Payroll Tax Cut

McConnell Swats Down GOP-Sponsored Bill To Raise Taxes On Millionaires

Brian Beutler | December 6, 2011, 3:50PM

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) conducts a news conference along with fellow GOP members on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on November 30, 2011.

Awkward!

Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell brought a bunch of rank and file members to the microphones with him after a conference lunch Tuesday to discuss consumer finance regulation. But one of those Republicans -- Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) -- is introducing legislation to fund economic growth measures with higher taxes on millionaires and oil companies. And reporters took the opportunity to ask McConnell to address her plan publicly, in her presence.

After trying futilely to pass the mic to Collins, McConnell said pretty unequivocally that his caucus will overwhelmingly reject her plan.

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Payroll Tax Cut

Collins, McCaskill Unveil Jobs Plan -- Including Millionaire Tax Increase

Brian Beutler | December 6, 2011, 2:45PM

Sen. Susan Collins (R - ME), left, and Claire McCaskill (D - MO), stand together during a presidential signing ceremony for the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act at the White House in Washington, D.C. on July 22, 2010.

As reported earlier, Sens. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Susan Collins (R-ME) just dropped the details of their plan to extend the payroll tax cut, which includes other economic growth proposals. And both sponsors were explicit about the fact that their goal is to entice GOP senators to break their anti-tax streaks.

First the details on the legislation.

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Payroll Tax Cut

Collins, McCaskill Push Millionaire Surtax That Exempts 'Small Business'

Brian Beutler | December 6, 2011, 10:27AM

Sen. Susan Collins (R - ME), left, and Claire McCaskill (D - MO), stand together during a presidential signing ceremony for the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act at the White House in Washington, D.C. on July 22, 2010.

Two senators, one Dem one Republican, are trying to break the GOP objection to raising taxes on millionaires to fund job creation measures. If they're successful, it will become the key to passing President Obama's payroll tax cut proposal, and driving a wedge between powerful anti-tax activists and the Republican party. But if Republicans object it will expose the hollow nature of their overwhelming opposition to taxing the affluent.

When Republicans object to small tax increases on millionaires they claim Democrats are proposing to raise taxes on "small businesses" or "job creators."

This is basically a distraction. Some businesses are organized as pass-through entities, in which federal taxes are paid by the owner as individual income taxes, including a hypothetical surtax on millionaires. But this is a small share of filers, and some of these filers are major, privately held companies -- not small businesses.

To strip Republicans of this objection, Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) are proposing to exempt these entities from the millionaire's surtax, and put the remaining revenue to paying for President Obama's payroll tax holiday.

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Defense Spending

Senate GOP Deeply Divided on Cuts To Military

Susan Crabtree | August 1, 2011, 3:21PM

Some of the Senate's most committed hawks are parting company over the debt deal's prospects for broad defense cuts if Congress gridlocks on entitlement or tax reform.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) is supporting the debt deal despite its potential for severe defense cuts while his usually likeminded colleague, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) says he's a solid no in large part because of the threatened reductions in military spending.

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Debt Ceiling

Democrats Eye Potential GOP Supporters Of Reid's Debt Limit Bill

Brian Beutler | July 29, 2011, 4:38PM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

John Boehner's debt limit bill, dead-on-arrival in the Senate, is on autopilot for passage in the House this evening. If as expected he sends it over to the upper chamber to be killed, he will actually speed up the process by which the Senate can pass its final debt limit bill, for parliamentary reasons outlined at the bottom of this post.

So the great guessing game in the Capitol right now is figuring out 1). Which Republican Senators will ultimately support Harry Reid's debt limit bill, and 2). What changes will have to be made to it between now and midnight to make sure enough of them are on board so the bill doesn't go down in flames in the wee hours of Sunday morning.

Right now, Democrats are looking to about 11 gettable GOP votes: Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Susan Collins (R-ME), Bob Corker (R-TN), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Scott Brown (R-MA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Tom Coburn (R-OK). The last three were the Republican members of the Gang of Six deficit reduction group.

