Senate moves to DISCLOSE Act

After a small business tax credit bill failed to advance in the Senate, the chamber moved on to legislation requiring unions and companies file a Federal Elections Commission report for large campaign donations.

Thursday afternoon Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) set up a cloture vote on the legislation, the DISCLOSE Act of 2012 (S. 3369) at around 5:30 p.m. on Monday, shortly after the Senate votes on Kevin McNult to be United States District Judge of New Jersey. The bill rolls back aspects of the controversial Citizens United ruling by requiring companies and unions to file a FEC disclosure report for donations at or above $10,000.

Earlier on Thursday the Senate failed to pass the 60-vote threshold to end debate and on the Small Business Jobs and Tax Relief Act (S. 2237), legislation that would offer a tax credit for small businesses as well as tax deductions for companies that make major equipment purchases. The Senate just barely missed the minimum to end debate, voting 53 to 44. Sixty votes were needed to advance the bill.

Reid blamed Republican obstruction for the small business bill's failure.

"Unfortunately, Republicans played their usual games of obstruction and opposition," Reid said in a statement after the vote. "There was simply no reason to oppose this bill on the merits, so Republicans manufactured reasons to kill it out of thin air. Republicans claimed they wanted amendment votes, but refused to take ‘yes’ for an answer when I offered them votes on those very amendments."

The Senate gavels in at 2 p.m. on Monday.

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