In Today's Installment of "How the Senate Barely Turns" (about the Reconciliation Bill)

[Clio the Leo]

Haven't seen much mention of this on DU about the status of the Reconciliation package that the Senate is working on. What I know comes from multiples sources, so cant really give you a link, just take my word for it. ;)

This afternoon, the Senate completed it's required 20 hours of debate on the bill. Their goal is to get the heck outta dodge by Friday, in time for the Congressional two week recess.

The Senate is currently holding a "vote-a-rama" where dozens and dozens of amendments are being voted on. These amendments have been offered by the GOP for two reasons. 1. if they can get just ONE amendment to pass, then the bill would have to go BACK to the House to vote on. 2. They want to have lots of issues for the Dems to vote "no" on so their Republican opponents can use against them in the future.

For example Sen. Coburn offered an amendment that would outlaw funding to provide convicted rapists with Viagra. Again, Dems will vote NO on this because if the amendment passes, the packaged would have to go BACK to the House. If it makes it through recon. unchanged, then the President can sing it and THEN we'll be done with this current health care bill.

But by voting "no" Dems will likely have ads run against them in future campaigns that say, "Sen. X voted AGAINST legislation that would have prevented rapists from buying Viagra! He's a BAD MAN!" (Incidentally, this is the same reason why Boehner made a big deal Sunday night about "we want members to stand and announce their votes!" They wanted to use the footage later for campaign commercials.)

Voting began at around 6pm and is expected to go at least 9 hours tonight. They're hoping to have the final vote on Friday.

So there you go. Another action packed night on the Hill.

[gateley]

1. Boy you explained that well, Clio -- thanks! Are they going to vote overnight,

or do they call it quits at a certain hour then come crawling back in the morning?

I love the title of the Series!

[Clio the Leo]

2. I've heard they were planning on staying to between 1 and 3am.

And watching CSPAN now, it is VERY WEIRD to hear all of the GOP Sens voting "aye" on everything.

It's like living in a parallel universe where Obama has a goatee. :)

[Jennicut]

3. Ahh! He looks vulcan.

I am glad the Dems are sticking together. Let's get this thing done!

[Clio the Leo]

4. It's funny to hear the GOP urge the Dems vote in favor of their amendments...

... and not ignore them in an effort to pass a partisan bill.

Funny/sad.

[HughMoran]

5. BTW, any bill that might be embarrassing to the Dems will be dealt with later, BEFORE the fall elect

...so, the Republicans are just being ass holes for the sake of being ass holes - rather infantile ass holes at that.

Example: Dems will pass a separate bill ensuring that rapists can't get Viagra :eyes:

[Clio the Leo]

6. Sen. Vitter's amendment is to repeal Obamacare!

You get NO points for originality Mr. Vitter.

Go get your passy and sit down somewhere.

[Clio the Leo]

7. I wish I could by the Senate clerk a lemonade or whatever tasty beverage she'd prefer...

.... feel for her having to read all of the same stuff over and over.

[Clio the Leo]

8. update: Sens are planning on working THROUGH the night until the last vote. NT

[Clio the Leo]

9. Max Baucus is in charge of debating these amendments....

... not sure if he's just on this particular shift or he's been chosen to do the whole night as some sort of punishment for Finance committee fiasco last summer. :)

[Clio the Leo]

10. Reid says.....

.... they have done 23 amendments so far.

They owe it to the House to do this right because the House worked all weekend. They want to get this bill ready ASAP IN CASE it has to go back to the House. (wants to give them time before Congress recesses for the weekend.)

Invites Minority Leader Turtle to offer some ideas on how they might proceed as quickly as possible.

Sen Turtle says that things are going along smoothly and he thinks they should just continue on as they have been.

Reid says it's clear that the attempt is to ruin the bill that is now the law of the land (whoohooo!) and that no amendments have been adopted thus far, indicates it's highly unlikley that any will. Reid says he hopes the opposition would understand they need to to whats in the best interest of the people. They'd like to get out at a decent hour but if they have to go all night they will.

Sen. Turtle says that they have been able to offer more amendments today than the entire time the original Senate bill was being debated and they're really like to try to improve the bill. "We can come back in the morning if you like?"

Reid says, "what's the next amendment?"

And, ironically, Sen. Bunning is up next.