Posted on 12/19/2009 2:16:45 PM PST by GVnana
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has set the stage for a major vote Monday morning at 1:00 AM – one that would require the support of 60 Senators. That would, if all goes according to Senator Reid’s plan, set up a late-night Christmas Eve vote on final passage.
Senator Reid also used a rare procedure to block any further amendments from being offered, debated or voted upon.
When it comes time for Senators to cast their vote at 1:00AM Monday morning, shortly after Sunday Night Football ends and most Americans are in bed, they will have had less than 38 hours to understand a 383-page amendment that introduces several new concepts into the health care debate, including:
■A scheme that gives the Office of Personal Management immense power in administering what amounts to a multi-state public plan;
■How much a state “opt-out” of abortion coverage in the legislation erodes the long-standing Hyde-amendment;
■The budgetary impact of ELIMINATING the physician reimbursement fix; and,
■Multiple new taxes, federal regulations and sweet-heart deals aimed toward certain states like Nebraska.
It is important for Americans to understand the process being used by the Senate. Barring any procedural snags (of which there are many in the Senate’s complex rules and precedents), the debate is likely to play out as follows:
■Monday, 1:00 AM – Vote to invoke cloture (i.e. end debate) on the manager’s amendment. 60 votes are necessary.
■Tuesday, 7:00 AM – Vote to approve the manager’s amendment. A majority vote is necessary.
■Tuesday, 8:00 AM – Vote to invoke cloture on the original Reid substitute amendment (the 2,000-page bill). 60 votes are necessary.
■Wednesday, 2:00 PM – Vote to approve the Reid substitute amendment. A majority vote is necessary.
■Wednesday, 3:00 PM – Vote to invoke cloture on the underlying bill. 60 votes are necessary.
■Thursday, 9:00 PM – Vote to approve the underlying bill (i.e. the Senate’s version of Obamacare). A majority vote is necessary.
Last January, President Obama told his senior staff that “transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency.” Now, an unconstitutional health care proposal that was drafted behind closed doors and poised to be approved while Americans are not looking will become the touchstone of his presidency. Surely this was not what the American people signed up for.
See also: "A First Look at the Manager's Amendment" http://blog.heritage.org/2009/12/19/a-first-look-at-the-managers-amendment/
So, that would mean that the revolution begins Monday morning. Eat a big breakfast, boys and girls. It’s gonna be a tough battle.
Vote on Christmas Eve. Guess Harry ain’t going home to Nevada for Christmas. So he’ll keep his ‘Club’ in town for late night shenanigans.
Snow storm hit DC today, Reagan is closed.
PUBLIC LAW 110–81—SEPT. 14, 2007
PUBLIC AVAILABILITY AMENDMENT.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Rule XXVIII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by adding at the end the following:‘‘9. (a)(1) It shall not be in order to vote on the adoption of a report of a committee of conference unless such report has been available to Members and to the general public for at least 48 hours before such vote. If a point of order is sustained under this paragraph, then the conference report shall be set aside.
(2) For purposes of this paragraph, a report of a committee of conference is made available to the general public as of the time it is posted on a publicly accessible website controlled by a Member, committee, Library of Congress, or other office of Congress, or the Government Printing Office, as reported to the Presiding Officer by the Secretary of the Senate.
(b)(1) This paragraph may be waived in the Senate with respect to the pending conference report by an affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Members, duly chosen and sworn. A motion to waive this paragraph shall be debatable for not to exceed 1 hour equally divided between the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader or their designees.
(2) An affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Members, duly chosen and sworn, shall be required to sustain an appeal of the ruling of the Chair on a point of order raised under this paragraph. An appeal of the ruling of the Chair shall be debatable for not to exceed 1 hour equally divided between the Majority and the Minority Leader or their designees
(c) This paragraph may be waived by joint agreement of the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader of the Senate, upon their certification that such waiver is necessary as a result of a significant disruption to Senate facilities or to the availability of the Internet.’’.
These people are going to get away with this aren’t they???
I am confused. Did they change it? I thought I read earlier that the Senate was voting tonight.
It looks like we have 60 capital criminals in the US Senate.
I hope all of the democRat criminals running for re-election next year can be defeated at the ballot box.
Otherwise Patriots will have to organize Committees of Public Safety at the County / Township level and start criminal proceedings against the guilty.
Elections have consequences. The Republican label is not yet back on the shelves. Time for another ‘contract for America’ to set forth a path back to the shelves.
When this goes to the House-Senate Conference Committee for reconciliation, is there a good chance that this can still be derailed? In other words, what are the chances that the reconciled bill will be unacceptable the a majority of House or Senate members? Do you just need a majority at that point?
burn them bills. Do we have legal recourse???
The Civil liberties idiots always find a way.
(1) IN GENERAL.—Rule XXVIII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is amended by adding at the end the following:‘‘9. (a)(1) It shall not be in order to vote on the adoption of a report of a committee of conference unless such report has been available to Members and to the general public for at least 48 hours before such vote. If a point of order is sustained under this paragraph, then the conference report shall be set aside.
++++++++++++++++++++
What are silly laws, and Constitutions, to the socialist hordes? ARGH!
If the two bills go to reconciliation, will there be another filibuster opportunity in the Senate, requiring a cloture vote?
burn them bills. Do we have legal recourse???
The Civil liberties idiots always find a way.
These people are going to get away with this aren’t they???
It sure looks like it.
They have bribed and threatened and kicked and screamed.
All the while the American Public says STOP.
but still they carry on this Death ,abortion, let the old people die bill.
A vote at 1:am in the morning is that unprecedented?
They dragged old Byrd in ,in a wheelchair for the last vote, Somebody better check his pulse and make sure he is still alive before they allow him to vote again.
Dragging this senile old klansmen in at 1:am is a travesty in itself.
But Yes: It looks like after all the payoff’s they intend to give our Kenyan President a win. God knows after the licking he took in Copenhagen he needs one.
This bill should haunt the Democrats for the next 20 years if we still have a Republic then and not a Communist state.
But are we even bringing up the rules? Are the Republicans just letting them pull all their tricks without challenging any of it? AAARGH!!!!
They’re probably putting the chains on his wheelchair now so he can get through the snow....
I find it hard to believe that Byrd will actually be there to vote at 1 AM.
Calling Paul Kersey!
He could very well have a functional nursing home room set up in his office for all we know.
Hopey-Changey!
When large numbers of stupid people vote, this is what your get!
PING!
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