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Medicare

Senate Republicans Vote Overwhelmingly To End Medicare

Brian Beutler | May 25, 2011, 5:52PM

Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

The GOP continued its bloody walk into the Medicare buzzsaw Wednesday, when 40 out of 47 Senate Republicans voted in support of the House GOP budget, and its plan to phase out and privatize the popular entitlement program.

The test vote failed by a vote of 57-40. But the roll call illustrates that Medicare privatization -- along with deep cuts to Medicaid and other social services -- remains the consensus position of the GOP despite the growing political backlash against them.

Voting with all of the Democrats against debating the plan were Sens. Scott Brown (R-MA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) -- both 2012 incumbents -- along with Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). Rand Paul (R-KY) voted against it because it wasn't radical enough.

Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Pat Roberts (R-KS), and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) did not vote.

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Budget

Olympia Snowe Will Vote 'No' On House GOP budget

Benjy Sarlin | May 24, 2011, 3:34PM

Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME)

Add Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) to the list of Republicans who plan to vote against the Paul Ryan budget when it comes up for a vote in the Senate this week.

"I am going to vote no on the budget because I have deep and abiding concerns about the approach on Medicare, which is essentially to privatize it," Snowe told The Portland Press Herald on Tuesday.

She added that the House GOP budget's proposal to block grant Medicaid and let states decide how to distribute the funds was also troubling.

"The states are the great laboratories," Snowe said. "But we also have an overall obligation to serve specific populations under Medicaid. We don't want to encourage a race to the bottom."

The Maine lawmakers joins Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Scott Brown (R-MA), and Rand Paul (R-KY) who have all declared their "no" vote early. Snowe, Collins, and Brown have cited its impact on seniors' Medicare benefits as their chief disagreement while Paul wants its overall cuts to go even further. Collins and Paul have made their position known for some time. Brown announced his position on Monday with an op-ed in Politico.

Oil Subsidies

Republicans Filibuster Bill To Repeal Oil Subsidies

Brian Beutler | May 17, 2011, 7:16PM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) with Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Charles Schumer (D-NY)

As expected, a Democratic bill that would have stripped big oil companies of multi-billion annual tax subsidies failed to overcome a Republican filibuster Tuesday evening. The heavily partisan 52-48 vote fell well short of the 60 required to achieve cloture. Three Democrats -- Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Mark Begich (D-AK), and Ben Nelson (D-NE) -- voted with Republicans to maintain the subsidies. Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Susan Collins (R-ME) voted with the Democrats.

Democrats have turned oil subsidies into a major issue as Congress looks at ways to tame high deficits and the national debt. They've been fueled in their efforts by soaring gas prices and extraordinary industry profits. And party leaders have vowed to include the tax breaks in any grand fiscal bargain tied to raising the debt limit.

But this effort was all about politics. Democrats want to highlight the GOP alignment with oil companies this election season and Tuesday's vote will help them do that. But if it had passed it would have run smack into a pretty big problem -- because, er, it was unconstitutional.

Medicare

Scott Brown: 'Thank God' Paul Ryan Laid Down Medicare Privatizing Budget (VIDEO)

Brian Beutler | May 16, 2011, 1:03PM

Senator Scott Brown (R-MA)

Though he knows it's going to fail -- or more likely because he knows it's going to fail -- Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) says he'll vote for the House GOP budget when the Senate takes it up in the days ahead. But despite coming from a liberal state, and despite being up for re-election in 2012, he's not hiding this support for that plan.

Brown announced his intent to vote for the plan publicly Friday in front of state business leaders in Georgetown, Mass.

"The leaders will bring forward (Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's) budget, and I will vote for it, and it will fail," Brown said, according to the Newburyport Daily News. "Then the president will bring forward his budget, and it will fail. It will be great fodder for the commercials."

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Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Republicans Make Power Play To Gut Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Brian Beutler | May 6, 2011, 4:11PM

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL)

On Thursday, while House Republicans were dealing with a small Medicare privatization snafu, their Senate counterparts laid down an impossible marker. Forty four of their 47 members have signed on to a letter threatening to filibuster any nominee to head the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau unless it is dramatically weakened.

