterans Affairs, State/Foreign Operations, Transportation/Housing and Urban Development.
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Senator Warren's speech on C-SPAN (unofficial) in-transcript scroller at 09:18:31 (watch video slider at 09:18:12) follows here but is more reader-friendly at the below comment by CitizenOfEarth on Sat Dec 13, 2014 at 08:13:39 AM CST:
MS. WARREN:
MR. PRESIDENT, I'M BACK ON THE PLOOR TO TALK ABOUT A DANGEROUS PROVISION THAT WAS SLIPPED INTO A MUST-PASS SPENDING BILL AT THE LAST MINUTE SOLELY TO BENEFIT WALL STREET. THIS PROVISION WOULD REPEAL A RULE CALLED -- AND I'M GOING TO QUOTE THE TITLE OF THE RULE -- PROHIBITION AGAINST FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BAILOUTS OF SWAPS ENTITIES. ON WEDNESDAY, I CAME TO THE FLOOR TO TALK TO DEMOCRATS, ASKING THEM TO STRIP THIS PROVISION OUT OF THE OMNIBUS BILL AND PROTECT TAXPAYERS. ON THURSDAY, I CAME TO THE FLOOR TO TALK TO REPUBLICANS. REPUBLICANS SAY THEY DON'T LIKE BAILOUTS EITHER. SO I ASKED THEM TO VOTE THE WAY THEY TALK. IF THEY DON'T LIKE BAILOUTS, THEN THEY COULD TAKE OUT THIS PROVISION THAT PUTS TAXPAYERS RIGHT BACK ON THE HOOK FOR BAILING OUT BIG BANKS. TODAY I AM COMING TO THE FLOOR NOT TO TALK ABOUT DEMOCRATS OR REPUBLICANS BUT TO TALK ABOUT A THIRD GROUP THAT ALSO WIELDS TREMENDOUS POWER IN WASHINGTON -- CITIGROUP. MR. PRESIDENT, IN RECENT YEARS, MANY WALL STREET INSTITUTIONS HAVE EXERTED EXTRAORDINARY INFLUENCE IN WASHINGTON'S CORRIDORS OF POWER, BUT CITIGROUP HAS RISEN ABOVE THE OTHERS. ITS GRIP OVER ECONOMIC POLICY MAKING IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH IS UNPRECEDENTED. CONSIDER JUST A FEW EXAMPLES. THREE OF THE LAST FOUR TREASURY SECRETARIES UNDER DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTS HAVE HAD CLOSE CITIGROUP TIES. THE FOURTH WAS OFFERED THE C.E.O. POSITION AT CITIGROUP BUT TURNED IT DOWN. THE VICE CHAIR OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM IS A CITIGROUP ALUM. THE UNDER SECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AT TREASURY IS A CITIGROUP ALUM. THE U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE AND THE PERSON NOMINATED TO BE HIS DEMOCRATY WHICH IS CURRENTLY AN ASSISTANT SECRETARY AT TREASURY ARE CITIGROUP ALUMS. A RECENT CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL AT THE WHITE HOUSE WAS A CITIGROUP ALUM. ANOTHER RECENT CHAIRMAN OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET WENT TO CITIGROUP IMMEDIATELY AFTER LEAVING THE WHITE HOUSE. AND ANOTHER RECENT CHAIRMAN OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET IS ALSO A CITI ALUM. BUT I'M DOUBLE COUNTING HERE BECAUSE HE'S NOW THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY. THAT'S A LOT OF POWERFUL PEOPLE, ALL FROM ONE BANK, BUT THEY AREN'T THE ONLY WAY THAT CITIGROUP EXERCISES POWER. OVER THE YEARS, THE COMPANY HAS SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON LOBBYING CONGRESS AND FUNDING THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS OF ITS FRIENDS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE. CITIGROUP HAS ALSO SPENT MILLIONS TRYING TO INFLUENCE THE POLITICAL PROCESS IN WAYS THAT ARE FAR MORE SUBTLE AND HIDDEN FROM PUBLIC VIEW. LAST YEAR, I WROTE CITIGROUP AND OTHER BIG BANKS ASKING THEM TO DISCLOSE THE AMOUNT OF SHAREHOLDER MONEY THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DIVERTING TO THINK TANKS TO INFLUENCE PUBLIC POLICY. CITIGROUP'S RESPONSE TO MY LETTER -- STONEWALLING. A YEAR HAS GONE BY AND CITIGROUP DIDN'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIVING MY LETTER. CITIGROUP HAS A LOT OF MONEY. IT SPENDS A LOT OF MONEY AND IT USES THAT MONEY TO GROW AND CONSOLIDATE POWER, AND IT PAYS OFF. CONSIDER A COUPLE OF FACTS. FACT ONE -- DURING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS, WHEN ALL THE SUPPORT THROUGH TARP AND FROM THE FDIC AND THE FED IS ADDED UP, CITI RECEIVED NEARLY HALF A TRILLION DOLLARS IN BAILOUTS. THAT'S HALF A TRILLION, WITH A T. THAT'S ALMOST $140 BILLION MORE THAN THE NEXT BIGGEST BANK GOT. FACT TWO -- DURING DODD-FRANK, THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT INTRODUCED BY MY COLLEAGUES SENATOR BROWN AND SENATOR KAUFMAN THAT WOULD HAVE BROKEN UP CITIGROUP AND THE OTHER LARGEST BANKS. NOW, THAT AMENDMENT HAD BIPARTISAN SUPPORT AND IT MIGHT HAVE PASSED BUT IT RAN INTO POWERFUL OPPOSITION FROM AN ALLIANCE BETWEEN WALL STREETERS ON WALL STREET AND WALL STREETERS WHO HELD POWERFUL GOVERNMENT JOBS. THEY TEAMED UP AND THEY BLOCKED THE MOVE TO BREAK UP THE BANKS, AND NOW CITI IS LARGER THAN EVER. THE ROLE THAT SENIOR OFFICIALS PLAYED FROM THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT PLAYED IN KILLING THE AMENDMENT WASN'T SUBTLE. A SENIOR TREASURY OFFICIALS ACKNOWLEDGED IT AT THE TIME IN A BACKGROUND INTERVIEW WITH "NEW YORK MAGAZINE." THE OFFICIAL FROM TREASURY SAID -- AND I'M GOING TO QUOTE HERE -- "IF WE HAD BEEN FOR IT, IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAPPENED, BUT WE WEREN'T SO IT DIDN'T." THAT'S POWER. MR. PRESIDENT, DEMOCRATS DON'T LIKE WALL STREET BAILOUTS. REPUBLICANS DON'T LIKE WALL STREET BAILOUTS. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE DISGUSTED BY WALL STREET BAILOUTS. AND YET, HERE WE ARE FIVE YEARS AFTER DODD-FRANK WITH CONGRESS ON THE VERGE OF RAMMING THROUGH A PROVISION THAT WOULD DO NOTHING FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS, DO NOTHING FOR COMMUNITY BANKS, DO NOTHING BUT RAISE THE RISK THAT TAXPAYERS WILL HAVE TO BAIL OUT THE BIGGEST BANKS ONCE AGAIN. YOU KNOW, THERE IS A LOT OF TALK LATELY ABOUT HOW DODD-FRANK ISN'T PERFECT. THERE IS A LOT OF TALK COMING FROM CITIGROUP ABOUT HOW DODD-FRANK ISN'T PERFECT. SO LET ME SAY THIS TO ANYONE WHO IS LISTENING AT CITI -- I AGREE WITH YOU. DODD-FRANK ISN'T PERFECT. IT SHOULD HAVE BROKEN YOU INTO PIECES. IF THIS CONGRESS IS GOING TO OPEN UP DODD-FRANK IN THE MONTHS AHEAD, THEN LET'S OPEN IT UP TO GET TOUGHER, NOT TO CREATE MORE BAILOUT OPPORTUNITIES. IF WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP DODD-FRANK, LET'S OPEN IT UP SO THAT ONCE AND FOR ALL WE END TOO BIG TO FAIL, AND I MEAN REALLY END IT, NOT JUST SAY THAT WE DID. INSTEAD OF PASSING LAWS THAT CREATE NEW BAILOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR TOO BIG TO FAIL BANKS, LET'S PASS BROWN-KAUFMAN. LET'S PASS THE BIPARTISAN 21st CENTURY GLASS-STEAGALL ACT, A BILL I PROPOSED WITH JOHN McCAIN, ANGUS KING AND MARIA CANTWELL. LET'S PASS SOMETHING, ANYTHING THAT WOULD HELP BREAK UP THESE GIANT BANKS. A CENTURY AGO, TEDDY ROOSEVELT WAS AMERICA'S TRUST BUSTER. HE WENT AFTER THE GIANT TRUSTS AND MONOPOLIES IN THIS