Funding bill struggles for votes

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Source: The Hill

Funding bill struggles for votes

By Cristina Marcos and Ian Swanson - 12/11/14 02:37 PM EST

A $1.1 trillion bill to keep the government open appeared to be teetering Thursday after House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) announced her opposition and the package narrowly survived a procedural vote.

The House went into recess shortly after 2 p.m. after the debate on the bill had concluded, something that could signal GOP leaders aren’t sure they have the votes necessary to pass the bill.

During a debate on a border measure last summer, Republicans also went into recess and then pulled the bill from consideration. But GOP aides insisted on Thursday the spending bill would go forward.

“Leadership teams are still talking to their respective Members,” Mike Long, a spokesman for Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Thursday. “A vote is still planned for this afternoon.”

Conservative Republicans are balking at the bill, meaning the GOP will need Democratic votes to send it to the Senate.

But liberal Democrats are outraged over language that changes the Wall Street reform law and are demanding that it be stripped from the package.


Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/226843-funding-bill-struggles-for-votes

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1. Luke Russert says the WH is lobbying Dems to vote for Boehner's bill. Hold firm, Nancy!

'The White House is learning it is hard to beat her,' Luke just said. Weakening the derivatives rules in Dodd Frank is not the way to go. The White House says they do not want Dodd Frank weakened, but Boehner's bill would do just that.

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3. Video: Give 'em Hell, Nancy! Pelosi's speech on the House floor this afternoon.

Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., defied the White House’s call to pass the cromnibus during a scathing floor speech, in which she said she was “enormously disappointed” with the administration.

Republican aides told CQ Roll Call that part of the reason for the recess was to give Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer a chance to whip votes on the Democratic side. A Hoyer aide denied this was the cause, saying House Democratic leadership is not whipping votes one way or another.

Meanwhile, the White House is making the rounds to Democratic members to find some support, while Pelosi continued her campaign against the bill.

In a letter to colleagues sent Thursday afternoon, she continued to crow over Democrats’ leverage.

“It is clear from this recess on the floor that the Republicans don’t have enough votes to pass the CRomnibus. This increases our leverage to get two offensive provisions of the bill removed: the bank bailout and big money for campaigns provision,” Pelosi wrote. “However you decide to vote in the end, I thank those who continue to give us leverage to improve the bill.”

Video at link: http://blogs.rollcall.com/218/lacking-sufficient-support-house-gop-leaders-delay-cromnibus-vote/?dcz=

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2. Dem Congressman Peter Welch just said on MSNBC that Senate Leadership added these two poison pills

The first is, of course, the Dodd Frank derivatives giveaway to the banks and the second is blasting the caps off McCain Feingold.