The House will convene at 2 p.m. Sunday to vote on 13 bills, none of which have to do with the ongoing battle over the fiscal cliff.
Roll call votes will not begin until the evening, and all will be under an expedited procedure that prohibits amendments and requires a two-thirds majority for passage.
It is possible, but unlikely, that a measure to avert the fiscal cliff’s indiscriminate spending cuts and tax hikes will be on the floor as well. Even if the Senate passes a package, the House usually abides by a three-day rule before bringing a bill up for debate. The House Rules Committee would need time to craft a rule for floor debate, and the whip team would need time to sell it to members.
Still, Sunday’s long series of votes, in addition to the closed-door conference meeting following the floor action, gives Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio ample time to take the temperature of his Republican Conference before deciding the path forward. He told his members in a conference call last week that he is not interested in putting a bill on the floor that would attract less than a majority of the conference.
That would set up a House vote as soon as Monday or Tuesday — New Year’s Day — on a fiscal cliff package.
Sunday evening, the House will be voting on the following bills:
Senate amendment to HR 4057, Improving Transparency of Education Opportunities for Veterans Act.
S 3202, Dignified Burial and Other Veterans’ Benefit Improvement Act.
Senate amendment to HR 6328, Clothe a Homeless Hero Act.
Rep. Bill Cassidy has his blood drawn by Alesha Barbour during a free hepatitis screening in the Rayburn House Office Building hosted by the Congressional Viral Hepatitis Caucus to recognize "National Viral Hepatitis Testing Day."
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