"We will not support the consideration of any nominee, regardless of party affiliation, to be the CFPB director until the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is reformed," reads a letter, co-authored by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), ranking member of the Banking Committee.

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Sarah Palin

Palin: Obama 'Pussy-Footing' By Not Releasing Photo Of Dead Bin Laden

Brian Beutler | May 4, 2011, 2:47PM

Sarah Palin

Just three days after the world learned President Obama ordered a daring special operations mission resulting in the death of Osama bin Laden, Sarah Palin has come around to claim he's "pussy-footing around" -- specifically by not immediately releasing photos of the deceased al Qaeda leader. To underscore the irony, Palin claims the pictures should be released "as warning to others seeking America's destruction" -- one day after numerous reports had her moving in a more pragmatic direction on foreign policy.

Palin took to Twitter, one of her go-to modes of communications, moments after news broke that Obama would not release the bin Laden photos.

"Show photo as warning to others seeking America's destruction. No pussy-footing around, no politicking, no drama;it's part of the mission," she said.

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Harry Reid

Reid To Senate Republicans: You Wanna Privatize Medicare? Vote For It!

Brian Beutler | April 27, 2011, 2:38PM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) confirmed on a conference call with reporters Wednesday that he'll force Senate Republicans to vote on the controversial House GOP budget.

"We're going to have an opportunity in the Senate to vote for the [Paul] Ryan budget," Reid told reporters, to "see if Republicans in the Senate like the Ryan budget as much as their colleagues [in the House] did."

That budget, which passed in the lower chamber with near-unanimous GOP support, includes a policy agenda that would phase out Medicare, dramatically slash Medicaid, while reducing the tax burden on the wealthiest Americans. It has become the source of significant heartburn for vulnerable House Republicans, who have had to face down angry constituents in their districts during the current two-week recess.

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Budget

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME): I Won't Vote For Paul Ryan's Budget

Benjy Sarlin | April 22, 2011, 4:25PM

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

The House GOP's far-reaching budget, which includes $6 trillion in cuts and a plan to replace Medicare with a private voucher system, has drawn its first Republican opponent in the Senate: Susan Collins.

The Maine lawmaker, generally considered among of the most moderate Republicans in Congress, told local TV station, WCSH 6, on Friday that she would vote against the proposed budget.

"I don't happen to support Congressman Ryan's plan but at least he had the courage to put forward a plan to significantly reduce the debt," Collins said.

She did not specify which portions of the bill she opposed. On the House side, four Republicans voted against the budget resolution, with two citing its Medicare overhaul as their chief concern.

Libya

Senate Hawks Berate Gates Over Handoff Of Libya To NATO

Susan Crabtree | March 31, 2011, 5:46PM

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Defense Secretary Robert Gates endured nearly six hours of grilling from Congress Thursday, with the most combative questioning coming from -- surprisingly -- Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and a group of Senate hawks on the Armed Services Committee who support military intervention in Libya.

McCain expressed grave disappointment about the decision to have the U.S. military forces step aside and allow NATO to take control before Muammar Qaddafi has been toppled from power.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) asked why the U.S. couldn't simply bomb Qaddafi like President Reagan tried to do in 1986 when he sent cruise missiles into the Libyan leader's palace, killing one of his daughters, and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) said rebel setbacks over the last two days have been "unsettling."

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Olympia Snowe

Senate Republicans Fall Into Line On Controversial House Spending Cut Plan

Brian Beutler | March 9, 2011, 8:55AM

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in the Capitol.

It looks like practically all Senate Republicans will vote for a controversial House spending cut plan on Wednesday, notwithstanding the political risk they'll face from endorsing deeply controversial policy riders that hack away at abortion rights, environmental protections, and other policies that typically have bipartisan support.

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL), a moderate Senate freshman, told reporters Tuesday night that he's a yes on the plan, which is expected to fail on a test vote Wednesday afternoon in the Democratic-dominated chamber.

"I am," he told reporters after a Senate vote.

