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...if the Democrats win.
Reid: Bet on filibuster changes if Obama, Dems win in November
By Pete Kasperowicz - 06/07/12 09:54 AM ET
A frustrated Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he and other Democrats would likely push for changes to Senate filibuster rules if the Democrats hold the Senate in November, and blamed Republican obstructionism for forcing these changes.
"I'll just bet you … if we maintain a majority, and I feel quite confident that we can do that, and the president is reelected, there is going to be some changes," Reid said on the Senate floor Thursday morning. "We can no longer go through this, every bill, filibusters on bills that they agree with. It's just a waste of time to prevent us from getting things done."
Reid was frustrated over Thursday's planned 10:30 a.m. procedural vote on the farm bill — specifically, a vote to end debate on the motion to proceed to that bill. Reid implied that Republicans have not consented to proceeding to the bill, which forced his hand to try ending debate through a vote.
"We're going to have a cloture vote on the ability for us to proceed to the bill, the ability of us to start legislating," Reid said. "I don't need to give a lecture … about how vexatious this is that we have to do this every time."
Despite Reid's frustration, the vote to end debate on the motion to proceed to the bill is expected to succeed, which should launch several weeks of work on the farm bill.
By Pete Kasperowicz - 06/07/12 09:54 AM ET
A frustrated Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he and other Democrats would likely push for changes to Senate filibuster rules if the Democrats hold the Senate in November, and blamed Republican obstructionism for forcing these changes.
"I'll just bet you … if we maintain a majority, and I feel quite confident that we can do that, and the president is reelected, there is going to be some changes," Reid said on the Senate floor Thursday morning. "We can no longer go through this, every bill, filibusters on bills that they agree with. It's just a waste of time to prevent us from getting things done."
Reid was frustrated over Thursday's planned 10:30 a.m. procedural vote on the farm bill — specifically, a vote to end debate on the motion to proceed to that bill. Reid implied that Republicans have not consented to proceeding to the bill, which forced his hand to try ending debate through a vote.
"We're going to have a cloture vote on the ability for us to proceed to the bill, the ability of us to start legislating," Reid said. "I don't need to give a lecture … about how vexatious this is that we have to do this every time."
Despite Reid's frustration, the vote to end debate on the motion to proceed to the bill is expected to succeed, which should launch several weeks of work on the farm bill.
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