Murray,
That's what I have been saying all along.
As far as I know, if they can't reach Cloture,
then each one of those amendments have to be
read TWICE to the full Senate and voted upon.
Unless they can vote for Cloture, there isn't
a chance in the world they will get anything done
on it this session, and probably as you say, behind
391 other bills, they will never get a vote on it.
As Margie Swindler told us, Brownback has learned
his lessons well.
These are my words now:
He knows exactly what he's
doing, he's at the end of his second term and he feels confident
he will win re-election.
After all, what other state in the USA can only teach "Creationism"
and not "Evolution"?
Only Kansas.
I'm still sending emails and FAXES, but I sure don't have
a warm, fuzzy feeling about any of this.
Thanks for all your research Murray.
just me,
Marjorie
There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.
-C.S. Lewis-
At 07:34 PM 09/23/2000 -0700, you wrote:
>Hi All,
>A Canadian has been reading up on US House and Senate process.
>Please jump in and clarify if I say something wrong here.
>
>Final Report of the Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress Dec. '93
>http://www.house.gov/rules/jcoc2.htm
>
>Reading how debate works in the House vs. the Senate...
>Debate:
>In the House, the standing rule is to limit debate to 1 hour per bill
>& change this rule via unanimous consent only. The rules limit
>discretion re: amending bills on floor.
>Committees in House thus control amendments.
>
>In the Senate, the standing rule is to have unlimited debate.
>The rules permit more floor amendments.
>This weakens powers of Committees & Chairs.
>
>Filibuster- An attempt to defeat a bill in the Senate
>by talking indefinitely, thus preventing the Senate
>from doing any work.
>
>Cloture- A motion in the Senate to limit debate.
>60 votes are needed to invoke cloture. Invoking cloture
>will end a filibuster. (60 votes = 3/5 majority)
>
>How does a Federal Bill Become a Law???
>http://www.votescount.com/books/fedlaw.htm
>
>Senate Trivia - News & Views
>http://www.senate.gov/~nickles/newsviews/releases/safety.htm
>
>Here is an example of what can happen...
>
>1999
>The Social Security and Medicare Safe Deposit Act of 1999
>This legislation creates a lock box by setting aside the entire
>$1.9 trillion surplus in the Social Security Trust Fund in order
>to provide retirement security for the next three generations
>of Americans. The act passed the House but the Senate failed to
>invoke cloture and therefore it was not considered.
>
>(I take this to mean the House passed this bill, referred it to
>the Senate and the Senate was unable to obtain 60% (3/5) vote
>to end debate and call for a vote, so the bill has "languished")
>
>Searching in the Library of Congress... http://thomas.loc.gov/
>
>There are 3 versions of Bill Number H.R.1259 for the 106th Congress
>1 . Social Security and Medicare Safe Deposit Box Act of 1999
>(Introduced in the House)[H.R.1259.IH]
>2 . Social Security and Medicare Safe Deposit Box Act of 1999
>(Engrossed in House )[H.R.1259.EH]
>3 . Social Security and Medicare Safe Deposit Box Act of 1999
>(Placed on the Calendar in the Senate)[H.R.1259.PCS]
>
>Bill H.R.1259.PCS Status in Senate
>6/8/1999:
>Received in the Senate.
>
>6/10/1999:
>Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders.
>Calendar No. 152.
>
>6/14/1999:
>Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
>
>6/14/1999:
>Cloture motion on the bill presented in Senate.
>
>6/16/1999:
>Considered by Senate.
>
>6/16/1999:
>Cloture not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 55-44. Record Vote No: 170.
>
>7/16/1999:
>Returned to the Calendar. Calendar No. 152.
>
>14 months have passed and this Bill "sits" somewhere (Calendar No. 152)
>
>Getting back on track....
>All of this leads me to believe that Senator Brownback does indeed
>intend to "fillibuster" if Majority Leader Trent Lott schedules
>Bill S.2015 (Stem Cell Research Act) for debate in the coming week.
>
>Given the Republican majority in the Senate, and the 3/5 requirement
>to invoke cloture, I see a great degree of difficulty in achieving
>a successful result.
>
>S.2015 will be returned to the calendar where 391 bills are
>currently "languishing".
>
>It's been a slice.... murray