Kirk acknowledged that liberal Republicans will take a hit for voting to endorse all of the policy measures in the bill.

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Barack Obama

Obama Signs DADT Repeal Into Law

Rachel Slajda | December 22, 2010, 9:34AM

President Obama this morning signed into law the bill repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

"I am just overwhelmed," Obama said as he took the stage among chants of "Yes we can!" and whoops from the audience. "This is a very good day."

"No longer will our country be denied the service of thousands of patriotic Americans who were forced to leave the military, regardless of their skills, no matter their bravery or their zeal, no matter their years of exemplary performance, because they happen to be gay," he said. "No longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uniform be asked to live a lie."

Obama was joined on stage by Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Michael Mullen, Sens. Joe Lieberman, Susan Collins and Harry Reid and Reps. Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and Patrick Murphy, an Iraq War veteran who had pushed for DADT repeal.

"In the coming days, we will begin the process laid out by this law," Obama said, adding that repeal will not go into effect immediately. "It is very important that servicemembers remember that."

He spoke directly to gay soldiers, and said he hoped those discharged under DADT will re-enlist once it is fully repealed.

"There will never be a full accounting of the heroism demonstrated by gay Americans in service to this country," he said. "As the first generation to serve openly in our armed services, you will stand for all those who came before you, and you will serve as role models for all those who will come after you."

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

President Obama To Sign Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal This Morning

Rachel Slajda | December 22, 2010, 8:30AM

Marines aboard the USS Blue Ridge

President Obama is scheduled to sign a bill repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell, at 9:15 a.m. ET today.

The bill, which was passed by the House last Wednesday and the Senate on Saturday, was certified by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi yesterday in a ceremony that was attended by hundreds of supporters, including gay servicemembers.

The new law will, eventually, end the military's ban on openly gay and lesbian servicemembers. The policy will be repealed 60 days after Obama, Defense Secretary Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen all certify that the military is ready for repeal. That won't happen until the military completes its implementation plan, which includes extensive training and education for all branches of the armed forces.

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START treaty

Dems Close In On START Ratification

Brian Beutler | December 21, 2010, 10:12AM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and President Obama

At this point it's all but certain that the Democrats will be able to ratify the new START treaty before the end of the week. Yesterday was a breakthrough, as key on-the-fence Senators announced their support or near support. But the dam fully broke this morning when Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) -- the Senate's third-ranking Republican -- broke with his leadership team, including anti-START ringleader Jon Kyl, to announce his support.

"I will vote to ratify the new START treaty," Alexander said on the Senate floor. Even after the arms reductions the treaty demands, Alexander said, the US will still have enough weapons to blow "enemies" to "kingdom come."

He joins Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) as the most recent Republican to announce their intent to support the treaty; Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) is widely expected to solidify his support for the treaty as well.

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Lieberman And Collins On DADT Repeal: This Is A Civil Rights Bill

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 18, 2010, 5:28PM

Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), who helped shepherd through today's Senate repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, told reporters after the final vote this afternoon that ending the military's ban on openly gay servicemembers is a big step for LGBT rights.

"To me, it is a step forward to a larger societal acceptance [of gay rights,]" Lieberman said. "This is a civil rights piece of legislation in my opinion."

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

The Long Shot, Last Ditch Effort To Repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Brian Beutler | December 9, 2010, 5:25PM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

A long shot, last ditch effort to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell could still succeed.

At a press conference today, after the Defense Authorization bill -- and with it the DADT repeal -- went down to defeat in a cloture vote, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) explained. "Senator Collins and I, Senator Udall and others will be, perhaps by the end of this day, introducing a free-standing bill -- a separate piece of legislation -- to repeal the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy," he said.

Senators introduce legislation all the time, so this wouldn't mean much -- except for the exchange Lieberman had on the floor with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

"I informed Senator Reid during the vote... that we're going to do that, and he said, 'Same language as in Defense Authorization bill?' I said, 'yes.' He said, 'put me down as a co-sponsor.' I said, "Harry, we're going to ask you to bring this to a vote before the end of the lame duck session.' He said, 'I will bring it to the active calendar under Rule 14.'"

