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Despite Filibuster Threats, Reid will take up CR today
By Peter Cohn
Congress Daily
February 7, 2007
Senate Majority Leader Reid said Tuesday the Senate would take up the House-passed continuing resolution today, despite filibuster threats from Republicans.
"I've already received one letter from a Republican saying he would filibuster the CR," Reid said. "We'll go forward." Reid said he expects to file cloture on the measure and hold the vote Friday.
"We'll see," he said, regarding whether Senate Republicans will halt action on the spending bill and "shut down the government."
A spokesman for Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., would not comment on a filibuster threat but said Coburn has serious concerns with the $463.5 billion FY07 funding measure, which touches nearly every area of government other than defense and homeland security.
He noted the bill does not rescind funds earmarked for Reid's home state, among others, as initially proposed by House negotiators.
"If senators are going to protect earmarks in states like Nevada and make budget adjustments in other areas, then senators should have time to offer amendments," Coburn's spokesman said. He added his boss would push Senate leaders to pass a clean, one-month extension of the current CR rather than ram through the massive yearlong spending package over the next week.
The current CR expires Feb. 15.
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