Senate Democrats Fed Up With GOP Gamesmanship On Defense Bill

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

Senators Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Mark Begich (D-Alaska) said Friday that they are pleased to see three Senate Republican break from their party to invoke cloture on the Defense Appropriations bill.

“All I know is that 60 Democrats along with three Republicans decided that the welfare of our military forces was more important than legislative gamesmanship, with respect to health care and other issues,” said Reed.

The Senators also expressed their great displeasure when Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) motioned for unanimous consent to proceed to the bill where consent was denied.

“In the past when we’ve had votes on cloture with respect to military appropriations, generally after cloture was invoked we have moved very quickly to get the resources into the field,” said Reed.

“One of the reasons I decided to run, was because I think the system here has to change and the parlor games and gamesmanship that was going on [are] another example why Americans are outraged,” said Begich.

The Department of Defense appropriations bill would provide $508 billion for the department’s regular activities for the next fiscal year. Quick passage will enable the Senate to take up debate on its healthcare bill.

Senate Republicans Will Try To Slow Health Care Bill

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

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) says he’s ready to do everything within his power to slow down the passage of health care reform.

“It is our intention not to pass this bill easily,” said McConnell. “I have a practice of not telegraphing procedural moves that may be available to us…I don’t think anyone’s missed it. We don’t think this bill should pass.”

McConnell alluded to speculation that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will unveil his latest version of health care reform early Saturday morning, with a cloture vote to follow promptly if the Senate expects to make its Christmas deadline.

The Leader explained that he along with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) would demand that every change be read on the floor.

“If we have seen it don’t you think we should have time to at least examine it? I don’t think it would be outrageous to ask for a bill to be read that we have seen that affects one seventh of our gross domestic product,” said McCain.

New Bill Will Separate Commercial And Investment Banks

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

Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) introduced bipartisan legislation Wednesday that would prohibit commercial banks from affiliating themselves in any manner with investment banks or securities firms.

The Banking Integrity Act of 2009 would restore 1933 legislation, repealed in 1999 under legislation guided by former Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas), to establish a wall between commercial and investment banking to help protect depositors' money from being put at risk by Wall Street speculation.

"I'm sure that Senator Gramm probably does not agree with this legislation. It doesn't change our relationship, we just don't agree," said McCain.

“For nearly 60 years, a firewall maintained the integrity of banking systems; preventing self-dealing and other financial abuses; and limited stock market speculation,” said Cantwell during a press conference. “Our bill would return that firewall.”

Under Cantwell-McCain, major financial firms currently operating as both commercial banks and investment houses would have to make a decision on whether to focus on commercial or investment banking.

“I want to ensure that we never stick the American taxpayer with another $700 billion or even larger tab to bailout the financial industry. It is time to put a stop to the taxpayer financed excesses of Wall Street,” said McCain.

McCain brushed off concerns that Gramm, who served as a campaign adviser for the Arizona senator's 2008 presidential campaign, would be troubled by the move to sweep away his legislative accomplishments.

McConnell: Dems More Interested In Making History Than Good Policy

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

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) claimed Wednesday that Senate Democrats' view passing health care reform legislation more as a chance to make history than create good policy.

"They’re left with the following argument, 'make history," said McConnell. “As we all know many things have happened in history some of them have not been good at all. This is the wrong kind of history.”

Armed with newspaper clippings, McConnell referenced recent polls showing that Democrats have lost public support on health care reform.

“Their problem isn’t the 40 of us, it’s the American people,” said the Minority Leader.

Members Of Congress Urge Full Implementation Of Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement

Travis Martinez, University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News

Members of Congress today urged the Obama administration to fully implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), a 2005 peace treaty between the Sudanese government and a rebel movement aimed at easing tensions in the troubled region.

Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) suggested that the CPA is on the verge of unraveling. He noted that the Sudanese government is falling apart with corrupt elections and an ongoing genocide.

“It seems to me that the CPA is on life support. It’s in grave danger of unraveling,” said Smith. “This administration has to get much more serious than it has been or the killing field will continue. The Nobel Peace prize winner needs to use the gravitas that he has gained from that great award and say 'Sudan is my priority. I’m not going to let the CPA unravel.'”

Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) called on President Barack Obama to make good with his campaign promises to ensure tougher sanctions on Sudan “if the government didn’t shape up."

“The time is now for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Obama to personally and actively engage Sudan,” said Wolf. “During the campaign, then candidate Obama said, ‘the Bush administration should be holding Sudan accountable for failing to implement significant aspects of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, imperiling the prospects for the scheduled multiparty election in 2009.'”

Wolf pointed to recent testimony by a former top U.N. investigator Enrico Carisch at a House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing on Africa, wherein Carisch testified that the U.S., along with other nations, have relaxed efforts in Sudan.

”In contrast to that leadership of 2004 and 2005, the United States appears to have now joined the group of influential states who sit by quietly and do nothing to ensure that sanctions work to protect Darfurians,” said Carisch.