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Collins Hands Reid A Final Offer On Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Brian Beutler | December 8, 2010, 5:58PM

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

Here's what Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that she needs to support a full Senate debate on the defense authorization bill (the vehicle for Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal): 15 guaranteed votes on amendments (10 for Republicans, and 5 for Democrats), and somewhere around four days to debate the bill.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid already promised her the 15 amendments, but his initial offer was for a day or two of debate. Here's her response to reporters tonight, after a Senate vote.

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Team Collins: We're Making Progress On DADT Negotiations

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 8, 2010, 3:06PM

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

Staff for Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who Democrats point to as the woman who can make or break Don't Ask, Don't Tell's repeal in the Senate this year, say their boss is negotiating in "good faith" on a compromise that will allow a cloture vote on the Senate defense spending bill containing the repeal language.

And when I asked whether they were making progress, I was told that "yes," and that "negotiations continue."

"Senator Collins is working in good faith with the Majority Leader to come up with a fair process under which the Defense Authorization bill could be considered," spokesperson Kevin Kelly told TPM. "She and Senator Lieberman met with the Majority Leader last week and they shared with him very specific information about how the Defense Authorization bill has been handled in the past."

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Dem Aide: Fate Of DADT Rests With Susan Collins

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 8, 2010, 1:01PM

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

Maine's junior Senator, the Republican Susan Collins, has the power to end the military's ban on openly gay soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen today -- or the ability to crush the hopes of those hoping to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell this year, according to a Democratic aide. It's her choice, says the Senate Democratic aide, who has direct knowledge of the talks leading up to today's planned cloture vote on the defense spending bill that contains the repeal language.

The aide says supporters of repeal have all the votes they need to move the bill to a final vote, save for Collins, who has been the focus of a coordinated campaign to shift her position by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and President Obama, who the aide said called Collins yesterday to lobby her on DADT.

All three have attempted to get Collins to budge from her position that a cloture vote on the defense bill must be preceded by unlimited debate, which in Senate parlance means any Senator -- including the many vocal opponents of DADT repeal -- could offer a "non-germane amendment" (the aide suggested repeal of the health care law as an example) that would shut down debate and prevent a final vote on DADT. The aide said that an unlimited debate process would be all but unprecedented on a defense spending bill, and amounts to an "unreasonable demand" on Collins' part.

Now, with the hours ticking down until Reid announces a cloture vote on the defense bill, Democrats are waiting for Collins' counteroffer to their proposal to offer ten amendments before the final vote, which the aide says is a good faith effort to give Collins what she has professed to need all along.

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Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Why Republican Demands To Debate DADT Repeal For Two Weeks Are Bogus

Brian Beutler | December 6, 2010, 10:08AM

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

Senate Republicans have been playing a neat trick to squeeze Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal off the Senate calendar. On the one hand, as the year comes to an end, they're eating up the last days of floor time and refusing to debate any issues until the tax cut fight is resolved and the federal government is funded into next year. On the other hand, they're laying out arbitrary -- and totally new -- benchmarks for how long it should take to debate the Defense Authorization bill (the vehicle for DADT repeal) to argue that there isn't enough time to debate it this Congress.

Speaking on the Senate floor back in September, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell claimed, "The Defense authorization bill requires 4 or 5 weeks to debate."

This weekend on "Meet the Press," he revised that figure down to two weeks. "Once you get on the defense bill, it typically takes two weeks," he claimed.

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START treaty

Collins: The Bushes Should Green Light START Treaty

Brian Beutler | November 29, 2010, 9:43AM

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

Today in outrageous new benchmarks for bipartisanship, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) says she'd be more likely to vote to ratify the START Treaty if former Presidents, George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush were to speak out in support of it.

"It would be wonderful if President [George H.W.] Bush would come out for the treaty. That would be so powerful and definitely help," Collins told the Washington Post.

