Mikulski plans to retry Ag approps bill next week on floor
June 20, 2014 | 04:15 PM
Following the lack of an agreement between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on how to proceed with amendments on the “minibus” of fiscal year 2015 appropriations bills Thursday, a spokesman for Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., said Thursday that she would try to bring up the measure again next week.
The minibus includes the fiscal year 2015 Agriculture appropriations bill.
“Today was disappointing but we aren’t done by a long shot," the Appropriations spokesman said Thursday.
“We’ve already marked up six bills with bipartisan majority votes and hope to do more next week. It’s a shame that we couldn’t get an agreement today from the other side to move forward, but it’s only a little bump in the road and we intend to roll up our sleeves and come back at this again next week.”
In an effort to limit amendments on the three appropriations measures and perhaps avoid what could be difficult votes for Democrats running for re-election, Reid proposed requiring 60 votes for amendments on the Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-State and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development bills that are combined into one.
McConnell asked to modify the request, and Reid said no.
Reid then put the bill aside, even though cloture has been invoked and the 30 hours for post-cloture debate have expired. Reid's office also took the unusual step of including a transcript of the back-and-forth between Reid and McConnell on the Senate Democrats website.
The Senate is not in session today, and the Monday calendar Reid's office has published lists several nominations to be considered, but not the appropriations bill.
▪ Senate Democrats — Unofficial transcript of McConnell and Reid remarks on H.R.4660, the vehicle for the CJS, THUD, and Agriculture Appropriations bill
▪ — Senate Floor Schedule for Monday
The minibus includes the fiscal year 2015 Agriculture appropriations bill.
“Today was disappointing but we aren’t done by a long shot," the Appropriations spokesman said Thursday.
“We’ve already marked up six bills with bipartisan majority votes and hope to do more next week. It’s a shame that we couldn’t get an agreement today from the other side to move forward, but it’s only a little bump in the road and we intend to roll up our sleeves and come back at this again next week.”
In an effort to limit amendments on the three appropriations measures and perhaps avoid what could be difficult votes for Democrats running for re-election, Reid proposed requiring 60 votes for amendments on the Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-State and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development bills that are combined into one.
McConnell asked to modify the request, and Reid said no.
Reid then put the bill aside, even though cloture has been invoked and the 30 hours for post-cloture debate have expired. Reid's office also took the unusual step of including a transcript of the back-and-forth between Reid and McConnell on the Senate Democrats website.
The Senate is not in session today, and the Monday calendar Reid's office has published lists several nominations to be considered, but not the appropriations bill.
▪ Senate Democrats — Unofficial transcript of McConnell and Reid remarks on H.R.4660, the vehicle for the CJS, THUD, and Agriculture Appropriations bill
▪ — Senate Floor Schedule for Monday
