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Update on Tuesday's Unemployment Vote
July 16, 2010 - by Donny Shaw
As some of you have noted in the comments, in my post last night on what’s been going on with the unemployment bill, I came to the wrong conclusion about which bill — H.R. 4213 or H.R. 5618 — would be getting a vote on Tuesday. Because, as I explained, Senate Democrats had been setting up the procedure for bringing H.R. 5618 to the Senate floor directly (skipping the committee process), I figured that was the bill they were planning to move forward with. However, shortly after publishing the post, new information was posted on the Senate calendar that indicated H.R. 4213 would actually be the bill getting a vote.
Here’s what it in the Congressional Record Daily Digest for Thursday about Tuesday’s vote:
A unanimous-consent agreement was reached providing that at 2:30 p.m., on Tuesday, July 20, 2010, Senate resume consideration of the amendment of the House of Representatives to the amendment of the Senate to H.R. 4213, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend certain expiring provisions; that the motion to reconsider be agreed to, and Senate vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to the bill with Reid Amendment No. 4425 (to the amendment of the House to the amendment of the Senate to the bill), in the nature of a substitute.
This is the same exact motion and the same exact amendment that the Senate voted on on June 30. It was effectively filibustered then by a vote of 58-38, but, remember, Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid [D, NV] only voted “nay” in order to preserve his right under Senate rules to bring the bill back up for another vote. If another senator had voted “aye,” Reid would have switched his vote to an “aye” in order to secure the 60 votes that are needed to break a filibuster. On Tuesday, after Carte Goodwin (Byrd’s replacement) is sworn in, the Democrats will have 60 votes to break the Republican-led filibuster and pass the cloture motion.
Once cloture passes, the Senate will then have to vote on passage of the “motion to concur in the House amendment to the Senate amendment to the bill with Reid Amendment No. 4425” within 30 hours. The Republicans could choose to keep the debate open for the full 30 hours, or they could let the Democrats proceed within the final vote sooner. It’s customary for the minority party to let the final vote happen shortly after cloture is invoked since passage only takes 51 votes and it has just been shown that the majority has at least 60, but the Republicans do stand to benefit by using up as much of the Democrats’ time as they can, so we’ll see.
Once final passage is secured in the Senate, the bill will have to go back to the House for a vote on a concurring to Senate amendment.
On May 28, the House passed a version of this bill that contained the unemployment insurance extension and several controversial tax provisions by a vote of 215-204. On July 1, the House passed a stand-alone unemployment extension bill (H.R. 5618) by an overwhelming 270-152. Given their ability to pass both a stand-alone UI bill and one that includes a bunch of unrelated tax items, they should have no problem passing the Reid Amendment. Besides the UI extension, it contains an extension of the closing date for the first-time homebuyer tax credit, which is fully offset by three non-controversial revenue items, details of which can be found here.
As soon as the House votes favorably on concurring with the Senate amendment, the bill can be sent to President Obama to be signed into law.
Now let me throw in this important disclaimer: This is all at the discretion of Majority Leader Reid and it is subject to change. As we know, Reid has been working simultaneously to have H.R. 5618 ready for a vote as well, and just because the calendar says H.R. 4213 right now doesn’t mean that is definitely what will happen on Tuesday. No matter what, it looks right now like there should be no problem with getting the unemployment extension signed into law by the end of next week. Keep checking this blog or subscribe to the RSS feed for updates.
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Comments
Displaying 181-210 of 216 total comments.
http://www.opencongress.org/articles/view/1984-Update-on-Tuesday-s-Unemployment-Vote?comment_page=6#comments
obama’s nothing but a puppet. i can’t believe the president of the United States has no power to order the extension of unemployment benefits seeing congress could care less.
is there any confirmation that those 2 republicans are still going to vote with the democrats to pass the bill? ewveryone seems to think it will pass no problem, but they can still change their minds…
No Republications voted for HR 4213, but 2 Independents did.
Don’t forget Nelson (D-Nebraska) who voted NO. With Nelson’s vote of YES, Reid could have cast the passing vote on June 29th, and we wouldn’t be having this discussion today.
independents?
Sorry saturnsc2 … I am incorrect.
Check out the link to see who voted on HR 4213 (last voted on June 30th):
http://www.opencongress.org/vote/2010/s/204
Joe Lieberman (I, CT) and Bernard Sanders (I, VT).
Susan Collins® and Olympia Snowe® voted aye, only after Harry Reid compromised and watered down the original version of HR 4213.
Senate floor procedures and senate rules are complicated. I think in order for
Reid to bring the bill back to the floor for a vote he had to vote NAY.
It’s easy for us to assume what they can or can not do, but it’s just not that
simple.
Art leDoux
Whether or not the Republicans vote for 4213, at this point, they all STILL DESERVE TO BE VOTED OUT OF OFFICE just for making us all suffer so long, worrying over it.
They are playing political games with people’s lives, plain and simple. They do not deserve to be re-elected.
