Senate Wrapping Up

The Senate is finishing up its work for the day and will head into recess tonight, from now through September 6. They've been extremely busy today, and I will have a full run-down of all their actions (including a great speech by McCain a little while ago ripping apart the highway bill) either later tonight or first thing tomorrow. I want to just note right now though that Senators Specter and Leahy have just announced that hearings on the Roberts nomination will begin on Tuesday, September 6, with a Judiciary Committee vote tenatively scheduled for Thursday, September 15.

Remember, as soon as the Senate gavels out tonight, the clock starts ticking for when a Bolton recess-appointment could occur (although the rumors this evening suggest that if that move comes, it will come on Monday or Tuesday).

Much more as soon as I can provide it.

[Update: As of 8:35 tonight, the Senate is adjourned through September 6. I decided I'm going to wait until tomorrow morning to do up my run-through of the things they passed today, since I want to be able to get some quotes from the Congressional Record when it's released. So stay tuned for that. But for the next month, rest easy and know that Congress (at least) can't muck anything up for a while.

Much remains for us to do and discuss, and I'll look forward to a slightly less frenetic pace for the next couple of weeks so that I can post on things other than immediate news at least once in a while. I hope that you all will keep coming back, and as always, I welcome and appreciate your comments. -- 8:38 p.m.]