COUNTRY, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HOW THOSE TRUSTS DESERVE TO BE BROKEN UP BECAUSE THEY HAD TOO MUCH ECONOMIC POWER. BUT TEDDY ROOSEVELT SAID WE SHOULD BREAK THEM UP BECAUSE THEY HAD TOO MUCH POLITICAL POWER. TEDDY ROOSEVELT SAID BREAK THEM UP BECAUSE ALL THAT CONCENTRATED POWER THREATENS THE VERY FOUNDATIONS OF OUR DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM. AND NOW WE'RE WATCHING AS CONGRESS PASSES YET ANOTHER PROVISION THAT WAS WRITTEN BY LOBBYISTS FOR THE BIGGEST RECIPIENT OF BAILOUT MONEY IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY, AND IT'S ATTACHED TO A BILL THAT NEEDS TO PASS OR ELSE THE ENTIRE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL GRIND TO A HALT. THINK ABOUT THAT KIND OF POWER. IF A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION HAS BECOME SO BIG AND SO POWERFUL THAT IT CAN HOLD THE ENTIRE COUNTRY HOSTAGE, THAT ALONE IS REASON ENOUGH TO BREAK THEM UP. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH WITH WALL STREET INSIDERS GETTING KEY POSITION AFTER KEY POSITION AND THE KIND OF CRONYISM THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH WITH CITIGROUP PASSING 11th HOUR DEREGULATORY PROVISIONS THAT NOBODY TAKES OWNERSHIP OVER BUT EVERYBODY WILL COME TO REGRET. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. WASHINGTON ALREADY WORKS REALLY WELL FOR THE BILLIONAIRES AND THE BIG CORPORATIONS AND THE LAWYERS AND THE LOBBYISTS, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE FAMILIES WHO LOST THEIR HOMES OR THEIR JOBS OR THEIR RETIREMENT SAVINGS THE LAST TIME CITI BET BIG ON DERIVATIVES AND LOST? WHAT ABOUT THE FAMILIES WHO ARE LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK AND SAW THEIR TAX DOLLARS GO TO BAIL OUT CITI JUST SIX YEARS AGO? WE WERE SENT HERE TO FIGHT FOR THOSE FAMILIES, AND IT IS TIME, IT IS PAST TIME FOR WASHINGTON TO START WORKING FOR THEM. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I YIELD.
Senator Cruz broke his silence to speak at length for
37 minutes (see: video slider at 11:44:32 and the in-transcipt scroller at 11:44:48 ). That junior Senator ended with this:
MR. CRUZ:
I AM NOW OFFERING AND RAISING A CONSTITUTIONAL POINT OF ORDER AGAINST DIVISION "L" OF THIS BILL ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT VIOLATES THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION CONSTITUTION -- THE SEPARATION OF POWERS EMBODIED IN THE VESTING CLAUSES OF ARTICLE 1, SECTION 1, AND ARTICLE 2, SECTION 1. THE ENUMERATED POWERS OF CONGRESS STATED IN ARTICLE 1, SECTION 8. AND THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE PRESIDENT TAKE CARE THAT THE LAWS BE FAITHFULLY EXECUTED, AS STATED IN ARTICLE 2, SECTION 3. IT IS INCUMBENT ON THIS BODY TO RESOLVE THOSE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS AND TO HONOR AND PROTECT THE CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS. THE PRESIDING OFFICER: IS THERE THE SENATOR RAISING THE POINT OF ORDER AT THIS TIME? MR. CRUZ: I AM.
Sat Dec 13, 2014 at 11:22 AM PT: Senator Durbin engaged Senator Reid in a brief colloquy (a formal conversation) at the start of the Senate session today, Saturday, 12-13-2014. It is instructive to see (for context, I recommend starting the video slider at 00:03:47). The colloquy begins at 00:05:24. http://www.c-span.org/...