Posted on 09/23/2011 10:11:28 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
Funding crisis: Senate blocks House bill
By: Jake Sherman and Manu Raju September 23, 2011 08:56 AM EDT
Senate Democrats on Friday blocked a House Republican stopgap budget plan, intensifying a bitter impasse that threatens to bring government operations to a halt in a matter of days.
On a 59-36 vote, the Senate voted to table the House plan, just the latest escalation in a government spending crisis that has dominated Capitol Hill this year.
The vote now threatens to derail next weeks congressional recess, dry up federal funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency by early next week and shutdown many government operations by Sept. 30 unless both parties and chambers can reach an accord in a matter of days.
Still, senators and House members were scrambling behind the scenes to find a solution Friday afternoon.
After approving their seven-week stopgap funding bill after midnight, senior House officials say members will start leaving town early this afternoon, a move that could pressure the Senate into approving their bill over the staunch opposition of Hill Democrats. Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said the House is planning to be out of session after votes this morning.
This is why people dont like Washington, Cantor said Friday, referring to the impasse.
There is no other option than for the Senate to pass our bill. Thats it. Thats all. There is no next step, said a senior House Republican aide.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
DON’T GIVE IN!
It is only a 7 week continuing resolution.
This is such political bullshit, and these idiots wonder why there is such contempt for all politicians.
‘Funding Crisis’
Ya know... With the amount of tax dollars wasted in Washington, I really can’t say we have a funding crisis. Now comes the predictable headlines and talking points from the socialists, good luck sellin’ - I ain’t buyin.
The current party split is 53 (Dem and "Independents" voting with the Dems) - 47 Republicans. That means at least 6 Republicans voted to table this bill.
The President also says he will veto anything that doesn't have a tax increase - doubling down on his campaign and candidacy to Raise Taxes.
A Walter Mondale if I ever saw one.
Spending bills have to originate in the HoR as per the Constitution. The House should vote on the same bill again and send it to Harry.
According to the Washington Times and other sources, the conservative Republicans are willing to vote in favor of additional funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to deal with the recent flooding along the eastern seaboard but they want corresponding budget cuts to ensure federal government spending stays within the debt limit agreed to in July/August.
Reportedly, Democrats overwhelmingly opposed the measure because it offset $1.5 billion of $3.65 billion in disaster relief funding with a cut to a program that loans money to car companies to encourage the production of energy-efficient cars. They believe the government sponsored energy-efficient car loans program create jobs and FEMA, strained by repeated natural disasters, both need more funding.
After the vote last night, the main stream media glossed over the 182 Democrats that opposed the measure and immediately began to focus on the 48 Republicans who are "refusing to compromise". While there is no doubt more of the story yet to be told, one has to wonder why Congress (especially considering the recent struggles over the debt ceiling and the resulting dissatisfaction with both Republicans and Democrats in Congress) would immediately return to traditional spending practices.
Arguably, the general public is looking for fiscal restraint and responsibility, even if it means cutting current spending to fund emergency aid. This, however, is not necessarily where the main stream media or, for that matter, the majority of our Congressional membership is focused.
We should now expect the media to focus on the 48 House members who voted against the measure with terms like "obstructionists" and "ideologues" instead of the real problem(s) that face our nation and our future. The problem is the debt; the debt is the result of the spending. Our representatives must get control of the spending and start to reduce real (not just projected) spending.
Hmmm. Wonder which ones...
The dims are desperate to continue funding their union allies.
If the unionized companies go broke before the election it will hurt Obama’s reelection bid.
Send a bill with more spending cuts and make them wish they passed this current bill.
In a floor speech, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) deemed the Republicans FEMA bill frugal and cheap. Criticizing the bill for its offsets from the DOE program, Ellison said the bill is the most stingy, short-sighted, poorest form of representative government I’ve ever seen. It is outrageous to tell Americans facing disaster that you don’t get any help unless you can find how to squeeze it out somewhere.
There were also about 6 Republicans that would vote against it because it is too liberal.
you forgot Brown! The vote totals not yet available on roll call
Could be, but I'm still sticking with my first five...
Its not a crisis. The rats have a bill and they can pass it in the senate.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=1&vote=00151
Just shut the whole damn mess down. Keep it shut down until Jan 2013. I don’t think they realize how many millions of us out here would be extremely pleased if they shut it all down and went home.
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