An update on the border-security bill we’ve been following this week: It appears that the U.S. Senate will reconvene to pass the legislation, which was passed by the House yesterday.
Well, sorta reconvene. Only two members will be turning up to vote—and they won’t be U.S. Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl, despite their demand yesterday that Sen. Harry Reid immediately reconvene the Senate to get the bill passed.
The Hill reports:
Because the bill is expected to pass unanimously, only two senators are expected to attend — Democrats Charles Schumer of New York and Ben Cardin of Maryland. Under Senate rules, only two members must be present if legislation is unanimously consented to by all others.
Reid spokesman Jim Manley said he has received assurances that no Republicans plan to block the bill or the resolution, and aides to GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) said there are also unaware of any objections.
“The bill will pass by unanimous consent — again,” said McConnell spokesman Don Stewart in a statement.
Read more details here.
This article appears in Aug 5-11, 2010.
If, as you say, McCain and Kyl don’t need to fly back to DC because it will be passed by consent, why the snarky suggestion that they should be there – which would cost the taxpayer how much?? If it wasn’t for the pressure that McCain and Kyl put on Reid to reconvene, Democrats would have waited until September to pass it. At least now this pocket-change-of-a-bill can help states like Arizona sooner, rather than later.