Byrd Amendment Developments
"Motion to Obstruct" Approved & Senate Conferees Announced.
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Friday, December 16, 2005
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Two developments occurred recently regarding the Byrd Amendment. One is that by a vote of 72-19, the Senate approved a “motion to obstruct” that requests the conferees on the Deficit Reduction Act reject the House provision repealing the Byrd Amendment. While the numbers don’t look good, it’s important to note such votes are not binding and often times a senator will vote for a motion to obstruct but still vote for a final conference package that contains the subject provision.
In addition, the Senate conferees for the Deficit Reduction Act were announced. They are:
Wayne Allard, R-CO
Max Baucus, D-MT
Jeff Bingaman, D-NM
Saxby Chambliss, R-GA
Kent Conrad, D-ND
Pete Domenici, R-NM
Mike Enzi, R-WY
Chuck Grassley, R-IA
Judd Gregg, R-NH
Tom Harkin, D-IA
Daniel Inouye, D-HI
Edward Kennedy, D-MA
Patrick Leahy, D-VT
Mitch McConnell, R-KY
Paul Sarbanes, D-MD
Jeff Sessions, R-AL
Richard Shelby, R-AL
Arlen Specter, R-PA
Ted Stevens, R-AL
AFI members may wish to consider contacting any or all of these senators, particularly the Republicans, to encourage them to include the Byrd Amendment repeal in the conference package. The Republicans are important because the Deficit Reduction Act is a Republican-introduced bill. (It’s still important Democrats hear about the Byrd Amendment to lay groundwork for future attempts at repeal in case it doesn’t happen through this vehicle.)
The contact information for the senators listed above is attached. To contact via e-mail/Internet, simply click on the Web form address. (There are two senators without Web forms.)
It’s possible the conference on this bill won’t be completed until January. We’ll keep members posted on all developments.
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