Several Senate and House Republicans are planning to skip President Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress Thursday night, in part because they don’t believe the jobs proposal he will unveil offers anything new.
But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has found a way to keep those pesky Republicans in the building, or at least in his chamber.
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Reid on Thursday scheduled a vote immediately following Obama’s speech, and it’s not one many Republicans will want to miss. As soon as Obama is done talking, the Senate will take up a measure disapproving of the $500 billion increase in the debt limit.
Reid’s move means that Sen. David Vitter, R-La., has to skip the party he was planning back home to celebrate the opening night of the NFL season, which will feature the New Orleans Saints.
“Typical Harry Reid,” Vitter wrote in a letter to those invited to his party as well as the media. “Pens in those who would have skipped speech, like me. So now I’ll miss my own Saints game party at home.”
Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., was also planning to skip the speech, which he said would amount to a lecture from the president.
Neither DeMint nor Vitter will be required to sit in the House chamber to hear the speech but they will have to remain close enough to the Capitol to make the vote.
The vote to disapprove of the debt ceiling increase was negotiated in debt-ceiling deal cut this summer. The measure gives Republicans a chance to vote against raising the nation’s borrowing limit, though ultimately it will be impossible to stop. Even if the disapproval measure passes both chambers, Obama will veto it and Republicans do not have enough votes in the Senate to override him.
McConnell introduced the resolution of disapproval on Wednesday evening, and Reid, who controls the floor, scheduled the vote to follow the speech.
“So Senators will have an opportunity to vote for or against this type of approach right away,” McConnell said Thursday
Here is a copy of the email Vitter sent, which was posted on the New Orleans WWL Newstalk radio website:
Apparently my attending my own Saints game party at home in Louisiana is the latest casualty of Washington partisanship. This HAS gotten out of hand! See the update I just posted on social media below:
Typical Harry Reid. He’s now scheduled votes that should’ve been held this morning for right before and right AFTER prez’s speech. Pens in those who would have skipped speech, like me. So now I’ll miss my own Saints game party at home. Always knew Harry was a Dirty Birds fan! Don’t worry – only strengthens my Who Dat resolve. On to the Super Bowl!
David.
