Pete King's Thoughts & Whereabouts: 12/16

Thursday, December 16, 2009
9:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. - GOP "Endgame" Conference in 345 Cannon. Will vote on various bills today including Defense and finish this evening. That should be it for the year. If health care does pass the Senate, it wouldn't come back to the House until January. Dem goal will be to have it passed and signed by the President's State of the Union speech in late January or early February.

10:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - To House floor for series of procedural votes to allow House to finish business today.

11:05 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. - Meeting in 339 Cannon with Morocco's Chief of Intelligence, Yassine Mansouri, and Morocco's Ambassador Aziz Mekouar. Morocco is a good ally in war against terrorist. Its terror threat is increasing becasue more Al Qaeda terrorists are fleeing Iraq and Afghanistan and are coming to Morocco. Also Iran is spreading its influence into western Africa and threatening Morocco. There are also serious problems in Western Sahara. Very productive meeting with strong ally.

11:50 a.m. - 12:05 p.m. - Meet with International Lions Club.

12:45 p.m. - 1:15 p.m. - More votes on House floor.

1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. - To House floor to vote on Defense Appropriations Bill (HR 3326), passes (395-34).

4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - To House floor, Dems vote to increase debt limit by $290 billion (218-214)

5:30 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. - on House floor waiting for vote on "Son of Stimulus" bill (Dems call it a "jobs" bill). Apparently they don't have the votes so we sit around until they twist enough arms. Bill finally passes 217-212.

7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. - Delta Shuttle to LaGuardia.

10:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. - to Massapequa Park for Nassau P.D. Christmas Party.