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Susan Collins

GOP Sen. Collins: Palin 'Likes Being A Celebrity Commentator' Instead Of Governing

Eric Kleefeld | November 10, 2010, 11:34AM

Fmr. Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who has the reputation of being a moderate New England Republican, doesn't seem to be getting on board with the recent hard-right push from the Tea Partiers. In fact, the Kennebec Journal reports, she's even badmouthing Sarah Palin for costing the GOP Senate seats -- and she thinks Palin would rather be a "celebrity commentator" than run for president and govern:

Collins said Palin will be weakened if Sen. Lisa Murkowski wins her write-in campaign for re-election in Alaska. Election officials say enough write-in votes were cast that Murkowski could be the winner.

...

Collins does not expect Palin to run for president.

"I think she likes being a celebrity commentator for Fox and a speaker and being able to provide for her family," Collins said. "I think that life appeals to her. It's a lot easier to charge people up than to actually govern."

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Bush Tax Cuts

Senate Republicans Coalesce Around Tax Cut Compromise

Brian Beutler | September 14, 2010, 4:44PM

Republican Senators are coalescing around a compromise on tax cut legislation that would extend all of President Bush's tax cuts -- including on the wealthiest Americans -- until at least 2012.

"We need to leave things as is [for] at least two years," said Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), told TPM this afternoon.

He shares that view with numerous GOP colleagues, conservative and moderate, who are walking a middle path between Democratic leaders, who want to let the upper-bracket tax cuts expire, and the GOP top brass, who wants to extend all of Bush's tax cuts permanently.

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Jobs

House May Return From Recess For Key Jobs Vote

Brian Beutler | August 4, 2010, 2:43PM

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., House Education Chairman George Miller, D-Calif., House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., House Transportation Chairman James L. Oberstar, D-Minn., and House Appropriations Chairman David R. Obey, D-Wis., during a news conference.

With the help of a handful of Republicans, Senate Democrats this morning broke a filibuster on legislation that will provide needed aid to states, preserving jobs for teachers, and boosting federal contributions to Medicaid. But with passage now imminent, Democrats have a problem: the House just adjourned for a five week recess, and until they too pass the legislation, the aid to states is only hypothetical.

This afternoon, though, a House leadership aide confirmed to TPMDC that party leaders may call members back from their districts to pass the bill and allow President Obama to sign it into law.

Most Republicans oppose the legislation, characterizing it as a bailout for unionized teachers. But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid secured the votes of Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) by making sure the package does not add to the federal deficit.

We'll follow up when we know more.

Financial Reform

It's Done! Obama To Sign Wall Street Reform

Brian Beutler | July 15, 2010, 2:57PM

US Senators Harry Reid (D-NV) and Chris Dodd (D-CT)

It's done. The Senate this afternoon, by a vote of 60-39 passed the final version of Wall Street reform legislation -- the exact same version the House passed two weeks ago, which will now go the White House for a signature. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said that the President plans to sign the bill next week.

The development, though expected for days, represents a major achievement for President Obama and congressional Democrats -- their first landmark bill since health care. And this time it's actually popular.

But getting here wasn't easy for Democrats.

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Wall Street

Ben Nelson Leaves Dems One Vote Shy Of Wall Street Reform

Brian Beutler | July 12, 2010, 6:58PM

Democrats in Washington might want to nudge West Virginia governor Joe Manchin to name a replacement for Sen. Robert Byrd already.

The good news for Dems is that tonight, in a statement to reporters, Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) hopped aboard the Wall Street reform train. "I intend to support passage of the legislation when its brought before the Senate," she said. That would make 60 votes -- enough to overcome a filibuster -- but now a Democrat is hanging out in the undecided camp, preventing the package from coming to the cloor

The bad news: Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) explicitly told reporters this evening he's not committed to voting for the legislation, citing a handful of measures, and concern about potential future directors of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

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Scott Brown

Brown Finally Committs To Supporting Wall Street Bill

Brian Beutler | July 12, 2010, 12:26PM

Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA)

Coy no more. Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) says he expects to vote for the Dems' Wall Street reform bill.

"While it isn't perfect, I expect to support the bill when it comes up for a vote," reads a statement from Brown's office. "It includes safeguards to help prevent another financial meltdown, ensures that consumers are protected, and it is paid for without new taxes."

