Question about Stimulus Package Voting Process

[wildflowergardener]

I am not entirely sure how the voting process works in congress. For the stimulus bill, I know the house votes on their version, then the senate votes on their version, then the two groups need to get together (I think?) to get one they both agree on. Then does it have to go back to the house and senate again, and does the senate have to come up with 60 votes again before it will pass?

Thanks.

[pinto]

1. Once the Senate approves a bill, the two versions (House's and Senate's) go to a joint conference

for negotiating a final version. That amended version then goes to the House for approval and the Senate for approval.

Bill passes on a simple majority of both Congressional branches.

The 60 vote threshold is a Senate quirk. That's the number of votes needed to limit (30 hours, iirc) and stop any more debate on a bill and let it come to a final vote of the Senate. It's called cloture. If the Senate majority party can't garner 60 votes to invoke cloture, the Senate minority party can block a vote on the bill.

[wildflowergardener]

2. Thanks - so

So after it comes back from the joint committee, and goes back to the senate again once, could they filibuster it - not allowing it to come to a vote?

[pinto]

3. That's their perogative. But if Collins, Snowe and Specter maintain support for the (D)'s

it'd be pointless. Cloture would be assured and a vote on the bill held, and the bill passed.

I'm interested to see what comes out of the House/Senate conference committee. Senate's version has some cuts that are strongly opposed in the House.

That said, I assume a bill will result.

It's good to remember that some of the funding particulars, if cut, are likely to be revisited in bills down the road. Probably guaranteed to be revisited in the House. So all is not lost.