Sausage

Dear Patriot,

We recognize this is the Christmas season and many of you

are wrapping up or just getting into full swing of shopping and

preparations. We hate to continue bothering you with a barrage

of emails, however, this is just too important for us not to relay

this information as we receive it, to keep you informed of what is

happening with the lame duck sessions. This will affect us all.

Please continue calling! We know you have and are frustrated...

But we must continue letting them know how we feel. We have

asked you to visit local offices of your Senators and

Representative of the House...Please make these visits!

Call and Fax too!

Capitol Switchboard

You can go to the Patriot Action Network to see other postings

today on the status of the process and bills in the Senate and

House. Here is the latest below...

Thanks,

Darla

Thanks to the Republican Policy Committee, I can share some of the 30,000 foot view of

what the Omni process could look like. I know a lot of you are invested in this debate (as you

should be!) and have a lot of questions. I’m sorry we can’t give you more than what’s below

but the more we learn, the more we’ll share. Just let me know if you’ve got questions in the

meantime. We’ll answer them as best we can.

Lanier

TO: Budget & Tax LAs:

FROM: Tori Gorman, RPC

DATE: December 16, 2010

SUBJECT:       Omni: Stats and Process

(1) Stats. There is broad-based interest among staff for some comparisons of the CROMNI and

the Democrats’ omnibus with  FY10 and FY08 spending.  I hope the tables at the bottom of this

email will answer all your questions (please keep in mind that the number in the tables below are

total, non-emergency discretionary spending – budget authority).  In the tables, CR #1 is the

current “clean” CR that expires Saturday, Dec. 18^th at  midnight.

(2) Process. The path forward for funding the federal government past Saturday is not clear,

but here’s what I do know:

- Sen. Reid is expected to pivot to the omnibus later today. Since the Senate is

currently in Executive Session debating the START treaty, he will need unanimous

consent to switch back into Legislation Session. If a Senator objects, Sen. Reid will

request a vote on a motion to proceed to legislative session (which needs only 50

votes to pass).

- Once the Senate is back in Legislative Session, Sen. Reid will call up the message

from the House (HR 3082, the CROMNI which passed the House Dec 8) and make

a motion to concur with a Senate amendment (the Democrats’ omnibus).

- Sen. Reid will ask unanimous consent that reading of the Senate amendment be

waived. It is possible that a Senator will object at which point the clerk will begin

reading the entire 1,924-page omnibus.

- Sen. Reid cannot file a cloture petition on the omnibus until either: (1) the clerk

has finished reading the bill (which could take an estimated 35-40 hours) or (2) he

obtains unanimous consent to dispense with the reading (unlikely).

- Once the reading is complete, Sen. Reid will file the cloture petition on the Democrats’ omnibus.

- Senate rules require one intervening day for the petition to ripen.

- Following the intervening day, the Senate will proceed to a cloture vote on the

omnibus.  If cloture is invoked, the Senate will proceed to 30 hours of post-cloture

debate followed by a vote on final passage. It is unclear whether Sen. Reid will

permit any votes on amendments.

- If cloture is NOT invoked, Sen. Reid would have to pivot to an alternative –

and which alternative is unclear (House-passed CROMNI, short-term CR, short-

short-term CR...)

Update on the House

***A change of plans...

The House is completing debate on the Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R.

4853 – Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2010. After Rule debate, we now expect to begin debate

on today’s scheduled suspensions from the Judiciary Committee, followed by another series of

votes at approximately 1:30 – 2:00 p.m.

After votes, the House is expected to begin up to three hours of debate on the Motion to

Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 4853, followed by a  vote series.

Following the votes series, it is possible the House could begin debate on today’s five scheduled

suspensions, or we could begin debate on the Rule to provide consideration for a short-term

continuing resolution, which would fund the federal government through Monday or Tuesday

of next week. If the House does consider a short-term continuing resolution this evening, it is

possible we could finish legislative business this evening and return to Washington, D.C. early

next week to consider a Senate passed omnibus spending measure.

The remainder of today and this week’s schedule is fluid and subject to change.

A note on the tax package: The Rule to provide consideration for the tax package, the

Senate Amendment to H.R. 4853, effectively makes in order two separate votes. The first vote

will be on the Motion to Concur in the Pomeroy (D-ND) Amendment to the Senate

Amendment to H.R. 4853, which alters the estate tax level to 45% for estates valued over

$3.5 million ($7 million total for a married couples). If this amendment passes, the bill will be

sent back to the Senate for further action.

If the Pomeroy (D-ND) Amendment fails, the House will vote on the underlying bill, a Motion

to Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 4853. If the bill passes, it will be sent to

President Obama for his signature.

###

Adam Wolf

Floor Assistant