By remaining undecided, Brown and other Republican moderates forced Dems to put off passing the Wall Street reform bill and sending it off to the White House until after the July 4 recess. That's a familiar pattern: Senate Republican leaders have pushed swing vote Republicans to at least delay passage of Democratic initiatives.

Brown now gives Dems 59 votes. They'll still need both Maine senators if they hope to pass the bill before West Virginia governor Joe Manchin appoints a replacement for Robert Byrd. One of them, Susan Collins, has indicated her support, but Dems are still shy one commitment: Olympia Snowe. According to Senate leadership, a vote on the final legislation could come as early as this week. You can read the entire statement below the fold.

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Financial Reform

Wall Street Reform Likely To Pass With Cantwell Support

Brian Beutler | July 2, 2010, 8:50AM

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA)

Last night, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA)gave the final Wall Street reform bill the thumbs up. In May, Cantwell was one of two Democrats to oppose the Senate-passed bill from the left, and had been mostly silent about the legislation for weeks. But by announcing her intent to vote for the financial reform conference report, Cantwell all but assures the legislation will pass.

"I will vote in support of the conference report because it makes great strides toward our ultimate goal: bringing all standard derivatives onto exchanges and clearinghouses, with aggregate position limits and strong anti-manipulation tools," Cantwell said in an official statement. "...This legislation is not perfect, and I will continue to push for even bolder action - including a return to the Glass-Steagall separation of commercial and investment banking - to reign in Wall Street, put an end to the concept of 'too-big-to-fail.' But this bill makes significant strides toward preventing the kind of financial meltdown that we saw in the fall of 2008."

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Ben Nelson

With Millions Losing Benefits, Ben Nelson Blocks Extension Of Unemployment Insurance

Brian Beutler | July 1, 2010, 9:18AM

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE).

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) last night prevented his fellow Democrats from finally passing legislation to extend needed unemployment insurance benefits to out of work Americans. It was the third time the legislation, which has been repeatedly pared down and reshaped in the hunt for votes, has failed to overcome a filibuster. But it was the first time that success or failure rested on a single deciding vote. And because Nelson, the most conservative Democrat in the Senate, joined Republicans and blocked the bill, it will likely not pass until mid-July, after the Senate returns from Independence Day recess. By then Robert Byrd's replacement will be seated, and Dems will have the votes they need to pass their jobs bill.

Here's what happened.

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Financial Reform

Collins 'Inclined' To Support Wall Street Reform

Brian Beutler | June 30, 2010, 1:02PM

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

Scott Brown's playing cute, but his fellow moderate Republican Susan Collins says she's basically ready to vote for Wall Street reform.

"Based on my initial review of the conference review, I'm inclined to support it," Collins told reporters this afternoon after a Senate vote. "I believe that it will improve the regulation of financial institutions and much needed transparency to the process, and that it will help prevent the kinds of risky practices that triggered this recession.

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Financial Reform

Dems and Republicans Clash Over Wall Street Reform Fix

Brian Beutler | June 29, 2010, 5:51PM

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA)

Late update: Financial reform negotiators agreed tonight on a party line vote to make fixes sought by Sens. Scott Brown, Susan Collins, and Olympia Snowe, changing the way the legislation will be paid for. Speaking to reporters after the impromptu conference committee session, House Financial Services Committee Chair Barney Frank implied strongly that he'd received assurances that the Senate now has 60 votes to pass Wall Street reform. The House will likely take the bill up tomorrow, while the Senate may have to wait until after the July 4 recess to hold its final vote.

Here's how Democrats propose to placate moderate Republicans, who've been threatening to renege on their previous support for Wall Street reform. Instead of paying for the $19 billion cost of financial regulation bill by taxing big banks, the legislation will now raise money in two ways: Ending TARP, and raising the minimum target for FDIC's Deposit Insurance Fund.

