You can watch a bit of history (yes, more) on C-SPAN 2 right now. Tom Coburn has decided to play Bunning today, and continuously object to a unanimous consent to allow a vote on an extender bill for unemployment insurance, COBRA, Medicar reimbursements and highway funding. The Senate is at an impasse, with Coburn steadfastly continuing to object. Here's what happens if they can't pass it:
The Senate adjourns for two weeks on Friday. If they leave without passing this extension, on April 5 laid-off workers will lose their eligibility for extra "tiers" of Emergency Unemployment Compensation, which provides up to 53 weeks of federally-funded unemployment checks on top of state-funded benefits. Newly unemployed workers will also lose their eligibility for subsidized COBRA health insurance.
So Reid has called a rare live quorum, which " is conducted to get a majority, or 51, senators to the floor. It takes the form of a motion to instruct the Sergeant-at-Arms to request the attendance of absent senators." Right now, the Sergeant at Arms is out hunting up Senators, to get them to the floor.
Roll Call has more [sub req]:
Reid called the live quorum call – during which the Sergeant-at-Arms is authorized to compel Members to come to the chamber – following more than an hour of unsuccessful negotiations on the Senate floor with Republicans and Democrats.
Reid spokesman Jim Manley said the quorum call is "an attempt to bring all the Members of the Senate together to try and figure out how to proceed" on unemployment insurance, adding that "the question is whether we’re going to work through the weekend or if we can work something out" Thursday night.
Once all of the Members are on the floor, Reid will "start a colloquy and see where things go," Manley said.
Reid should stick to that vow to stay through the weekend, if need be. Nerves are frayed after the long vote-a-rama, but what's the comfort of 99 Senators compared to that of millions of Americans?
Update: WTF? They've all wandered off? I think the Sergeant at Arms maybe isn't so good at his job. We'll try to keep you posted.
