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riversedge

(69,723 posts)
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 06:59 PM Mar 2021

Senate Chamber Empties As Reading Of 628-Page Relief Bill Gets Underway

Source: forbes



Breaking|Mar 4, 2021,05:09pm EST|375 views




Senators vanished from the U.S. Senate chamber on Thursday as clerks begin reading the upper house’s 628-page coronavirus relief bill, with Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), who objected to waiving its reading as a way to delay the process, chatting and looking at his phone during parts of the reading.




Dozens of senators were present at the start of the reading, which was supported by a number of Senate Republicans who complain lawmakers have not had time to read the bill and that the bill is filled with excessive spending measures.

But those senators gradually filed out of the chamber within the first half hour of the reading, with Johnson remaining as the only senator in the chamber by the one-hour mark.

Johnson himself left the chamber at one point early in the reading, even after demanding Vice President Kamala Harris, who was presiding over the first part of the session, restore order when senators talked over the reading.



Several key senators stopped to talk with each other: Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) engaged in a lengthy dialogue, joined by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), while Manchin, Portman and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) all talked with Johnson..............................

Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2021/03/04/senate-chamber-empties-as-reading-of-628-page-relief-bill-gets-underway/?sh=551448987c15






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Senate Chamber Empties As Reading Of 628-Page Relief Bill Gets Underway (Original Post) riversedge Mar 2021 OP
Wisconsin citizens should shun him at every turn. Jerk. Funtatlaguy Mar 2021 #1
why doesn't it surprise me that Manchin ebbie15644 Mar 2021 #2
Actually... appmanga Mar 2021 #15
And you believe that is what he was telling them? ebbie15644 Mar 2021 #17
This is what happens when you write 628 page bills. Aussie105 Mar 2021 #3
What an absolutely shitty thing to do to those who have to read this. I hope that they are paid wel Srkdqltr Mar 2021 #4
person requiring the reading should have to be there the whole time nt msongs Mar 2021 #5
And Should Have To Pay The Salary modrepub Mar 2021 #6
I was hoping all senators would be required to remain during the entire reading... Deuce Mar 2021 #7
The requestor should be made to read it aloud - not the clerks. Talitha Mar 2021 #8
I keep asking: When will the Democrats and Majority Leader Schumer use the Nuclear Option?? ancianita Mar 2021 #9
When it's the last option. Why would you go this way when the bill OnDoutside Mar 2021 #10
Why not. Everything can take longer than it has to take. But why should it. There's too much ancianita Mar 2021 #11
Because politics. Democrats don't have a strong hand but they are OnDoutside Mar 2021 #12
Fine. Still not "bold and fast," is it. Isn't that how Dems build a strong hand? ancianita Mar 2021 #13
Schumer can't scuttle the filibuster by himself, he needs ALL Democratic Senators to go along....... groundloop Mar 2021 #14
At least he's there. I'd be really mad if the clerks were reading to an empty room. catrose Mar 2021 #16
O'Donnell had a segment on tonight how the filibuster can stay and it could be changed turbinetree Mar 2021 #18
How much.... Sophiegirl Mar 2021 #19

appmanga

(523 posts)
15. Actually...
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 10:24 PM
Mar 2021

...he should be talking to Republicans after talking with Sinema. He should letting those "centrist" Republicans he and Sinema are against the filibuster, but stunts like this don't help them continue to stand fast in favor of it, and they need to pull the coat of their boy Ron.

Aussie105

(5,214 posts)
3. This is what happens when you write 628 page bills.
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 07:15 PM
Mar 2021

And some clown actually wants 'everyone' to actually read/listen to it.
I'd wager no one has done a careful read of it anyway, just skimmed through the first 10 or so pages.
Or got some intern to do it, and highlight the important bits.

Wouldn't a synopsis of the important points do?

Or get a voice person to record it, then play it back at 2X speed?

At least Johnson should be tied down and made to listen to the whole thing.

ancianita

(35,812 posts)
9. I keep asking: When will the Democrats and Majority Leader Schumer use the Nuclear Option??
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 08:03 PM
Mar 2021

The nuclear option is a parliamentary procedure that allows the United States Senate to override a standing rule of the Senate, such as the three-fifths vote rule to close debate, by a simple majority, rather than the two-thirds supermajority normally required to amend the rules.

The option is invoked when the majority leader raises a point of order that contravenes a standing rule, such as that only a simple majority is needed to close debate on certain matters. The presiding officer denies the point of order based on Senate rules, but the ruling of the chair is then appealed and overturned by majority vote, establishing new precedent.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_option


So when, Mr. Chuck bold-and-fast Schumer?? When??

ancianita

(35,812 posts)
11. Why not. Everything can take longer than it has to take. But why should it. There's too much
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 08:24 PM
Mar 2021

more to get done, and I see no reason not to be ahead of some "schedule." Biden's ahead of his, so Congressional Dems should do what it takes to keep up.

The larger reality is that no matter how much we niggle and argue about how to do what needs to get done, climate crises and more pandemics don't care.

OnDoutside

(19,908 posts)
12. Because politics. Democrats don't have a strong hand but they are
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 08:31 PM
Mar 2021

doing really well with the Relief bill and the distribution of vaccines, plus with the infrastructure bill up next, which will also get passed. Once they are done the VRA might be the one that will push Democrats towards the nuclear option.

groundloop

(11,488 posts)
14. Schumer can't scuttle the filibuster by himself, he needs ALL Democratic Senators to go along.......
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 08:44 PM
Mar 2021

Manchin and Senema have repeatedly stated that they'd vote against killing the filibuster, so unless you have some secret weapon to get those two to go along then it's simply not going to happen.

turbinetree

(24,632 posts)
18. O'Donnell had a segment on tonight how the filibuster can stay and it could be changed
Fri Mar 5, 2021, 12:05 AM
Mar 2021

tonight with his guest Norm Orenstein and its pretty straight forward, either your "Present" or you need 40 - 41 or 45 senators there to do a filibuster and Schumer can ask for this without ruffling the feathers of the Arizona and West Virginia senators...........

Sophiegirl

(2,338 posts)
19. How much....
Fri Mar 5, 2021, 12:36 AM
Mar 2021

...do the clerks get paid per hour to read this entire bill and is Sen Johnson okay with that?

Anyone know?

And that MF needs to be there for every f*ing word!!

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