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Dems plan pre-recess bill blitz |
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By Manu Raju
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Posted: 07/27/07 05:37 PM [ET] |
House and Senate Democrats next week are planning a jam-packed finale before the August recess, with plans to push through a raft of bills to secure major domestic victories as lawmakers head home.
But some think the agenda may be overly ambitious and could set the Democrats up for Republican criticism for falling short of their promises.
“Next week is going to be a barn-burner,” said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). “But I’m going to be amazed to see [everything Democrats want] happen, because we’re going to be busy.”
But in response, some leaders have raised the specter of working through Saturday, August 4, to get all the legislation done.
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said after completing work on a $38 billion homeland security bill, the Senate will attempt to pass an expansion of the $35.5 billion State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). It will also take up a conference report implementing the bipartisan 9/11 Commission recommendations and a sweeping overhaul of ethics and lobbying rules.
“That’s an amazing lineup, for those four things to pass in two weeks,” said Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, who heads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. “I haven’t seen that many two-week periods where that much gets done.”
The 9/11 Commission bill and the ethics bill are in their final legislative stages, and sending those measures to President Bush’s desk next week could help Democrats fulfill two promises that were a part of their 2006 campaign platform.
Still, passage of all those measures is anything but assured. Republicans have thwarted many Democratic accomplishments in the narrowly divided Senate by throwing procedural roadblocks and slowing down the chamber’s progress. Senate Republicans are planning an alternative to the SCHIP bill, while Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) is likely to filibuster the ethics bill because of his concerns over earmark disclosure requirements.
The House has a line-up that would include more than one major bill for each of the four full days that members are expected to be in session next week.
In addition to doing their part on 9/11 recommendations and the ethics bills, Democratic leaders want to finish conference work on the water resources and development act. They also want to pass the agriculture and defense spending bills, as well as an energy bill and SCHIP.
Democratic leaders acknowledge that the schedule is difficult, especially if Republicans mount attacks on the floor.
“It is an ambitious schedule,” said Nadeam Elshami, spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). “The question is whether Republicans will employ delaying tactics.”
Democrats say Republicans are courting political danger if they oppose recommendations supported by relatives of the 9/11 victims or children’s health insurance.
Republicans aren’t showing much sign of accommodation on the major issues, and say it is Democrats who are out of step with the public. Brian Kennedy, spokesman for House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), said he wouldn’t bet on Democrats getting their priorities passed in time for the break.
“The Democrat leadership can twist both arms on every member in the House and it still isn’t going to change the fact that tax hikes, Medicare cuts, and ‘no new supply’ energy bills are bad for the economy and even worse for consumers,” he said.
But some aides say that the House effort shouldn’t be that difficult. The conference reports only need an hour or so on the floor, and energy and children’s health insurance should be handled under structured rules that limit the need for floor time.
Amid Republican taunts about a “post-office Congress,” Democrats say they have been laying the groundwork for next week’s potpourri of legislation.
“Democrats have major legislation that will move in the next week and effectively end any chance of them credibly repeating that refrain,” said Stacey Bernhards, spokeswoman for House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).
The idea of pushing a glut of legislation through in a week is not unprecedented. In one week in September 2006, the Republican-controlled House passed the defense authorization bill, a defense spending conference report, a Homeland Security spending bill and Appropriations, the Military Commissions Act and revisions to the Patriot Act.
Mike Soraghan and Jackie Kucinich contributed to this report.
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