On the Phone: Ryan Grim, Huffington Post, Washington Bureau Chief @ryangrim
Topic: Guest will explain the deal struck yesterday (Thursday) between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to retain the silent filibuster. The deal lessens the time allowed for debate after a cloture vote (30 hours to 4 hours) and implements other changes, but the majority party must still reach 60 votes to overcome a filibuster.
William Kristol, Weekly Standard, Founder and Editor @weeklystandard
Topic: Guest will discuss how Republicans in Congress should proceed over the next four years of the President’s second term. This week, Mr. Kristol wrote that was time for Republican spokesmen to “be feared in our national forums for the truths they might tell.”
Kevin Cathcart, Lambda Legal, Executive Director @LambdaLegal
Topic: A look at the state of gay rights in the U.S. and how the LGBT community is reacting to the President’s call for equal rights in his inauguration speech on Monday.
Hubert Hamer, USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Board Chair @usda_nass & Charles Abbott, Reuters, Agriculture Reporter
Topic: The effect that the ongoing drought is having on the nation’s economy, including the agricultural sector; food prices and production; imports and exports; federal subsidy and crop insurance programs; and renewable fuels such as ethanol. We’ll also discuss how the drought is affecting debate on the latest Farm Bill.
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