On Guard Against Recess Appointments, Senate Will Not Sleep This Christmas

The Senate convenes at 9:30 today for a pro forma session. No business occurs during a pro forma session, the meeting is only perfunctory. Usually it means only one senator appears on the floor. Senate leadership will engage in a series of pro forma sessions over the holidays in order to block and Bush attempts to make recess appointments.

On his web site, majority leader Harry Reid (NV) states: "Between December 21, 2007 and January 22, 2008, the Senate will meet in a series of scheduled pro forma sessions."

Otherwise, the Senate returns for real on January 22, 2008 at 10:00.

The Senate will then proceed to a period of morning business for up to 60 minutes, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, with the time equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees, with the Republicans controlling the first half and the Majority controlling the final half. Following morning business, the Senate will proceed to S. 1200, the Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments, under a previous order. The first vote of the day is expected to occur at approximately 17:30.