Senate protest move on budget bill may force House to reconvene

[BigBearJohn]

Democrats, who have long opposed the underlying legislation, were able to use the Senate rules to deliver a setback to the Republican majority.

"This budget does not reflect the priorities of the American people," said Sen. Kent Conrad (N.D.), the top Democrat on the Budget Committee. It was Conrad who raised a multi-pronged point of order against the budget. That move touched off a flurry of parliamentary maneuvers resulting in the removal of several provisions from the conference report.

Under budget rules, a successful point of order does not kill the legislation. But because each chamber must pass identical legislation, the House would have to take up the rewritten conference report to enact it. It was not immediately clear whether House leaders would attempt to reconvene their chamber before 2006 to adopt the revised conference report.

A call to Speaker Dennis Hastert's (R-Ill.) office was not immediately returned.
Republicans said Democrats were obstructing the process through a technicality.

"It's childish," said Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.).

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/122005/budget.html

[katinmn]

1. If everyone would make one more call to their lesgislators, they

would have to come back and fix this bill!

[mikehiggins]

2. If the House reconvenes, does that screw Delay? How nice. nt

[annabanana]

6. I think so...

although the delay in his case may have already done the job..

[Viva_La_Revolution]

3. breaking 12 senate rules is a 'technicality??!!"

oh yea... 'childish' too. :eyes:

[Rose Siding]

4. If Pelosi holds out, senior groups will have more time to mobilize

snip>
House Speaker Dennis Hastert asked Democrats to cooperate in allowing the spending-cut bill to be passed on a fast-track procedure that would avoid recalling the 435-member chamber from its long winter vacation.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a vocal opponent of the bill, rejected that idea, leaving Republicans to decide whether to call the House back for a formal vote this month or wait until after vacation ends on January 31.....

FINAL PASSAGE UNCERTAIN
With the Senate's changes, a third House vote is needed.

One item deleted from the bill at Senate Democrats' urging would have made it easier for hospitals to turn away poor patients who are unable to pay for their medical care.

If the House vote is delayed until next year, lobbyists and activists, including senior citizen groups who object to health care provisions, would have more time to mobilize against the bill.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051222/pl_nm/congress_budget_dc;_ylt=ArcwGyyhxzutK7NsioCfW0.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-

[annabanana]

5. busy little bees tonight, aren't they. . . . .n/t

[Synnical]

7. Not quite sure what this means

Hoping for the best . . .

But got a kick out of this from the link provided:

But it was clear Republicans were frustrated by Democrats' use of the chamber's rules to thwart enactment of the spending cuts.