Posted on 02/13/2009 4:40:39 PM PST by bimboeruption
The White House is providing a government plane for Sen. Sherrod Brown to return to the Capitol for the vote tonight and then get back to Mansfield for his mother's funeral in the morning.
Today's visitation ends at 8 p.m. There were no commercial flights available that could accommodate the Senate's schedule and Brown's obligations to be with his family and honor his mother, officials said. The trip is considered official business.
Assuming that Republicans will vote no differently from last time, it will take every available Democratic senator tonight to win final passage of the $789 billion economic stimulus package. But two things complicate the calculus -- leaving Ohio's Sherrod Brown in a spot that is getting attention.
His mother, Emily Campbell Brown, died recently. The funeral is tomorrow, and calling hours are today, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. In Mansfield.
The Senate vote on the stimulus bill is scheduled around 7 p.m.
So Brown has to leave Mansfield as soon as he can, catch a plane to Washington and be at the Capitol to vote. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will hold it open as long as necessary for Brown to return.
Brown's vote appears to be essential, because it will take 60 votes to cut off debate and conclude the matter. Remember the earlier Senate bill, before reconciliation with the House version, and how it passed with 61 votes?
That's because Ted Kennedy, a Democrat who has a malignant brain tumor, returned, and three Republicans joined the Democrats' support. But Kennedy is not expected to return tonight because of his health. So unless at least one other Republican joins in, the only way for the historic bill to pass is with Brown's vote.
Brown, who left for Ohio this morning, will make yet another round trip tonight. As soon as he can, he needs to get out of Washington again. His mother's funeral is tomorrow morning.
God willing... I am too. Hope he has to sit it out in the airport and miss the vote.
I’m surprised they didn’t drag Teddy Kennedy out of bed and fly him to DC. This is pathetic and I’m sick to my stomach
Disgusting.
If Obama is cutting our Military budget should they be flying our congress criters around? I'm sorry for his loss but I don't think our Military should be used like this.
So, this being the case, it does not appear the Dems are concerned that all of the defectors will vote against this.
What a carbon footprint the plane trips will leave! I wonder how much global warming and pollution the plane will cause. I thought the lear jet liberals cared about the environment.
Oh, and I’m praying for a ice storm too! :)
Good point!
We got plenty of money to spend on special trips like that. I am going to puke.
Maybe we will get lucky and he will eat the fish
Does this mean the Republicans have not voted yet?
That bloated drunkard must REALLY be sick.
If it’s Brown, it’s goin’ down.
So we the taxpayers are paying to be slaughtered
But, but, what about the environment? Won’t that plane just cause more global warming? Don’t they caaaaare?
A simple majority is all that is required, no?
What did I miss in civics class?
Amazing how fast the Dems pony up for “private jets” to sell out America.
“There were no commercial flights available “
Yeah right. Not
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