Senate Republicans block omnibus legislation to help paralyzed people and stop child porn
(The Politico) Sen. Tom Coburn is used to being a lonely “no” vote on overwhelming Senate votes, but on Monday afternoon, his GOP colleagues came to his defense.
Coburn (R-Okla.) prevailed in blocking a massive package of generally non-controversial bills that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid brought to the floor, angering Democrats and some Republicans while raising Coburn’s status as a cult hero to fiscal conservatives. The vote was 52-40 on a procedural motion that required 60 votes.
The package of about three dozen bills includes research money for paralysis victims, a civil rights bill named after Emmitt Till and a crackdown on child pornography. Yet the package also has dozens of other measures that would authorize billions in programs for the environment, foreign relations and health care.
Coburn is notorious in the Senate for blocking all manner of routine bills that he says include wasteful spending, and has earned the nickname “Dr. No” for his holds on Senate bills.
Republicans stuck together in blocking this bill not because they oppose all of the programs, but because they have decided to block everything small and large this week until they get votes on stalled energy legislation.
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