Senate Gets Tied Up on the Tax Bill
by Adam Hughes*, 2/14/2006
Today on the hill Senate Democrats tied up legislative business by lining up a series of votes on the tax reconcilation bill that caused other Senate business to be postponed or canceled. According to CNN.com, "The battle began when Democrats decided to use a routine procedure that sends the bill into final negotiations to make political points about President Bush's insistence on continuing tax cuts for investors." Republicans then countered these actions by matching the Democrats' motions one-for-one.
The Democrats' use of Senate rules to prolong debate on the tax bill has frustrated some GOP leaders, and even has some questioning Majority Leader Bill Frist's (R-TN) handling of the situation. Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS) said, "Now the Senate leadership that's responsible for the way we do our business ... needs to get a grip on this situation." He went on to say the Senate "continues to fiddle while Rome burns." Many would argue this is the case on capitol hill more often than not.
