Since you read the ACLU blog, you likely already know that the House of Representatives voted to pass the sham FISA “compromise” bill on Friday, and the Senate’s slated to take it up this week, with a vote expected Tuesday or Wednesday. If you haven’t contacted your senator yet and urged him or her to stand up for the Constitution, there’s still time! Do it now!
Monday, June 23rd
FISA
Senator Russ Feingold will have a discussion entitled “Confronting Foreign Intelligence and Information Gaps” at the New American Foundation.
No Child Left Behind
Comments on the Department of Education’s proposed No Child Left Behind regulations are due today. The Washington Legislative Office, in conjunction with the Racial Justice Project, is submitting comments.
Tuesday, June 24th
Internet Drug Abuse
The House Judiciary Crime Subcommittee will hold a hearing on online pharmacies and the problem of Internet drug abuse.
Abstinence-Only Education
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies will mark up draft legislation that would make fiscal 2009 appropriations for the departments of Labor, Education and Health and Human Services. Funding for Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) will be included.
The House of Representatives will take up H.R. 6331, Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, under suspension of the rules. The bill includes $50 million funding for the Title V abstinence-only program, to be extended for 12 months
Voting Rights
The Elections Subcommittee of House Administration Committee will hold a hearing titled "Ballot Design: Are States Prepared for the 2008 General Election?"
Wednesday, June 25th
Early Childhood Education
The House Education and Labor Committee will mark-up H.R. 3289, a bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to improve early education.
Thursday, June 26th
Catching Fugitives
The Senate Judiciary Crime and Drugs Subcommittee will hold a hearing titled “They Can Run, But They Can’t Hide: Catching Fugitives in the 21st Century”
Enhanced Drug Penalties
The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to mark-up S. 1211, the Saving Our Kids from Dangerous Drugs Act.
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) Reauthorization
The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to mark-up S. 3155, a bill to reauthorize and improve the JJDPA.
Abstinence-Only Education
The Senate Appropriations Committee will mark up draft legislation that would make fiscal 2009 appropriations for the departments of Labor, Education and Health and Human Services. Funding for abstinence-only education will be included.
LGBT Rights
House Education and Labor’s HELP Subcommittee hearing on discrimination in the workplace against transgender employees. ACLU client Diane Schroer will testify.
Private Prisons
The House Judiciary Crime Subcommittee will hold a hearing on H.R. 1889, the Private Prison Information Act. This legislation would require prisons and other correctional facilities holding federal prisoners under a contract with the federal government to make the same information available to the public that federal prisons and correctional facilities are required to do by law. The ACLU has submitted a letter in support of this legislation and Tom Jawetz from the ACLU National Prison Project will be testifying at the hearing.
Torture
House Judiciary Committee, Constitution Subcommittee hearing on torture, likely with John Yoo and David Addington.
Trafficking
The
Senate Judiciary Committee will mark-up
S. 3061, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act.
Also happening this week:
ADA
The House is expected to take up the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 this week
FISA
The Senate is expected to vote on FISA this week, likely Tuesday or Wednesday.
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