The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California found Proposition 8 unconstitutional under the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and entered an order permanently enjoining the enforcement of Proposition 8. The oral argument will be divided into two hour-long sessions with a brief recess in between. In the first hour, the parties will address each appellant’s standing and any other procedural matters that may properly be raised. In the second hour, the parties will address the constitutionality of Proposition 8.
Congress this week: Tax discussion, START treaty and the Dream ActTodayWith the lame-duck session ending in a couple of weeks, Congress continues to work on tax cuts, an extension of unemployment benefits and how to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year. They are also expected to address the New START treaty and the Dream Act. The Pentagon released its 10-month study of the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy followed by hearings on the matter last week. The Senate could bring it up on the floor this month though it would likely face opposition by some Republicans. A temporary FY2011 Continuing Resolution (CR) was passed quietly last week that changed the expiration date of the existing CR from December 3 to December 18. Congress will need to pass the CR before mid-December; otherwise, the federal government could shut down. On Saturday, Senators failed to advance two Democratic proposals to extend the Bush-era tax cuts when they expire at the end of the year. Meanwhile, a small group of lawmakers from the House and Senate are continuing their negotiations off the floor in an effort to reach a compromise on extending the Bush-era tax cuts. The New START treaty has yet to be ratified by a two-thirds majority in the Senate. Republican Senator Jon Kyl (AZ) is currently opposing the treaty and asking for more guarantees that the government properly maintain the remaining nuclear arsenal. He also indicated that more time should be spent on the issue. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Friday that unemployment edged up in November to 9.8% percent. Congress has been working on extending unemployment benefits for months, but has yet to pass an extension. The Dream Act may also be taken up in the lame-duck session. The bill is aimed at providing certain illegal alien students who have graduated from high school the opportunity to earn conditional permanent residency if they join the military or attend an institution of higher learning.
via www.c-span.org
