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Posted: 10:12 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010
Senate Heads Home
Previous Posts
- September Tax Battle
August 5, 2010 - Economic Adviser Change
August 5, 2010 - Justice Elena Kagan
August 4, 2010
By Jamie Dupree
With a flurry of activity, Senators on Thursday headed home for an over five week break, as Democrats celebrated the confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice and approval of a package of state aid.
"I think she has every single reason to be one of our extraordinarily good justices," said Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), who shepherded Elena Kagan's nomination through the Judiciary Committee and a three day Senate debate.
As I related on Twitter, the vote began just as a gusty thunderstorm raced down the National Mall and pelted the Capitol with heavy rain, lightning and thunder, making some of us wonder whether it was a sign from above or not.
While Democrats were all smiles about Kagan's confirmation as a replacement for the retired Justice John Paul Stevens, Republicans were bitter in defeat, charging that Kagan would be an ultra-liberal activist judge.
"This progressive, activist judicial philosophy strikes at the heart of our democracy," protested Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), who knew he was short on votes from the time this nomination was announced.
While Democrats were pleased with Kagan's victory, there were many more smiles about approval of a $26 billion package of education and Medicaid funding for the states, which Democrats argued would save thousands of jobs nationwide.
"Everyone is just so happy that we have been able to see school start without massive layoffs," said a beaming Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), who will be able to take these two accomplishments back home for five solid weeks of campaigning.
The House will return to work next Tuesday - interrupting their own six week break from Washington - in order to approve that legislation, which will be a big victory for Democrats on their jobs agenda.
The Senate also cleared a bipartisan school nutrition bill, which authorizes $4.5 billion more over ten years for a variety of plans to improve the quality of school lunches, and it boosts the goals of the First Lady's campaign against obesity, extending to what can go into a school's vending machine.
In other words, if it becomes law, we'll be able to get those Zingers and Ho-Ho's, but our kids will have to settle for veggie sticks.
After most Senators had already raced for the airport to catch a plane home, both parties were still dickering over a series of high and low profile nominations that President Obama wanted approved before the Senate's August break.
Senators did approve the new Director of National Intelligence, the new head of Central Command, and a number of judicial nominees.
One thing that didn't get done, the Senate did not approve a bill that would finalize the over $4 billion in legal settlements with black farmers and Indians over claims of discrimination by the feds.
The problem was a familiar one - how to pay for the settlement money.
The Senate returns to work on September 13.
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