Saturday Senate encore on infrastructure

Democrats and Biden trumpet July jobs report

Senators are at work again this weekend on a major infrastructure bill. Some Democrats aren’t happy that their earmarks vanished in the Senate. And another lawmaker tests positive for COVID. This is “Regular Order” for August 7, 2021.

INFRASTRUCTURE. In session for a second straight Saturday, Senators will try again to finish work on a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill. Unless there is a deal on amendments, the Senate will vote just after 12 noon on a motion to shut off debate on the plan. 60 votes would be needed to approve that motion.

• AMENDMENTS. When Senators wrapped up work very late on Thursday night, efforts to broker a deal on amendment votes had failed. Republicans had made clear they have extra subjects they want to bring up on the infrastructure bill.

• LEGISLATIVE NERD NOTE. Theoretically, the Senate could agree to a final vote today on infrastructure. But if just one Senator wants to slow things down, it could also take until next Wednesday or Thursday to get the bill done.

• SCHEDULE. Senators were supposed to be on their August break by now. Even after they finish infrastructure, there will be 3-4 more days of work on a budget resolution - which then allows Democrats to act on a budget reconciliation plan. So, the basic question remains - how fast do you want to go home?

LOCAL PROJECTS. My column in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution today is about how the Senate bipartisan infrastructure deal did not include local road, bridge, and transportation projects approved by the House. And Democrats are starting to grumble publicly about that. "These member-designated transportation projects are critical to our communities," said Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA).

• LETTER. Scanlan was part of a letter from Philadelphia-area Democrats in Congress, pressing the Senate Majority Leader to add back the 1,473 'member-designated projects' worth $5.6 billion which were part of a House transportation bill. "Our projects illustrate the essential needs of our community - as well as the needs of cities across the nation," the letter states.

• HOUSE-SENATE. Right now, the earmarks don’t seem to have much of a future, especially if the Senate just expects the House to accept the final infrastructure bill. But, what if House Democrats demand changes? Stay tuned.

JOBS REPORT. President Joe Biden has now seen the addition of over 4 million jobs since taking office, as the Labor Department reported the addition of 943,000 jobs in the month of July. But the U.S. economy is still 6.3 million jobs below where it was when the Coronavirus outbreak began in March of 2020.

• BIDEN. At the White House, the President hailed the July jobs report, and made sure to hammer home his message - and who he thinks should get the credit. “The Biden plan is working, the Biden plan produces results, and the Biden plan is moving the country forward,” Mr. Biden said.

• GOP. Two straight monthly jobs reports of over 900,000 jobs didn't leave much for Republicans to attack. So, they said the job growth is really due to policies of Red states. "Thanks in part to Republican governors removing the Biden work barrier that pays the jobless more to stay home than to work, the July jobs report finally met expectations," said Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX).

COVID. Another member of Congress has tested positive for the Coronavirus, despite already being vaccinated. "My symptoms are mild," said Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS). "I’m incredibly grateful for the vaccine and the protection that it offers. I know things could have been much worse for me without it."

VIRUS-MILITARY. With the Pentagon ready to require active-duty servicemembers to get the Coronavirus vaccine, GOP lawmakers continue to say they're opposed to such plans. "Vaccinations are an individual health decision," said Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN). "Mandates are a one-size-fits-all narrative. It is a choice that every person must make."

• PENTAGON. But if you research what vaccines are needed for members of the military, you quickly realize the answer is 'a lot' - especially if you are deployed overseas. Anthrax. Chickenpox. Hepatitis A & B. Flu. Measles. Mumps. Rubella. Polio. Rabies. Tetanus. Diphtheria. Smallpox. All of them say, "Required."

U.S. SENATE. Another U.S. House lawmaker has opted to make a bid for U.S. Senate. This time it's Rep. Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania. The Democrat from the Keystone State won’t have an easy race to get the nomination for Senate, as the primary already includes a formidable foe in Lt. Gov. John Fetterman.

• CASUALTY LIST. As of now, 15 U.S. House members won't be back after the 2022 midterms (8 Democrats and 7 Republicans). Nine of them - like Conor Lamb - are running for another office. In the Senate, five Republicans are not running for re-election. These numbers are certain to grow.

BACK THE BLUE. The feds have their first two guilty pleas from the Capitol Attack involving people accused of assaulting police officers. One man from Seattle swung at officers with a metal baton, as the crowd around him threw flag poles and other items at police. A New Jersey man 'shoved and punched an officer.'

• RAP SHEET. We've seen some good back stories on how people were arrested after January 6. Here's another. A Washington State man was arrested in part because of tips received after the guy's mother posted photos of him inside the Capitol Rotunda on her Facebook page. Can’t make it up.

COUNTDOWN TO NINE ELEVEN. On August 7, 2001, FBI officials decided not to act on what is known as the 'Phoenix memo,' which warned that Osama bin Laden was possibly sending students to the U.S. to attend civil aviation schools. A post-9/11 investigation labeled this a 'significant intelligence failure.'

MUSE OF HISTORY. August 7, 1789. On this date in the very first Congress, President Washington signed what was basically the first infrastructure bill, putting the feds in charge of a dozen lighthouses along the Atlantic Seaboard. The new law also specifically said a lighthouse 'shall be erected near the entrance of the Chesapeake Bay' - that was the old lighthouse built at Cape Henry in Virginia, which was completed in 1792. The original lighthouse service was established in the Treasury Department.

LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM:

The House next has votes scheduled on September 20.

The Senate meets at 11 am.

President Biden’s daily schedule link.

Follow me on Twitter @jamiedupree. Email me at jamiedupree@substack.com