Senate Democrat Calls For Clean Slate In Budget Talks

by Anna Cameron

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) urged Congress Wednesday to “hit the reset button” on the budget debate, just 9 days before the continuing resolution extension expires on March 18.

“It isn’t often that two failed votes in the Senate could be called a breakthrough, but the current debate over the federal budget has hit such an impasse that this will actually be considered progress,” said Schumer. “To make progress this time,…we must approach the issue from a different angle.”

Identifying the projected failure of votes on both H.R.1 and the Senate alternative as “an opportunity,” Schumer encouraged both parties to revisit the lessons of the Bush and Clinton administrations of the ’90s when formulating a new budget proposal.

In 1990, for instance, George H.W. Bush implemented a budget plan that saved approximately $500 billion. The initiative contained one third discretionary cuts, one third mandatory cuts, and one third tax increases.

“Like President George H.W. Bush and President Clinton, we need to look at all parts of the budget,” Schumer said. “We need an ‘all of the above’ approach.”

Schumer slammed the GOP’s budget approach, noting that the proposed cuts in domestic discretionary spending contained in H.R.1 would reduce the deficit by a “meaningless” 0.3 percent, while eliminating jobs and slashing funding in education, infrastructure and innovation in technology.

“Republicans are using deficit talk as a Trojan horse for their real aim - which is cutting government - and in particular, cutting programs they don’t like,” Schumer asserted.

Up-or-down votes on H.R.1 and a Senate proposal are slated to occur on the Senate floor Wednesday. 

Reid: Jobs Bill Will Reach Senate Floor Monday

By Monique Cala University of New Mexico/ Talk Radio News Service

Legislation aimed at boosting job creation will reach the Senate floor Monday, according to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)

“For Senate Democrats, creating jobs is job number one,” said Reid during a press conference Thursday

Reid, along with Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Bryon Dorgan (D-N.D.) presented the ‘Democratic Jobs Agenda.' The three page agenda lacks detail, but outlines tax incentives for businesses that hire new employees and provide greater access to credit through lending programs.

“We support programs to help small businesses more easily access the credit they need to expand and hire more workers, to export their products to foreign markets and to create a Small Business Lending Pool to help community banks more quickly lend to small businesses,” according to the text of the agenda.

In reference to losing a Democratic seat to Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown, Schumer said that Democrats have "heard the message of Massachusetts."

“The message wasn't 'don’t do health care.' More than half the people polled said they liked health care and we should do it,” said Schumer. Instead, Schumer said, the message was to "focus immediately on jobs, the economy, helping the middle class.”

“This is a good faith offering on the Democratic side. We are inviting our friends on the Republican side to join us. Bring your best ideas forward,” said Durbin. “Let’s put these on the floor and move on them with a sense of urgency. It is of highest priority of the people of this country. It should be the highest priority in the Senate.”

Senators Press For Repeal Of Key Anti-Trust Exemption Provision

Travis Martinez - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on repealing the anti-trust exemption provision set by the McCarran-Ferguson Anti-Trust Act in 1945. The committee heard testimony on Wednesday from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and the Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Christine Varney.

Senator Reid argued that the provision be passed in the Senate's health care reform bill, and urged Congress to act swiftly on the matter.

“I urge all my colleagues on this committee and all throughout the senate to get this bill out of committee as quickly as possible. The bill that came out of the Finance Committee...chips away at the monopoly they [health insurance companies] have,” said Reid.

“They are so anti-competitive. Why? Because they make more money than any other business in America today,” he added.


Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), a member of the Finance Committee, had harsh words for past anti-trust legislation. He vowed to bring an amendment to the floor that will repeal the anti-trust exemption when the Senate bill reaches the floor.

“The health insurance’s antitrust exemption is one of the worst accidents of American history... It deserves a lot of the blame for the huge rise in premiums that has made health insurance so unaffordable. It is time to end this special status and bring true competition to the health insurance industry," Schumer said.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) sounded optimistic that the bill will have support from both sides of the aisle.

“This is a bipartisan, no this is a non-partisan thing, everyone should be subjected to the laws. If you obey the law and follow the law... you’ve got nothing to fear,” said Leahy.