Kerry's Bill is up next.

[TayTay]

Just saw this on the floor. 2:23 pm 9/15/05

[jillan]

1. has he been on????

I'll be so mad if I missed him.

[TayTay]

2. Now

Here it goes.

Snowe Kerry bill (SBA)

[jillan]

3. Mikulski is on? Talking about Kerry's bill nt

[jillan]

4. voting on it - guess I missed him.

I hope it passes!

[whometense]

5. No "no" votes so far.

Are they going to allow Kerry a victory???

[jillan]

6. The Senate looks empty?!

Only 5 votes so far -
all yes'

[Mass]

7. Stevens AYE - I guess this bill will pass.

[TayTay]

8. Looks like a done deal.

Unanimous. Yah! ay all the rest go through that way too!

Congrats to all those folks who worked on it. It's a good amendment and will do a lot of good.

[Mass]

9. I dont think anybody is going to want to be against this one

It is a bill that brings relief directly to people affected by Katrina.

[fedupinBushcountry]

10. I thought for sure I saw Kerry Admendment

but now it says Snowe. I don't get it. :shrug: Am I missing something.

[jillan]

13. yeah - what's up with that?

[whometense]

14. co-sponsored

They were calling it Kerry-Snowe and Snowe-Kerry.

[jillan]

17. Now they are just calling it Snowe amend.

[Mass]

18. and 5 mn before just Kerry amendment.

[TayTay]

19. Sigh. Okay, from the top

Sen. Snowe is Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee. Sen. Kerry is the Dem Ranking Member. They have her/his web sites for the comm.

SBA as seen by Repubs from Maine: http://sbc.senate.gov/index.html

SBA as seen by Dems from MA: http://sbc.senate.gov/democrat/

The legislation that was sponsored with Sen. Landreui was different and we will get to that later.

[Mass]

15. deleted

[TayTay]

11. And a scandal is brewing at the Bush SBA.

This puts Rethugs on the side of the angels and allows them to say, "What? I support SBA programs. I would never have allowed the sbuses of 9/11 SBA funds."

[jillan]

23. Here's some info about that very scandal

http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/cfm/record.cfm?id=245787

[whometense]

12. It does make you wonder, though,

doesn't it??

I've seen equally worthy bills go down to utter defeat. The invisible political strings...does this vote mean the rethug senators all got a little pat on the head from the White House over this one???

[fedupinBushcountry]

16. I thought the Kerry Admendment

was co-sponsered by Landrieu. Kerry had a pamphlet in his hand just now, maybe he is going to speak on his admendment.

[jillan]

20. He's looking mighty fine today.

My day just got better :)

[jillan]

21. Kerry!!!!!!!

[TayTay]

22. So it was Landreui and Snowe and Kerry

But Kerry has been on this for a while. I hope he can break this out as well. (No conference committees.)

[fedupinBushcountry]

24. I don't know aqbout anyone else

but this really pisses me off. The only one I saw speaking on this subject was Kerry, Landrieu may have,but I wasn't asble to tune in earlier today.

The only reason this passed was because they put a Republican's name on it. I'm sure it has a lot or most all of what Kerry had wanted, but some things were taken out, as Kerry said there was more to work out.

I'm sorry Snowe is OK but this wasn't a Republican idea it was a Democrat in fact 2 Democrats who pushed this forward. If Kerry's and Landreiu's name were the only one's on it it would have failed, I bet my bottom nickel.

You know the Repubs will be patting themselves on the back for this one, and how they care, when in reality it was the Dems who cared and pushed to do something. I would like to see what they left out that Kerry originally wanted in.

A Lieberman admendment is up right now, and even though I'm not one of his biggest fans, his will fail, and because he has that dreaded D beside his name.

Ok, I'll shut up.

[Mass]

25. I agree - same thing for the Grassley amendment this morning

It was proposed by the Democrats yesterday, and today Grassley puts his name on it, gets all the merit and the amendment passes 99 to 0.

[fedupinBushcountry]

26. Co-sponsors

S.AMDT.1717
Amends: H.R.2862
Sponsor: Sen Snowe, Olympia J. (submitted 9/14/2005)

AMENDMENT PURPOSE: Purpose will be available when the amendment is proposed for consideration. See Congressional Record for text.

TEXT OF AMENDMENT AS SUBMITTED: CR S10052-10054

COSPONSORS(1):

Sen Vitter, David - 9/14/2005

I believe the same thing happened with Kerry's admendment.

[globalvillage]

31. AAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

I was so pissed! This was the amendment he presented yesterday. The caption on C-Span changed from Kerry Amendment to Snowe Amendment in mid-vote.
That he needed a republican name on it to get it passed is so seriously wrong.
I have spent the last few hours in a very foul mood over this.
:grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[Mass]

32. Happy to see I am not the only one this makes mad

Something is really wrong if the only way for making the Republicans vote for something good is to let them take the merit of it.

Where are we? In kindergarden?

[globalvillage]

33. I checked this earlier today

There were only three co-sponsors. Landrieu, Kennedy and Obama. There was no Snowe amendment re sm biz loans that I noticed.
I know she's chair, but I really don't think she had anything to do with this other than to slap her name on it.
I'm really glad it passed, but for heaven's sake, is the man every going to get credit for anything?
I hope I'm wrong. Otherwise, I'm going to remain very, very pissed over this.

