Senate Vote-A-Rama beginning momentarily! Harry Reid said there will be no breaks!

[flpoljunkie]

After Mitch McConnell whines a bit more...

From TPM Health Care Countdown wire...

Senate Debate Ends

4 MINUTES AGO

The 20 hours of Senate debate on the reconciliation bill has ended. Senators will now vote on several Republican amendments, giving two minutes each to describe the amendment and debate on it.

Majority Leader Harry Reid expects the vote-a-rama to take about nine hours. "We're not gonna have any breaks," he said.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/live/countdown-to-reform-wire/?ref=fpban

[flpoljunkie]

1. First vote begins. It's one authored by Judd Gregg. They are evidently voting to table it.

C-Span: 'Funds from Medicare reductions in health care must be used only for Medicare programs.'

[SPedigrees]

2. Now is the time for democrats to become the party of NO, to prevent this bill

from changing in any way. Changes will mandate that it return to the House, where it might not survive a second vote.

[DCBob]

4. Actually I think it would survive a second vote in the House..

as long as nothing significant changed.

[SPedigrees]

14. Maybe, but I don't want to find out. nt

[DCBob]

16. Agreed... lets get this done ASAP..

Finish it in the Senate and be done with it.

[DCBob]

3. 9 hours will no breaks!! Holy crap!

Love it! This is change I can believe in!

[Jennicut]

5. Any portable urinary devices for these people?

LOL. I know they will get bathroom breaks but that would be funny. My husband used to read meters for the electric company here in CT and had one when he was way out in the rural areas.

[DCBob]

6. I am just wondering if these old farts can stay awake that long..

:)

[Jennicut]

9. Break out the cots! They will need naps.

[karynnj]

20. LOL

I assume they can vote at the beginning of one vote and in the last minute of the next. I think the votes are 15 minutes - so that is plenty of time.

[gkhouston]

32. In the rural areas we call them "bushes". n/t

[flpoljunkie]

7. Gregg's amendment tabled. Vote was 56 Ayes, 42 Nos.

Senator Al Franken is presiding.

McCain amendment up next.

[flpoljunkie]

8. Roll call vote now on tabling McCain's amendment. Should fare no better than Gregg's-probably worse.

Removes funds for specific programs in TN, HI, LA, MT, CT and frontier states.

[flpoljunkie]

10. McCain's amendment tabled. Vote was 54 Ayes to 43 Nos. Better than Gregg's, but still tabled.

[flpoljunkie]

11. So far, so good. Crapo motion to commit up next. Baucus asked that it be tabled, as well.

[flpoljunkie]

17. Crapo's amendment tabled by a vote of 56-43. Enzi's tabled by a vote of 58 to 41.

So far, so good!

[flpoljunkie]

18. Baucus has called for Barrasso's amendment to be tabled. I sense a pattern here.

Ben Nelson is voting with the R's on every vote. Blanche Lincoln voting with R's on most of the votes, so far. Evan Bayh voted against tabling McCain's amendment.

[Phx_Dem]

12. I thought the haters refused to work past 2pm?

Does this not count?

In John McCain's defense, when you're as old and senile as he is and need to have your Depends changed every hour, it's hard to work past 2:00.

[SPedigrees]

13. This sounds like Reid's answer to repub filibuster threats.

Except he's actually making good on the threat.

[grantcart]

15. Stuart Smiley is telling Senators "The Senators time has expired"

It is great!!

[flpoljunkie]

19. For remaining votes: Link to rollcall votes on these motions to table.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/vote_menu_111_2.htm

[Diamonique]

21. Someone explain please. What does tabling an amendment mean?

[Jennicut]

22. From the Senate website:

table, motion to - A Senator may move to table any pending question. The motion is not debatable, and agreement to the motion is equivalent to defeating the question tabled. The motion is used to dispose quickly of questions the Senate does not wish to consider further.

http://www.senate.gov/reference/glossary_term/table_motion_to.htm

[flpoljunkie]

24. Why did Bayh vote against tabling Coburn's crazy Viagra amendment? He and Ben Nelson.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00073

[Jennicut]

26. Bayh, the biggest idiot conservadem. Or is that Nelson?

Sigh...they are not too bright.

[Diamonique]

25. Oh cool! Thanks Jennicut!

[flpoljunkie]

23. Lawrence O'Donnell says he's never seen so discipline from the Senate Democrats.

How sweet it is!

[SpartanDem]

27. delete

[SpartanDem]

28. Looks like it's gonna be a very long night

[davidpdx]

29. Thanks for this thread

I don't have time to keep track of all the stuff going on right now (plus the time difference which is crazy). I hope you guys will keep updating this.

[flpoljunkie]

30. Vote-a-rama continues. Senate prepare to finish up by around 2PM today.

[goclark]

31. What's happening ~ cube rat here