This is a story that deserves more attention, because it gives us the first signs of how Congressional Republicans will react when their loyalty to Trump comes into conflict with their past hard-line positions against Putin/Russia.
I’ll start out with some background on this, for those who need it. If you’re already familiar with this sanctions story, feel free to skip down to the current developments.
Background:
On December 19, 2018, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin reported to Congress, Treasury’s (Trump’s) intention to terminate sanctions on a Russian Aluminum Company predominantly owned by Russian Oligarch Olig Deripaska. Deripaska is best buds with Putin and Paul Manafort owes him a lot of money and is scared to death of him. Keep in mind that Putin/Russia has done nothing in terms of ending their interference in our elections or mending relations with Ukraine to deserve the lifting of ANY sanctions.
Last week, Mnuchin confidentially briefed members of the House on the plan to terminate these sanctions and tried to justify it. After the Briefing, Nancy Pelosi appeared before reporters and stated Mnuchin’s reasons for wanting to terminate these sanctions were totally inadequate.
According to the 2017 Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, Congress has 30 days to act prevent Treasury from terminating these sanctions. This can be done by the passing a “Joint Resolution of Disapproval” Per the 2017 act:
“The term “joint resolution of disapproval'' means only a joint resolution of either House of Congress”
Yes, either the Senate or the House can take up such a resolution. I’ll have more on that later.
The Act also says that:
“During the period of 30 calendar days provided for under subsection (b)(1), including any additional period as applicable under the exception provided in subsection (b)(2), a joint resolution of approval or joint resolution of disapproval may be introduced--
(A) in the House of Representatives, by the majority leader or the minority leader; and
(B) in the Senate, by the majority leader (or the majority leader's designee) or the minority leader (or the minority leader's designee).”
Yes, even Chuck Schumer can bring such a joint resolution and McConnell cannot block a vote on bringing it up for debate on the Senate Floor.
Lastly, it should be understood that this is a “resolution” and not a “Bill”, meaning it becomes effective upon Congressional passage, and does not require a Presidential signature.
Current Developments:
Yesterday, Schumer did bring up a joint resolution of disapproval with respect to the termination of the Deripaska sanctions, and called for a vote on the Motion To Proceed to begin Senate debate on the resolution. According to the 2017 Act:
“The motion to proceed is not debatable.”
Therefore, it only requires a simple majority (51 votes) to pass.
The Motion To Proceed to debate on the resolution passed by a vote of 57 to 42, with 11 Republicans voting in favor with all the Democrats and Independents present (Gillibrand was absent). Here are the names of the 11 Republicans:
Boozman (R-AR), Collins (R-ME), Cotton (R-AR), Daines (R-MT), Gardner (R-CO), Hawley (R-MO), Kennedy (R-LA), McSally (R-AZ), Moran (R-KS), Rubio (R-FL), and Sasse (R-NE)
So 11 is Republican Senators out of 53 had the courage to vote for this Resolution and against Trump/Putin/Russia. I’m not sure whether I should feel over or underwhelmed. If you want to see a list of the 42 Trump/Putin/Russia Republicans you can go here.
TODAY at 12:30pm, the Senate will hold a Cloture Vote to end debate on this Resolution and if passed, allow it to go to a final passage vote. Since I see no special rules in the 2017 Act, I have to assume that 60 votes will be needed to end debate. That means we need at least 2 more Republicans to add to the above 11 to end debate. Will we get them? I have no idea. But if we don’t, the Resolution might be in trouble. Although Schumer could bring it up for another Cloture Vote if today’s vote fails, we are running out of time. January 19 is the end of the 30 day period the 2017 Act allows for passage of a joint resolution of disapproval.
In closing, I have two things I’m not sure of.
1. From my reading of the 2017 Act, the Rhe Act, I am not sure whether the Resolution only needs to be passed by either the Senate or House to become effective, or by both Houses as is normally the case?
2. Again, from my reading of the 2017 Act, if the Resolution only needs to pass one House of Congress, I have to wonder if Pelosi won’t bring it up in the House before the deadline, should it fail to pass the Senate?
Stay Tuned! I will try to post an update after the Cloture Vote.
Wednesday, Jan 16, 2019 · 6:23:49 PM +00:00
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Doctor Who
UPDATE: Today’s Cloture Vote was 57 “yes” to 42 “no”. Since 60 votes are required to end debate, the Cloture Vote FAILED. Now what?
I noticed Schumer did NOT vote “no” which would have allowed him to hold another Cloture Vote. So my guess is either Pelosi will bring up the Resolution in the House before the end of the week or we’re finished and the Trump/Putin/Russia loving Senate Republicans have won this round.
Friday, Jan 18, 2019 · 12:56:17 PM +00:00
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Doctor Who
UPDATE #2: Well on Thursday, January 17, the House did bring to the Floor a joint resolution of disapproval with respect to the termination of the Deripaska sanctions, presumably similar to the one which failed its Cloture Vote in the Senate. Get this, it passed in the House by a vote of 362 to 53 with 136 Republicans voting “yes” with Democrats. AMAZING!
Now, as I said in the original part of this diary, I am still not sure if this Resolution has to be passed by just one House or both Houses of Congress to be effective based on the 2017 Act. I would very much appreciate anyone who can help sort that out. Last night on Rachel she said that both Houses would need to pass this Resolution for it to be effective, which is normally the case, so in that case this was just a symbolic vote. But I’m not sure if she and her staff are basing this on “norms” or if they actually read the 2017 Act.
Anyway this vote tells us that we have 136 House Republicans that are NOT Putin/Russian loving stooges for Trump, and that is significant when it comes to Impeachment down the road. Because if the Mueller Report implicates Trump in a Russian Conspiracy Against the United States, I can see some or all of these 136 Republicans voting with Democrats on an Article of Impeachment pertaining to the Conspiracy charge. And while the Republican numbers don’t matter in the House, having a size-able majority of House Republicans voting to Impeach will put significant pressure on Senate Republicans to convict Trump.
The End!