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Senate Out of Session Till 5 to Accomodate '08 Candidates
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ShareApril 23, 2008 9:32 AM
ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf Reports: Because of arcane congressional rules and Republicans senators -- completely within their rights -- insisting on them, the Senate will stay out of session until 5pm today to accommodate the schedules of Senators Clinton and Obama.
Senate leaders had their fingers crossed that, following the Pennsylvania primary, the Democratic presidential candidates would be back at work in Washington for a cloture vote on key equal rights legislation which aims to overturn a Supreme Court decision that many see as setting women back in the work place.
The procedural motion on the fair pay bill is going to be an extremely close vote and Democrats needs both presidential candidates for it to be competitive.
The bill reacts to a Supreme Court decision in May of 2007 that Goodyear Tire employee Lilly Ledbetter could not collect compensation awarded to her by a lower court because she alleged discrimination only after 18 years of not being paid equitably to her male counterparts. The conservative single vote majority found that she would have had to make the claim within 180 days of the first time she was paid less money for the same job.
The bill would make each paycheck a new infraction of the Civil Rights Act.
But, welcome to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's world: they can't get all the Democratic senators present and accounted for till 6pm.
By Senate rules, Republicans can insist that a cloture vote only occur within an hour of the Senate convening. In a switch, Republicans will insist on that rule this evening. On the Veterans health bill yesterday, for instance, the cloture vote occurred at noon, a full two hours after the Senate convened.
So rather than spend the day debating a bill to revamp a Veterans Health bill, senators will not convene until 5pm.
Republicans insisted on a cloture vote yesterday and floor time last week on the Veterans Health bill even though none of them opposed cloture. It passed 94-0.
Democrats are grumbling that Republicans are being obstructive by not allowing a late cloture vote. Republicans are arguing contentedly that Democrats are letting the Veterans bill languish even though it was Republicans who insisted on a cloture vote to consider yesterday.
April 23, 2008 in Veepstakes | Permalink | User Comments (5)
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It's still a sexist world - both on the campaign trail and in Washington. Too bad the media is only focused on racial disparities. Where is the outrage?
Posted by: mhhunt | Apr 23, 2008 1:37:36 PM
We need so much more legislation that actually makes it easier to prosecute (evidence and such) employers who discriminate against women. And the judges are on a Republican agenda to dismiss any sexual discrimination cases for any reason regardless of evidence. Women are not even getting their day in court! No oral arguments even prior to the cases being dismissed.
Posted by: this election counts | Apr 23, 2008 2:19:57 PM
Mhhunt, why is it that women are not outraged? Why do women - so many women- have such apathy for the sexism and inequality directed at them?
Posted by: this election counts | Apr 23, 2008 2:21:23 PM
This is and this should be Obama's motto and theme. Pay per vote as he did in Pennsylvannia and still the loser.
Look at the facts as to how strong Hillary is:
Obama lost in Pennsylvannia in spite of endorsement by a Senator and overspending in ads, 5 to 1.
Obama lost in Texas and Ohio even overspending in ads and manipulating info in Ohio.
Obama lost in California even though Oprah, Maria Shriver, and Katherine Kennedy endorsed him.
Obama lost Massachusetts even though Kennedy and John Kerry endorsed him.
Hillary won the big states and has more electoral college votes to date than Obama that is crucial in November.
Obama lost the big states even though the media is most of the time unfair with Hillary and always positive to Obama.
Wake up superdelegates! You will make the right choice if you pick Hillary.
Obama mocked the Pennsylvannians and the entire nation, which is so irresponsible and very degrading to all Americans. He is just like Wright who mocked the Americans and like Rezco and Ayers who we can’t trust.
Wake up superdelegates!
Posted by: Alfredo | Apr 23, 2008 3:11:48 PM
100% of Obama's money comes from the people. So he will owe THE PEOPLE in the end, not some Drug Company or Special interest Corporation . She has run her campaign finances into the ground and is in debt. $10 million, he has not.
If THE PEOPLE have Given Obama Money Now and trust him, more than they trust her with there finances then they won't mind paying taxes, as much, if He is President because they know he will spend it only towards the well being of the country.
To remind everyone... countries won't mind lending us money and working with us becuase they know he will actually pay it back ON TIME and work towards solutions, not instigate problems or want to fight everyone like Hill.
She says she want's peace but all she can talk about is fighting, even if they are on her team
Shame on you Hillary.
Posted by: Robin | Apr 23, 2008 4:28:11 PM
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