Brady

I second.

Nay

More domestic stuff from within states that are represented by a player for players to be able to directly react to with PR, legislation, etc. Stuff like natural disasters, infrastructure issues, crime, controversial political happenings, etc.

CS

CS

Lucas I: Nay

Lucas II: Aye

Aye

Aye

Aye

Nay

Just now, Tink said:

I nominate @Bolster. 

I'll second that!

Aye

Hawthorne Responds to White House Smear Campaign

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Lincoln Hawthorne (D-IL) released the following statement in response to allegations made by the White House that he is seeking to deny coverage to patients with pre-existing conditions:

"The charge that I would try to deny coverage to patients with pre-existing conditions is a ludicrous accusation, born of Republican desperation as their gambit to strongarm their radical policies through the Senate is starting to unravel. The truth of the matter is Senate Republicans, working shoulder to shoulder with the Broussard administration, are trying to ram a bill through the Senate's reconciliation process that simply doesn't comply with the rules for that process. We've been told time and time again that Republicans are the party of the rule of law, and yet when it comes to following the rules of the Senate they're playing fast and loose and expecting Democrats to go along with it. I'm not going to do that. My constituents elected me to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, and part of that means making hard choices to ensure Congress follows its deliberative processes. Those processes exist for a reason and it's to ensure we don't slip into tyranny by majority, something President Broussard and Senate Republicans have apparently forgotten.

"If President Broussard and his party in the Senate want to introduce a bill that contains non-budgetary provisions, they're welcome to do that through regular order. They won't, because then they might actually have to negotiate with Democrats who make up half of this evenly divided Senate and represent more than half of the American people. They refuse to come to the table with us and then they make these outlandish accusations. They're just scrambling to try to save face in the midst of this debacle they've created. It would be funny, if it weren't so sad, and if the health and well-being of the American people weren't at stake -- not to mention the deliberative tradition of the United States Senate.

"I will say it's refreshing to see Republicans have come around to supporting coverage for patients with pre-existing conditions. If they want a bill that does just that, I've got good news for them: There's one already on the books, it's the Affordable Care Act. Maybe they should have joined Democrats in voting to pass it, and maybe they should stop trying to force repeal of it through the Senate with their outrageous and disorderly tactics."

@LincolnHawthorne: Had the Senate GOP introduced this as a regular bill, they wouldn't be encountering these issues with their non-budgetary provisions. Instead they're playing fast and loose with Senate rules and gambling with your health care.

@LincolnHawthorne: If Republicans are including non-budgetary measures in a budget reconciliation bill in violation of Senate rules, they have no one to blame but themselves if such measures end up stripped from the bill. I guess they're not the rule of law party anymore.

Mr. President, another point of order: Title II, Subtitle B, Child Support Enforcement appears to be non-budgetary and in violation of the Byrd rule as well.

And a further point of order: The amendments which were just accepted as friendly appear to produce changes in outlays or revenue which are merely incidental to the non-budgetary components of the provisions, in violation of the Byrd rule.

I yield.

Mr. President, point of order. It appears the following provisions are non-budgetary in nature, in violation of the Byrd rule:

Quote

(a) The following provisions of Public Law 111–148 are exempted from repeal:

(i)  prohibition of health insurance companies refusing or altering the cost of coverage due to a “pre-existing condition”

(ii) requirement that dependents be permitted to remain on their parent's or legal guardian's private health care plan until age 26.

I yield.

Aye to all

Aye

Nay

I nominate @Jewell

Mr. President, I second the amendments by my colleague from Florida and I yield.

CS

CS

Aye