Posted on 12/08/2010 8:33:35 PM PST by Red Steel
WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- The U.S. Senate Wednesday evening postponed votes on major legislation, including the "don't ask, don't tell" repeal bill.
The Senate held off procedural votes on the DREAM Act and a bill that would compensate those who have fallen ill after working at Ground Zero following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that toppled the twin towers of the World Trade Center, MSNBC and NBC New York reported.
MSNBC reported Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's office confirmed votes on the measures that would allow gays to serve openly in the armed forces and provide a way to citizenship for some illegal immigrants were delayed to allow more time for Democrats to negotiate with Republicans.
The House voted Wednesday to approve the DREAM Act, the Los Angeles Times reported. The vote was 216-198.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said the vote on the bill to compensate the Ground Zero workers would be taken up Thursday, NBC New York reported.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who backs repeal of the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, said she wouldn't vote for it Wednesday with the tax cut package not yet completed.
"Everyone on the Republican side wants to see the tax package completed first," Collins said. "So I have urged the majority leader to postpone the vote ... which he is threatening to hold tonight so we could get the tax bill considered first.
"Why not take the path that would lead to 60 votes?"
Like "don't ask, don't tell" and the DREAM Act, the $7.4 billion Ground Zero responders bill needs 60 votes to overcome a GOP blockade. Gillibrand said the emergency workers who fall ill or are at risk of getting sick years down the road deserve compensation.
"Our government asked them to help. You must remember the days after 9/11," Gillibrand said. "This country would have done anything to help those who had suffered so much in New York and across this country."
Ain't lookin' good for the home team.
I was hoping the Senate would come through.
I assume the democrat party is beating their lame duck members like rented mules to make sure they don’t screw up on extending the Bush Tax levels for all.
Else we may hold serve for another 20+ years. But the cost would be too high.
If there was ever a time for a stand-on-the-floor shut-down the Senate filibuster, this is it. Doubtful they have cloture votes for either measure.
Just vote on the budget and go home. Haven’t these clowns screwed up the country enough already?
$7.4bil for who? I’m assuming the “Ground Zero Responders” bill sure as hell is supposed to cover more than those actually at Ground Zero?
>> I was hoping the Senate would come through.
DeMint’s not happy with the tax plan, so maybe if he stops that, the rest stops with it.
Harry did not have the votes!
Right.
Congress passed it in stealth mode tonight.
Had a hard time finding the info, but-
Here is the bill:
http://www.rules.house.gov/SpecialRules_details.aspx?NewsID=4791
Here is the roll call vote:
http://clerk.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.asp?year=2010&rollnumber=625
“The Dude” is spinning apart. We have them surrounded. No compromise!
Three terrible bills as parting gifts. Republicans must stop all three. The DREAM Act is the worst but the other two are just behind it. The 9/11 bill is just a shakedown. 9/11 victims have been very well compensated. The 9/11 bill is just a giveaway to trial lawyers and labor cartels.
He wanted to pass these hours ago so the votes are not there and not likely to appear. Fear is a powerful weapon.
Faliz Navidad
This is only a minor delay. The DADT repeal will pass as soon as the tax deal is passed, and DREAM is probably right behind it, regardless of the talk about it not having the votes.
The liberal agenda WILL be jammed through by the end of next week, and we will not do anything about this garbage other than whine about it.
True, but a lot of dirty deals and blackmail are in the making tonight, count on it.
My family fled Czechoslovakia after the uprising in 1968 (my parents were pro reformers and were declared “enemies of the state”). After seeking asylum in the US, we began the long, hard and LEGAL process of assimilating and earning our citizenship. When it’s hard, and your work for it, you appreciate it better.
My parents were Medical professors in Prauge (recently retired) but had to get dead end jobs until they could get their academic credentials recertified/confirmed. Even then, they had to start from the bottom and work their way up but they did so without complaint or gripe. They belived that the sacrifice was worth it and the NEVER took welfare or public assistance!!!
When we arrived at our Czech neighborhood in the Midwest the local elders told us to (a) learn English, (b) work hard, (c) assimilate and become Americans first and (d) love baseball/football for it’s the quickest to make friends (go Bears!!!, go Cubs!!!).
I and my parents are pissed at any attempt for amnesty. It’s a spit in our faces and to anyone who obeyed the rules. I’ve encountered many illegals who have no intention of assimilating, learning adequate (or any) English or putting America first. They simply want to get employment, stick their own cliques and love Mexico first and if things get tough, there’s always Mexico to go back to. When things get tough, who do their loyalties lye with?
I’ve also met many immigrants who do obey the rules and they’re pissed off as well. Amnesty, in their words, makes citizenship too cheap with no incentives to assimilate (latino TV, Spanish cliques, Spanish forms, all forms of business accomodating, etc). When they wave the Mexican flag at their rallies it’s an insult. Somehow, they view themselves are more special, don’t need to follow the rules and can leech off the system.
The reason for amnesty is simple.....a permanent underclass of Democratic voters.
I sometimes wonder if my parents ever desire to go back to the Czech Repulic out of disgust.
Agreed, we must stop all 3 until next session. I’m not sure if the Tax Deal isn’t good enough either. The Republicans should push for higher personal exemptions, child credits, and less spending.
Obama needs the Dream Act and DADT if he wants to get reelected in 2012. He has frittered away the overwhelming majorities in Congress without resolving this issues, which were part of his campaign promises. Stop the Dream Act and DADT and Obama’s fate is sealed for 2012.
But, can they beat the Jets?
My grandparents came here from Czechoslovakia to escape it. One of my uncles went back to visit family before he died (years ago). He told us those who attend church are mostly elderly, who don't care if "eyes" are watching their every move. He said the "walls had ears" and one had to be careful of what was said.
I remember his words and see parameters with life today in the USA. Those embracing socialism/communism here have no idea the consequences/impact of their actions. Ellis Island still personifies the gateway to an America that represented freedom to all. Giving our precious freedoms to illegal alien criminals, people who broke our immigration laws, and people who have no intent to have loyalty to the US government should NOT be granted amnesty nor receive benefits far exceeding what are given to the children of our own citizens.
Appeasing Reid or a small fraction of liberals to get more democrat voters or to appease LaRaza or other latino activist groups will add billions upon billions of new debt to America's already extremely fragile fnancial situation. Now is not the time for democrats to frighten Americans further about the financial future of this nation. This is very serious legislation that can have horrific implications upon our nation forevermore.
The GOP better get a handle on the outlaw RINOs who plan to attach their signatures to this legislation and rein them in.
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