'Phantom filibuster' blocking path forward for highway bill, says Reid

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) expressed raw frustration from the Senate floor Wednesday night accusing his GOP colleagues of throwing roadblocks in front of the highway bill which has been pending in the Senate since early February. 

"I am at a loss of words on what the Republicans expect me to do," he said. "Stand around for another week and look at each other?"

Reid said that a long day's work of hard back-room negotiations had yielded little more that further obstacles for the bill which amounted to a "phantom filibuster." 

"We have tried all day to come to an agreement here and we have been unsuccessful," he said. "[I]n fact, its worse." 

Reid went on to argue that he had met GOP senators more than halfway even giving them votes on a number of amendments that are non-germane and controversial like the Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) amendment which would reverse the Obama's administration's controversial contraception ruling.  A vote is set for that amendment for 11 a.m. on Thursday. 

Before adjourning the Senate, Reid once again threatened to file cloture on the bill to shutdown debate if Republicans did not offer further cooperation.