Rep. Katie Porter

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

We just wrapped up our @OversightDems meeting considering COVID disaster relief legislation. Want the inside look? Check out my 🧵🧵on today’s mark-up. https://t.co/ODYatbei5p — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

34/34 After 9 hours, the mark-up is finally over! 🙏 We approved our parts of the COVID relief bill by a vote of 23-18 (other committees are in charge of looking at other aspects of COVID relief). Next: votes by the full House. Thank you to everyone who followed along. — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

33/x I did speak up earlier in this meeting to emphasize how desperately and urgently families need help. Watch 👇👇 https://t.co/sUGh1YDzJk — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

32/x We have now passed 8 hours in this mark up, and I have a little bit of a confession... This is probably the fewest average words per hour that I have ever uttered. It’s been nothing but “yes” or “no,” and we all know that is just not like me. — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

33/x I did speak up during this meeting to emphasize how desperately and urgently families need help. Watch 👇👇https://t.co/sUGh1YDzJk — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

32/x We have now passed 8 hours in this mark up, so I'll give a little bit of a confession... This is probably the fewest words per hour that I have spoken. It’s been nothing but “yes” or “no,” and we all know that is just not like me. — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

31/x Rep. Comer, who is the Ranking Member of the Committee (highest ranking Republican), is talking about the World Health Organization and how it is responsible for COVID. Attacking international public health efforts is not how to solve a global pandemic. — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

My message during today's @OversightDems meeting: Americans need help. It doesn’t matter if they’re conservative or liberal. It doesn’t matter if they live in a big city, a suburb, or a small rural town. They are all struggling—and will continue to struggle—unless we act now. https://t.co/Bdpz6du12N — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

30/x One bright side of a long and “robust” mark-up: hearing from new voices, like Byron Donalds and Yvette Harrell. Junior members question last and rarely address the full House, so a mark-up is a real chance to hear their perspectives. I may not agree, but I’m listening. 👂 — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

29/x Rep. Comer just lauded his “colleague from Florida who ran to fight for taxpayers of Florida.” He was referring to Rep. Nancy Mace, who represents South Carolina. It's been a long day for everyone. 😬 — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

29/x Rep. Comer just lauded his “colleague from Florida who ran to fight for taxpayers of Florida.” He was referring to Rep. Nancy Mace, who represents South Carolina. — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

28/x Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) used her time to talk about how she serves on 3 committees in Congress and that she has noticed that Democrats and Republicans are not voting together. — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

27/x As is sadly typical, the mark-up has devolved into both sides grumbling that this mark-up is taking too long—and blaming each other for that. — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

26/x Admittedly, a couple amendments (of the 40!) were on topic. For example, we debated whether smaller cities should receive funds directly from the U.S. Treasury via a not yet established system, or should receive funds via distributions to each state, as prior bills did. — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

25/x So far, we have had amendments filed on a range of favorite hot button Republican issues: Keystone XL, Paris Climate Accord, mail-in ballots, abortion, fracking, immigration, census data, etc. None of these are relevant to state and local government funding or the pandemic. — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

24/x We are nearing the 7th hour of this mark-up. Still, many of the amendments being offered are unrelated to the main point of the legislation: funding for state and local governments. — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

@OtterFi You can find a list of members here: https://t.co/yeFiCy7ZFF — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

23/x Chairs particularly need a lot of stamina to run a hearing—they must remain in place and preside, or else ask someone to chair temporarily. I’ve never gotten to do it but think it looks like fun. Probably less fun remotely when the actual gavel stays in the hearing room... — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

22/x We are taking a 5 minute recess. This is recess in the same sense as in school. It’s a chance to take a break. — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

21/x I carry 3 cell phones and an iPad and try to have at least two of the devices fully charged at the start of the morning for exactly this reason. I challenge tech innovators to make a battery that can hold up to the partisanship of Congress! — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

20/x As this mark-up goes on, everybody on a device is plugging in. I started fully charged, plugged in a few hours ago, but video takes so much battery that I’m down to 3%! — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

19/x “En bloc” is when we vote on several amendments together as a package. It's most common when amendments are similar in nature or less controversial. For example, this morning, several amendments tried to limit how states and localities could spend the proposed COVID relief. — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

18/x Republicans have requested recorded votes for all their amendments from the 3 hours of mark-up so far. Committee rules say we can roll these to a fixed time. Several amendments were taken together “en bloc.” What is “en bloc?” — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

17/x Any member can then request a recorded vote. What is a “recorded vote?” It's where the clerk of the Committee calls each member by name and we respond either “yes/aye” or “no/nay.” — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

16/x We paused considering amendments to switch to voting. This is actually the second vote on each amendment. Right after debate, we take a “voice” vote (everyone who agrees says “yes”). The Chair then rules, normally for the party with more members. In this case, the Democrats. — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

15/x Second observation: “Go on mute” is my new phrase for when my kids need to be quiet. I’ve been saying “turn down your volume knob,” but sometimes I really mean “silent!” — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

14/x Chair @RepMaloney again reminds members to “go on mute” because of background noise. Two observations here: (1) this problem isn't limited to virtual hearings. People often discuss amendments among themselves in-person. This can be productive but can also become distracting. — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

13/x Will it go 24 hours? Probably not. Some amendments may not be raised. My best guess is 10 hours. This kind of uncertainty is why being a scheduler is the hardest job on the Hill. And note: you can tune in at home (but don’t hold that against me...) https://t.co/SCKIiJNv3V — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

12/x The second factor is how much debate occurs. After the amendment’s author speaks, a member from the other party is recognized for up to 5 minutes, and then it alternates back and forth between members, for 5 minutes each. Then also add openings and votes. See whiteboard ⬇️ https://t.co/rnR0NiUl4k — PolitiTweet.org

Rep. Katie Porter @RepKatiePorter

11/x Why does mark-up take hours? The first factor is the number of amendments. The more proposed changes, the longer the process takes. Each person who puts forth an amendment is given 5 minutes to explain their amendment. Today, we expect about 40 amendments. — PolitiTweet.org