Posted on 01/29/2020 9:44:32 AM PST by jazusamo
Republicans are fuming over a planned move by Democrats to consider Iran legislation alongside a commemorative coin bill, saying the floor maneuver is designed to prevent changes to the Democratic-backed measures reining in President Trump’s ability to wage war.
The legislative maneuver would prevent House Republicans from using a procedural tool to alter the two Iran bills at the eleventh hour since the measures would be tacked on as amendments to the coin bill. GOP lawmakers accused Democrats of attempting to silence them and said the move would set a bad precedent.
“If that's the games they're going to play, I mean, that to me is a tremendous risk that they are taking,” Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) told The Hill following a Tuesday briefing on the authorization for use of military force (AUMF). “If you want to stall everything, if they’re going to change and play games like that, I think that that's a dangerous precedent to set.”
The legislation is slated for a floor vote Thursday.
The decision to bring up the Iran bills comes in response to Trump’s decision to launch an airstrike in Iraq that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. While Republicans have largely lauded the president’s military action, Democrats have raised concerns over the constitutionality of the move, arguing it may further destabilize the region.
GOP lawmakers argue that using a different bill to bring the Iran legislation to the floor prevents adequate debate on the two measures: one would block funding for military action against Iran and the second which would repeal the 2002 AUMF.
Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-Va.), who served as an intelligence officer in the Air Force, said it would be “incredibly dangerous” to pass the measures without an AUMF replacement.
“Attaching it to a coin bill without a replacement ... makes it incredibly dangerous,” Riggleman said. “This is very irresponsible during an impeachment hearing, without a replacement, to throw amendments on there, without even talking about it — we are in a new era of warfare.”
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) argued the two Iran bills could undercut the president’s ability to take necessary military action against potential threats, adding that Democrats should work with Republicans on potential updates to the AUMF and war powers.
“It's just because they're afraid of having an honest conversation about an alternative approach on the AUMF," Scalise told The Hill. “I think they're taking a disgraceful tactic of bringing the bill to the floor in this way, just because they're afraid that they can't control their own caucus.”
Democrats dismissed such remarks as faux outrage on behalf of GOP lawmakers, arguing that using an unrelated bill as a vehicle for amendments is not unprecedented.
“We ping-pong bills between the House and Senate all of the time, and Republicans are being misleading,” one Democratic leadership aide told The Hill on Tuesday evening, adding that Republicans can offer what’s known as a motion to recommit on Thursday or the following week.
Republicans have had some success in using the motion to recommit procedural tool to make changes to legislation at the last minute.
What is meant by a coin bill?
legislation alongside a commemorative coin bill,
I see, it is a commemorative coin bill. Commemorative to what?
GOP lawmakers argue that using a different bill to bring the Iran legislation to the floor prevents adequate debate on the two measures:
make hay with it.
Democrats dismissed such remarks as faux outrage on behalf of GOP lawmakers, arguing that using an unrelated bill as a vehicle for amendments is not unprecedented.
Not sure but it sounds like the Rats want to attach the AUMF with an amendment to some kind of commemorative coin bill.
Sounds like some kind of loophole.
Doesn’t this happen all the time. Then when you vote no on a bill it gets used in campaigns like you voted no on the primary legisation and not because of what was added on.
At least the suburban housewives got to feel good about their votes in 2018.
This is just stupid.
The bills won’t make it past the Senate, or reconciliation.................
Let’s keep this FReepathon moving and wrap it up early, Folks!
Romney is an undocumented Democrat in an R jersey.
Exactly! You nailed it.
Will get vetoed.
Right.
But this can be turned around on the opposition. For example:
“Voted NO on sneak Democrat attempt to cut President’s power to counter terrorists, by attaching “no debate” Democrat measure to a commemorative coin bill!”
Pubbies just never seem to counterattack...
(That could likely be a lot better worded: It’s wordier than I like, for one. But keep “sneak” and Democrat” together.)
This crap about being able to attach unrelated amendments to bills needs to be ended. But might that take a Constitutional Amendment itself, though? House and Senate Rules are too easy to change.
It probably commemorates something like a black hero, a civil rights event, or disabled veterans, etc... something that the Democrats can play the race or sympathy cards on if Republicans vote against it.
heads they win...
tails we lose...
that kind of coin bill...
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