The democrats have decided to close the debate on the healthcare reforms bill at around 1 a.m. on Monday. The cloture vote is a legislative tradition when the prolonged debate is halted and final decision is made (whether the debate on the bill should continue or not) by casting of vote by the members.
There are100 senators who will participate in the cloture voting process. The vote will clear the fog on the final situation regarding how many are in favor or against the controversial health reforms bill. The cloture vote will pave the way towards passing or rejecting the comprehensive health insurance reform package. The health reform package has been the most controversial issue along with hue and cry from the members who are ideologically against it.
The democrats, who enjoy the strength of 60 members, have various ideologies within the party. The “with-in” diversity and conflict led to many compromises among the Democrats. The 60 Democrats are expected to vote for the cloture and the other 40 will vote to continue debate over the issue. Democrats have been struggling to attract some Republicans to vote for cloture but such effort seems to be futile. The Maine senators, Snowe and Collins, have ruled out any possibility of their voting in favor of cloture.
After the successful cloture voting, the bill will be able to be passed by simple majority by showing of hands up or down. After the passage by majority, the bill goes to conference committee where controversial and conflicting issues related to the bill will be removed by concise debate.
Once the cloture vote takes place, assuming the Democrats get the 60 votes needed, the full Senate will hold a straight up-or-down vote, requiring just a simple majority — that’s half of the senators voting, plus 1 (the additional 1 can be the vice president, in his capacity as president of the Senate, casting a tie-breaking vote). Then the bill will move to conference committee, where some very significant, controversial and emotionally provocative differences with the House bill will need to be hammered out.
Republicans have been intensely critical of nearly every aspect of the legislative process, including the committee drafts, the public option for healthcare, the debate held this summer and fall, and the process of issuing amendments to the very complex 2,074-page combined bill. There have been accusations that the negotiating process virtually ruled out Republican participation, despite the Republican party’s openly declared opposition to being in any way associated with the healthcare reform process.
Sen. Ben Nelson, Democrat of Nebraska, the last holdout refusing to vote for cloture, citing abortion issues and his state’s budgetary struggles, won not only a compromise on federal funding for abortion (barring it in this bill) but also a guarantee that the federal government will provide 100% of the funds needed for Nebraska’s new Medicaid costs. The irony is that Sen. Nelson is a conservative who has questioned the wisdom of expanding government involvement in healthcare insurance, and Republicans criticizing the deal —like Sen. Graham of South Carolina— are now asking for more funds for Medicaid for their own states.
None of these issues will be priorities during tonight’s vote, as the only specific procedural hurdle is drawing debate to a close, calling the vote, and casting 60 votes for cloture. The Republicans have said they will continue to attempt to block the legislation by way of various filibuster moves, but if the Democratic majority holds together, tonight’s vote will end debate, and passage will occur in coming days.
UPDATE [Monday 21 December], 1:48 am: The United States Senate voted for cloture in a party-line 60 to 40 vote, earlier this hour. The Hill is reporting:
In the hours prior to the vote, Democrats and Republicans continued as they have for weeks, delivering partisan speeches and accusing each other, respectively, of obstructionism and bullying. There was little drama left in the proceedings, however, apart from the possibility that a senator might miss the vote due to the treacherous travel conditions in the aftermath of a major snowstorm that blanketed Washington on Saturday.
Though procedural in nature, the vote is an historic legislative victory for the Democratic majority, which will schedule a vote for passage of the bill before Christmas. Early reports suggest the vote will be scheduled for Christmas Eve, as the Senate leadership works the legislation through the procedural hurdles that precede a final vote.
Cloture Vote
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