Furthermore, even the Democrats deserve our wrath because there is NOTHING ON THE TABLE FOR 99ers! Even if this current bill passes (4213 or 5618, basically the same bill), there is NOTHING IN IT FOR US 99ers. Pelosi said there will be NO TIER 5.
So all those people who have already been evicted or foreclosed on, raided their 401k’s, sold their jewelry, moved into their cars… all of those people have been abandoned by OUR CONGRESS AND OUR PRESIDENT.
THIS IS A STATE OF EMERGENCY and the fact that they are doing nothing for us 99ers means we have to VOTE ALL THE AHOLES OUT.
uwag.org
You’re right!
Art leDoux
Me my wife and 3 year son have been reduced to a diet of 1.oo dollar menu cheeseburgers and Ramen Noodles. I often have to sacrifice my portion so they can get somewhat full. We have no electricity so we have to use the neighbors microwave. Pretty embarrassing but I’m thankful they are understanding. They took our car for none payment so we have to ride the bus to libraries and any other place with a/c because it gets so hot in the apt during the day and the night is no different. We get bit up by mosquitos because we have to open all windows and doors to hope for a breeze. I hate seeing my son go through this. He doesn’t deserve it. He’s just an innocent baby. And worse is the first of the month is coming and i’ll be behind 2 months on the rent so they’ll start the eviction process. I really hope these people get they’re act together and think about the people. Put they’re selfs in our position and think about how they would want they’re country to help them. This is sad.
well i have 20 more weeks of eb, well actually more like 13 more weeks since 7 went by while expired then i will be a 99er also. i wonder what’s going to happen after this extension plays it’s way through in november & the job situation is still the same, will they THEN make another extension for the 99rs or just forget about us all….
the world might be a scary place to live at that point, mass suicides, crime at it’s peak, rioting in the streets as more people get thrown out of their homes, wow….
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE ENLIGHTEN ME? WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY 99ERS? I AM IN PA, WAS ON THE STATE EB PAPER CLAIM FORMS. SENT IN THE FIRST 4 AND GOT THAT UNTIL JUNE 5TH. THEN I SENT IN THE NEXT 4 AND GOT NOTHING. I CALLED WHEN I DID NOT RECEIVE MY THIRD BATCH AND THEY SAID THAT THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT IT WILL BE STOPPED BECAUSE THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE NOW IN PA IS NOT AS HIGH AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY??HOW CAN THE RATE CHANGE SO FAST WHEN PEOPLE ARE STILL GETTING LAID OFF?? OR DO THEY MAKE IT CHANGE SO THEY DO NOT HAVE TO PAY?? THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING AND NOT FAIR. I HAVE APPLIED FOR OVER 85 TO 90 JOBS AND KEEP GETTING REJECTED!!!!! I WAS AN ACCOUNTANT AND CANNOT EVEN GET A JOB IN A SUPERMARKET OR DRUG STORE!!!!! NOW I HAVE TO FIND A PLACE TO LIVE CAUSE I AM A WIDOW WITH $80 IN THE BANK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW CAN THEY DO THIS TO US AND SLEEP AT NIGHTS!! BUT THEN AGAIN HOW DO THEY DO A LOT OF CROOKED THINGS IN WASHINGTON AND SLEEP AT NIGHTS!!! NO CONSCIENCES I SUPPOSE!!!!
the 99rs are the ones that congress could care less about. they used up all 99 weeks of their benefits. they have to listen to the same song & dance that they should have gotten a job by now & they are just lazy & don’t want to work. of course the ones who say these thongs have their heads up their asses…
I just wanted to ask one pointed question for those of you who expect the Federal Government to extend you Unemployment Benefits…
Should unemployment benefits be indefinately extended?
Should your burden be placed on the American taxpayer? Is that right? We all paid into getting unemployment benefits, but there comes a point where the money you paid into it becomes depleted and the burden begins to reside on the tax payer.
How many unemployment benefit extensions becomes too much?
justamick, I do believe a ‘cap’ on UC is a must. Otherwise many will abuse the system (NOT ALL but many), and simply not get off their butts until NO MORE means NO MORE. During times of high unemployment, I support 26 weeks of State paid benefits, and then 26 weeks of Federal, for a total of 52 weeks. One year of government UC aid, that’s it.
The spending spree this administration and congress has been on for 1.5 years is going to cost all of us in the long run. No one wants to be the first to feel the pinch. Trust me, senior citizens will be next to scream when cuts head to social security. Teachers will bitch when arts & music get cut from education. And so on. We, the unemployed just got tagged on bad timing, and first.
More cuts must come. Someone has to pay the bill for all this spending. If cuts aren’t made, prepare for new taxes!!!! You think it’s bad know? Wait till this administration really blunders and raises taxes in a recession economy :-(
Ya Big cat don’t you wish Bush was still in, I mean he was so fiscally
responsible!
Actually things would not be so bad if not for his doing. The National
debt would have disappeared next year if Bush had not given all that
money to the rich!
Art LeDoux
And Obama is more fiscally responsible? He’s the president who signed into law the single LARGEST spending bill in US History!