[fedupinBushcountry]

35. I'm with you

I think he was pissed too, because immediately following the vote he made sure he said it was him, Landrieu, Snowe and Vitter. But he also said not everything was addressed, and he will be bringing those items up.

To me this is sickening, I will be pissed for a long time. I know how the Senate works but to take legislation very well thought out and package it under someone else is stealing. Kerry in his diplomatic style accepted it and made sure everyone knew it had his name on it.

[globalvillage]

36. It was the right thing to do.

I guess the most important thing was to get it passed, and if that meant putting an 'R' behind it, then that's what he had to do.
But it's wrong. It's so wrong, I need a new word. I'm just too pissed to think of one right now.
I missed what he said just after the vote. I was watching, but muted.

He did look mighty fine, BTW.

[Mass]

27. John Kerry's Relief Package for Small Businesses Devastated by Hurricane K

Kerry's PR reminding clearly it is HIS bill.

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=53441

John Kerry's Relief Package for Small Businesses Devastated by Hurricane Katrina Passes Senate; Kerry Plan First Hurricane Relief Focused on Gulf Coast Small Business, Key Provision Will Provide Nationwide Disaster Loans to Cope with High Gas Prices

9/15/2005 4:35:00 PM

To: National Desk, Business Reporter

Contact: April Boyd, 202-224-4159; Marc Comer, 202-224-9431, both of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

...

The bipartisan amendment was offered today by Sens. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.), Olympia J. Snowe (R- Maine), and David Vitter (R-La). It was authored by Kerry, who authored a similar assistance package for small businesses recovering in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Kerry is the Ranking Member of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.

...

The amendment is also supported by Sens. Jim Talent (R-Mo.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Barack Obama (D-Ill.), Edward M. Kennedy (D- Mass.), and Jon S. Corzine (D-N.J.), and Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.)

[sandnsea]

28. Needs to be repeated

I don't think the small businesses in rural America ever understood how much of the benefits they appreciated actually came from Kerry. It is one of the things I would criticize about the campaign, but don't think too many even considered. Anyway, I also like that this bill considers people all across the country, like his 9/11 bill did. Gas prices are hurting everybody.

[fedupinBushcountry]

29. Thanks

I was just looking it up, and yes it is his bill. I found this:

S.AMDT.1695
Amends: H.R.2862
Sponsor: Sen Kerry, John F. (submitted 9/13/2005) (proposed 9/14/2005) COSPONSORS(3), ALPHABETICAL : (Sort: by date)


Sen Kennedy, Edward M. - 9/13/2005
Sen Landrieu, Mary L. - 9/13/2005
Sen Obama, Barack - 9/14/2005

[Mass]

30. Another bill written by Kerry passes

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20050915/pl_usnw/senate_passes_kerry_legislation_to_provide_tax_relief__help_guard_and_reserve_troops_hurt_by_katrina320_xml;_ylt=AsoIy.4yOmNFfX5m88ZMRO2yFz4D;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

Senate Passes Kerry Legislation to Provide Tax Relief, Help Guard and Reserve Troops Hurt By Katrina

26 minutes ago

ADVERTISEMENT
click here

To: National and Business desks

Contact: April Boyd, 202-224-4159 or Marc Comer, 202-224-9431, both of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Today the Senate passed legislation proposed by Senator
John Kerry (D - Mass.) that will provide financial support to National Guard and Reservists through immediate tax relief to their employers affected by Hurricane Katrina.

The provision is a modified version of a key part of Kerry's Military Family Bill of Rights and was included in the tax package that passed the Senate today. It provides a tax credit to employers in the Gulf Coast impacted by Katrina who pay reservists that are called to duty in
Iraq,
Afghanistan, the Gulf Coast or elsewhere.

"Many reservists face a pay cut when called to active duty, and that can put a terrible financial strain on them and their families. Some employers have elected to do the right thing by easing that burden. I want more employers to make that patriotic effort, and this bill will help that" Senator Kerry said. "Where ever our reservists are serving, we should go the extra mile to help them and their families. This bill will help businesses in the Gulf Coast, who've been hard hit by Katrina, do just that."

"It is imperative that the House of Representatives does the right thing by including this provision in their bill, so we can quickly make this a reality for our military families."

More than 190,000 reservists and guardsmen have been called up for active duty in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Gulf Coast and other duty. Over 20,000 of these troops are from Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi.

Kerry's provision will provide relief to these military reservists and National Guard members by providing an employee retention credit which provides a 40 percent tax credit for wages paid up to $6,000 after August 28, 2005 and before December 31, 2005. This credit will help employers in the Gulf Coast who pay employees that are not able to work because the business was either damaged or destroyed and pay reservists and guardsmen that worked for them right up to the time before they were deployed.

Kerry has worked over the past two years with Senator Landrieu on legislation to provide assistance to businesses that employ reservists who have been called up to active duty. That legislation will provide tax credits to employers who pay reservists wages that are above their military pay and to help with the costs of hiring temporary workers.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

-

[sandnsea]

34. He's a busy bee

I like these bills that really target the people who need help the most. Doesn't quite fit with the damned DLC traitor line...