Dean Fiihr of the Iowa House Speaker’s office sent out an email this morning advising statehouse reporters of a news conference.  The news conference featured the top two Democrats in the Iowa House and the top two Democrats in the Iowa Senate.  The subject line of the email read, in part, ”The Final Countdown – End of Session.”

Mr. Fiihr helpfully provided a link to a YouTube video of the band Europe and their video of the song “The Final Countdown.”  The lyrics are about a trip to Venus and I think when the group sings “We’ll miss her” they are talking about Mother Earth — but maybe not. 

At this point, I wonder how many lawmakers and staff would sing about missing the legislature.  If you’ve been keeping track at home, legislators had hoped to adjourn the 2010 session last Thursday, then the plan was to complete their work on Friday.  That didn’t work out, so lawmakers came back Saturday and worked ’til 9 p.m. without concluding the 2010 session.  Monday didn’t turn out to be the final day either.  Today, however, just might.

Representative Tom Schueller, a Democrat from Maquoketa, delivered the prayer in the House this morning and he appealed for divine intervention.  “Heavenly father, look upon each and every one of us as we begin — hopefully — our last day of session,” Schueller prayed.  He put special emphasis on the word “hopefully.”

Leaders in the Iowa legislature have announced lawmakers soon will conclude their work this evening, then return to the statehouse on Monday for more votes on more bills that are on the “must do” list.  Legislators are trying to wrap up the 2010 legislative session before April 1.  March 31 would be the 80th day of the session.

UPDATE:  after a debate of less than half an hour, the Iowa Senate just passed the last major bill to move through the legislative pipeline. The bill will be debated by the House next week.  Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs) then announced the senate would not come back into session until 2 p.m. Monday.  “Wow,” exclaimed Senate President Jack Kibbie, followed by general applause from other senators and the Senate has now — as of 9:09 p.m. on Saturday — concluded its work for this week.

The House intends to start its activities at 10 a.m. on Monday.

It’s nearing the halfway point on this Saturday afternoon.  For those of you who are wondering whether the 2010 Iowa legislative session will conclude today, that appears unlikely. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (D-Des Moines) briefed reporters:

“We can get our work done with the bills remaining and the time of debate – that’s very clear – but it’s the waiting for the behind-the-scenes process of legislation being built up, to be prepared with the L.S.A. and the Fiscal Bureau, that may delay our opportunity to get out today.

“Now, having said that, keep in mind the big picture. The 80th day of the legislative session is Wednesday of next week.  We laid out a calendar to try to get us out yesterday, the 26th, knowing that unless you set that aggressive time schedule, you never make it by your appointed date. We’re doing very well.  I think anybody reasonable looking at our time schedule here (would say) we’re doing the best we can given the enormity of the behind-the-scenes process.”

Will legislators debate/work ’til midnight tonight?

McCarthy: “I don’t think so.”

Are there major sticking points that stand in the way of adjournment?

McCarthy: “I think right now it’s a matter of process.”

House pages decorate boxes for legislators, to cart everything from their desk following adjournment.