Democrats took the extraordinary step this evening of reconvening the financial reform conference committee and making the switch in order to secure 60 votes for the legislation in the Senate. Brown said he'd bolt from the bill without a new pay-for, and Maine Republicans Collins and Snowe made similar threats, leaving Democrats likely vulnerable to a Republican financial reform filibuster.

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Financial Reform

Could Congress Change The Wall Street Bill Again?

Brian Beutler | June 29, 2010, 1:11PM

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD)

With the Wall Street reform legislation agreed to by House and Senate negotiators now in serious doubt in the Senate, what happens if the final bill can't muster the votes? At his weekly press availability this morning, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer hinted that they may have to make some changes.

"We're trying to work with the Senate to ensure that we both take up a version that does in fact have 60 votes," Hoyer said.

But the conference report, passed late last week, can not be amended on the House or Senate floors. It's an up-or-down, yes-or-no proposition. If they need a new 'version' that has 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, they'd have to reconvene the conference committee, strip the language that offends Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and try again.

Hoyer declined a followup question this morning. Neither his office, nor the office of conference committee chairman Barney Frank were immediately available for comment. But keep an eye on this as an increasingly likely option for Democrats, as they try to save the financial reform bill.

Financial Reform

He's Out! Brown Says He's A No On Financial Reform

Brian Beutler | June 29, 2010, 12:16PM

Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA)

Sen. Scott Brown is no longer undecided. He says he'll certainly vote against the Wall Street reform conference report unless it is changed to remove a fee on big banks added during final negotiations.

"I am writing you to express my strong opposition to the $19 billion bank tax that was included in the financial reform bill during the conference committee," Brown wrote today in a letter to Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, and House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank. "This tax was not in the Senate version of the bill, which I supported. If the final version of this bill contains these higher taxes, I will not support it.

Here's the thing, though: They can't change the conference report. It's unamendable. To accommodate Brown, the House and Senate would have to reconvene the conference committee, which could easily imperil their plan to get the bill to President Obama by the end of the week, ahead of the July 4 recess.

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Robert Byrd

Collins Pulls Back Support For Wall Street Bill Over Bank Tax

Brian Beutler | June 28, 2010, 9:00PM

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) joined Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) this evening, putting herself back into the undecided column on Wall Street reform legislation, after House and Senate negotiators added new fees on banks to the final bill late last week.

"It was not part of either the House or Senate bill and was added in the wee hours of the morning. So I'm taking a look at the specifics of that and other provisions as well," Collins told reporters this evening outside the Senate chamber.

If both she and Brown oppose financial reform over bank fees, it could stall or even kill the legislation. Democrats would have to sweep the remaining swing votes--Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA)--to pass the legislation. They want to pass the bill this week, but the death of Sen. Robert Byrd has thrown into doubt whether they'll have the votes lined up before the fourth of July recess.

Robert Byrd

In Passing, Byrd Leaves Dems One Vote Shy Of Wall Street Reform

Brian Beutler | June 28, 2010, 9:50AM

The late Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV)

Today the Senate will mourn the passing of its longest serving member in history, Robert Byrd (D-WV). But by week's end, Democrats want to pass final -- and unamendable -- legislation, rewriting the rules that govern Wall Street. And they have no margin for error -- or for losing a colleague.

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Stanley McChrystal

Conservative Republicans Walk Fine Line On McChrystal Controversy

Brian Beutler | June 22, 2010, 1:46PM

Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) and Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA)

In response to General McChrystal's seemingly insubordinate comments about President Obama, Vice President Biden and others, conservatives on the Hill are flirting with the idea of...getting McChrystal's back. While almost no elected officials, save retiring Rep. David Obey (D-WI) are actively calling for McChrystal's resignation, members of the GOP's right flank are walking right up to the line of defending him.

"The thing that's regrettable is that the whole thing with the magazine was released, because here's a guy who's undoubtedly the most qualified person to take on all these difficult things over in Afghanistan," Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) told reporters this afternoon. "It's regrettable that it all happened through Rolling Stone, I think that's the main problem there, and I still can't figure out how that happened."

"I know him, I've been with him in the field, there's no one as qualified as he is to run the show in Afghanistan," Inhofe added.

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