The live quorum call strategy apparently didn't work to resolve the Coburn impasse on passing extensions for filing for unemployment benefits under the existing tiers of benefits (not creating a new tier), extend COBRA health benefits, and delay a 21 percent cut scheduled to hit Medicare doctors on April 1, and extend highway funding.
So they've voted to adjourn for the night, 49-39, though not for recess. The adjournment resolution allows them stay in session through Wednesday if needed. They will continue to debate tonight until 9:30 and continue to negotiate to try to get this done.
Update: Now this gets stickier. Roll Call is reporting that somehow the House scuttled a deal which they say had been reached.
House Democrats scuttled a Senate proposal to fully pay for a one-week extension to unemployment insurance Thursday night, ending hours of tense negotiations between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)....
Reid, McConnell and Coburn ultimately agreed to move a one-week extension that would include full offsets. That would have covered the program until after the recess and potentially given the House and Senate time to finish work on a full one-year extension bill that has stalled.
But Democratic and Republican Senate aides said that House Democrats ultimately balked at that deal, forcing Reid to end the talks for the night Thursday — although Reid did pass an unusual adjournment resolution that will allow the Senate to continue working on a deal through next Wednesday.
Reid filed cloture on the short-term extension Thursday night and announced the chamber would return to work at 9:30 a.m. Friday to continue debate. While the Senate was slated to adjourn Friday for a two-week break, Reid also filed an adjournment resolution that could technically keep the chamber in session until Wednesday.
More tomorrow a.m. when this has all settled down, but it looks for now like that extension won't be happening. Which might be a lesson for lawmakers in putting off issues that have hard deadlines until the last minute. It might be a lesson if they did not have a completely flat learning curve.
