Advocates of the effort to give the District of Columbia a vote in the House of Representatives are looking at the Senate math, and it doesn’t look good:
Advocates of a D.C. voting rights bill are stepping up their lobbying in the Senate, hoping to lock up commitments from a crucial group of lawmakers to ensure that the measure passes next month.
Most Democrats back the legislation, as do several Republicans. The advocacy group DC Vote blitzed 21 Senate offices last week and found a few additional Republicans “leaning yes,” said Ilir Zherka, the organization’s executive director. Key senators are also trying to persuade colleagues to support the bill.
But the measure faces opposition from the White House and the Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell (Ky.), who call it unconstitutional. Supporters of the bill don’t yet have the 60 votes needed to break a possible filibuster, according to several of them.
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Democrats and their two independent allies control 50 votes in the Senate. (One additional Democrat is on sick leave). All but four of those 50 senators are solidly behind the bill, Zherka said. He did not name the uncommitted Democrats, but they are believed to include Max Baucus (Mont.) and Robert C. Byrd (W.Va.).
In addition, five Republicans have openly backed the bill, including Utah senators Orrin G. Hatch and Robert F. Bennett.
That brings the “yes” tally to at least 51, enough to approve the bill on an up-or-down vote.
But passage of legislation in the Senate is a multi-step process. First, the majority leader seeks to open consideration of a bill; then amendments may be offered; finally, senators vote on the bill itself. At each step, opponents can threaten a filibuster, or marathon debate. It can be broken only by a 60-vote supermajority.
Many Senate staffers consider it likely the D.C. vote bill will face a filibuster threat.
And, if that happens, the bill will be dead.
Previous Posts:
A Vote For D.C. That’s Unconstitutional
Congress Examines Legality Of D.C. Vote Bill
White House Opposes D.C. Vote Bill
The D.C. Voting Rights Crybabies
Will Bush Veto The D.C. Vote Bill ?
Memo From The Washington Post: Ignore The Constitution, Just Vote Already
D.C. Vote Bill Stalls In The House
The Washington Post: Ignoring The Constitution Again
The D.C. Vote Bill Is On It’s Way Back
The D.C. Voting Rights Crybabies Are Back
The D.C. Vote Bill: The Battle Begins Anew
The D.C. Vote Bill Is Back
The D.C. Vote Bill: Back In Congress
House Passes D.C. Vote Bill
Americans Support A Vote For D.C., But Not The D.C. Vote Bill
Damn The Constitution, Full Speed Ahead
Orrin Hatch Ignores The Constitution
Politics, The Constitution, And The D.C. Vote Bill
D.C. Vote Bill Placed On Senate Fast Track
Harry Reid Backs The D.C. Vote Bill
D.C. Vote Bill Advances In Senate
September 7th, 2007 at 11:21 am
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