Dont kid yourself… ending the Bush era tax cuts are going to leave a HUGE burden on the middle class. Just wait and see.
I am really getting tired of Cobern and other Senators worrying about their grand children having to pay for “All Of This” ! He has been part of “All Of This” and I would suggest he start saving for his grandchildren! I have no interest in paying anything toward his grandchildren’s future!
Does anyone know if section 413 had been amended in this bill? This will be really bad if this bill goes through with the section in it.
Can anyone tell me if Section 413 has been amended? This is a very bad thing if it passes.
Eight years of Bush’s wink, wink Administration. Those years made the few wealthy families, Special Interest groups, big corporate executives, GOP, and long-term politicians wealthier, while they led the USA into economic collapse. These Republican Senators have grown callus to struggling Americans, and continue to ignore them, simply trying to cast the people aside.
Watch out, the GOP & Republicans plan on standing on their "Deficit Concern” tomorrow.
They will never answer the question of why didn’t their actions show any “Deficit Concern” during Bush’s 2000-2008 years?
What do you think they are going to protect?!
Top Contributors to Federal Candidates and Parties
INSURANCE: 2000-2010 Total $214,585,915
OIL & GAS: 2000-2010 Total $155,373,800
COMMERCIAL BANKS: 2000-2010 Total $150,549,225
PHARMACEUTICALS/HEALTH PRODUCTS: 2000-2010 Total $139,237,802
continue… list of some of the Special Interests group contributions found on opensecrets.org:
Top Contributors to Federal Candidates and Parties
Insurance: 2000-2010 Total $214,585,915
2010: $22,882,516
2008: $46,710,766
2006: $31,567,873
2004: $36,197,669
2002: $36,867,324
2000: $40,359,767
Oil & Gas: 2000-2010 Total $155,373,800
2010: $13,872,160
2008: $35,690,662
2006: $20,372,756
2004: $26,077,264
2002: $25,037,766
2000: $34,323,192
Commercial Banks: 2000-2010 Total $150,549,225
2010: $11,768,525
2008: $37,569,109
2006: $25,563,744
2004: $30,452,030
2002: $19,702,940
2000: $25,492,877
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products: 2000-2010 Total $139,237,802
2010: $14,836,696
2008: $29,658,995
2006: $19,922,374
2004: $17,952,715
2002: $29,692,221
2000: $27,174,801
Chris, does that list include the 400 mil the unions gave to the Obama campaign in ‘08? Wasn’t pro union legislation one of the ‘Annointed One’s’ first priority as Commander in Chief?
to Justamick – can you give us or find us a job? Do not condem anyone unless you are in their shoes. I would much rather be making my full salary than trying to live on one third of what I made after working over 30 years. So if you have a job, then thank god, but unless you are in the situations we are all in THROUGH NO FAULTS OF OUR OWN – then DO NOT CAST STONES!!! Find work for us and we will gladly accept it. Bet you have money and are a Republican to boot!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think Justamick..just does not know what it is like to be unemployed. But Republicans and Dem’s and Independents all are in the Unemployment line. I too was a Republican and i am in the same boat as the rest of you. I am a single parent of 2, One 16 year old and a 6 month old! Instead of all of us throwing stones we need to pull together and vote all of these assholes out of office! I do believe that the unemployment benefits need to be extended until the rate for each state is below 7%. I also think that these stimulus bills need to have incentives for the companies who layed us off, at no fault of our own, reinstate our jobs, and call us back to work. The Companies that we worked for are also taking advantage of our situation! Futhermore, Justamick, I think you should have more common sense than what you are showing, asking that particular question on this blog. Are you just trying to raise peoples blood pressures? I think we have been thru enough. Show some respect for God’s sake.
does this board have moderators? they should ban all these pieces of shit that just come here to stir up trouble…
their not here to engage in any constructive conversation, just here to stir the pot…
I made about 85 phone calls today, sent 8 faxes and sent about 40 emails. I covered almost every Senator, asking them to not only pass the bill but also to please please please write a bill for us 99ers.
Now we have to BOMBARD the Senators and Representatives and Obama with calls DEMANDING they NOT go on vacation until this NATIONAL EMERGENCY OF JOBLESSNESS is handled. We need a Tier 5 to prevent hundreds of thousands of people from becoming homeless. Period.
If you need phone numbers of who to call etc. look around at this site:
tinyurl.com/26×5g5x
If you’re up late tonight or up early tomorrow you might still be counted if you call or write or fax before the vote tomorrow.
On Feb. 12, President Barack Obama signed into law pay-as- you-go budget rules. So-called paygo rules, which bar Congress from increasing spending unless it’s offset by budget cuts elsewhere, were in effect from 1990 until 2002, when they were allowed to expire. The goal of paygo, Obama said in his radio address to the nation on Feb. 13, is to ensure that “Congress will have to pay for what it spends, just like everybody else.”
source- by Kevin Hassett/Business Week
Please everyone don’t be fooled by double speak and double action and poor news reporting.
ps- I hope everyone gets through these hard times.
dorseygor
http://USconstitutions.com