The great Senate debate on postal overhaul legislation ain’t happening—definitely not today and possibly not until mid-April, after lawmakers return from a two-week spring break. Instead, the Senate is poised to lock horns for a while on a bill to repeal oil and gas industry tax breaks.
That’s not what many folks were expecting. In fact, dickering on the postal measure sponsored by Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Ct., was reportedly continuing as late as this morning. The plan was this: Late this afternoon, the Senate would first take a procedural vote on whether to debate the oil and gas tax repeal legislation. That motion would fail in the face of Republican opposition and lawmakers would move on to the postal bill.
But Republicans—deciding that they would love the chance to talk about energy when gas is around $4-a-gallon—voted in favor of going ahead with the oil and gas legislation. For now, that means the Lieberman postal bill likely won’t come up until Wednesday at the earliest, a spokeswoman said. And with senators set to leave for the two-week “state work period” for Easter and Passover that kicks off next Monday, it could well be the week of April 16 before they get to it.
For readers in need of a reminder on what the Lieberman bill would do, here’s a link to an official synopsis. (And don’t forget, FedLine noted last week that everything in the Senate is subject to change.)
2 Comments
How can they take a 2 week break now, of all times??? Didn’t they just get a big break not long ago?
This is supposed to be a chance for the “Royal Family” to work in their districts and states, not a paid vacation. I wouldn’t mind if they got out among the real people, aka constituents, and heard their views on unemployment, price gouging at the gas pump, government ethics and the seemingly endless re-election campaigning. Unfortunately many of these professional politicians will use this break to beg for yet more campaign funds. The work they are supposed to be doing will be done by their unelected staff. Many of us normal people would love to have a job like this. Six figure income, 15 paid assistants, chauferred everywhere, no accountability and free benefits for life after 5 years of “service”. Our founding fathers did not intend for people to make a career out of Washington DC politics. It was a way for an honest person to volunteer his or her time to serve his friends and neighbors as their national representative. They were intended to take the views of their constituents to the capitol and ensure they were treated fairly. They would then be expected to retire to the private sector after a reasonable period of service to allow another person to serve. It seems the only way to get rid of the lice is to put term limits on these people to force them to leave. It is no wonder that approval ratings and respect are at an all time low for these “patriots”.