A holiday truce in the Senate?

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Linnea
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A holiday truce in the Senate?

Post by Linnea » 12-22-2009 07:07 PM

As reported on First Read - msnbc

From NBC's Ken Strickland
Has holiday cheer suddenly crept onto the Senate floor? Is the reality of voting on the health-care bill the night before Christmas having a calming effect on what has been -- at times -- a heated debate?

Paraphrasing the words of the 1991 video taped beating victim Rodney King, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said simply, "Let's just all try to get along."

"There's a lot of tension in the Senate, and feelings are high," Reid said this morning on the Senate floor. "Everybody has very strong concerns about everything we have done and have to do."

Knowing that final passage of the health-care bill would happen at 7:00 pm ET on Christmas Eve -- unless he and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell reached an agreement -- Reid played the Christmas card.

"This is a very difficult time the next day or so, and let's try to work through this," he said. "I would hope that everyone would kind of set aside all their personal animosity, if in fact they have any, the next little bit and focus on that holiday."

McConnell seemed to also be sipping from the same eggnog cup. "To my good friend, the majority leader. He and I have an excellent relationship," McConnell said. "We speak a number of times in the course of every day and have no animosity whatsoever."

McConnell concluded by saying he was hopeful the leaders could craft an agreement "that will give certainty to the way to end this session" and recommend "something that makes sense for both sides."

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/ ... 58491.aspx

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Post by racehorse » 12-22-2009 09:09 PM

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/12/22 ... 1201.shtml

December 22, 2009 4:10 PM

Senate Moves Up Final Health Care Vote

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell announced this afternoon that they have come to an agreement for the final vote on the health care bill, CBS News Capitol Hill producer John Nolen reports.

The vote is now scheduled for 8 a.m. on Thursday morning (Christmas Eve Day), rather than after 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve as had been expected.

The two Senate leaders sent the announcement out with the following heading: "Whip Notice – the 'I'll be Home for Christmas' edition."

Since Reid secured the 60 votes needed to stop debate on the bill over the weekend, the Senate has been working through a series of procedural hurdles needed for passage.

Under the schedule announced today, the next and final cloture vote on the bill will happen at 2:15 p.m. tomorrow. Senators will then vote on the final bill at 8 a.m. the following day.

The senate will also vote on a 2-month extension of the debt limit on Thursday before adjourning for the remainder of 2009, Nolen reports.
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Post by Joolz » 12-23-2009 01:16 AM

8 a.m., eh? I'd heard it had been moved to the morning, but didn't know the time. I guess that means I have to be up at 5 a.m. to watch that vote. But I'll definitely be there to see it happen. ;) Wouldn't miss it.
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Post by racehorse » 12-23-2009 05:02 PM

Joolz wrote: 8 a.m., eh? I'd heard it had been moved to the morning, but didn't know the time. I guess that means I have to be up at 5 a.m. to watch that vote. But I'll definitely be there to see it happen. ;) Wouldn't miss it.


Hi Joolz :)

Please note that the Senate vote has been moved up an hour earlier to Thursday at 7 a.m. EST which is 4 a.m. PST.
.

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http://www.rollcall.com/news/41859-1.html

Senate Moves Up Health Care Vote to 7 a.m.

By John Stanton
Roll Call Staff

Dec. 23, 2009, 3:15 p.m.

The Senate on Wednesday agreed to further accelerate its schedule to complete work on Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) health care reform bill, deciding by unanimous consent to hold a vote on final passage at 7 a.m. on Thursday instead of at 8 a.m.
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Post by Joolz » 12-23-2009 08:48 PM

racehorse wrote: Hi Joolz :)

Please note that the Senate vote has been moved up an hour earlier to Thursday at 7 a.m. EST which is 4 a.m. PST.
.

--

http://www.rollcall.com/news/41859-1.html

Senate Moves Up Health Care Vote to 7 a.m.

By John Stanton
Roll Call Staff

Dec. 23, 2009, 3:15 p.m.

The Senate on Wednesday agreed to further accelerate its schedule to complete work on Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) health care reform bill, deciding by unanimous consent to hold a vote on final passage at 7 a.m. on Thursday instead of at 8 a.m.


Thanks, race! :)
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