Flood insurance bill stalled over…abortion?
(CNN) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is lambasting Republican Sen. Rand Paul for injecting a last-minute debate over abortion into a bipartisan attempt to pass flood insurance legislation.
"After all the work that's been put on this bill, this is ridiculous that somebody said 'I'm not going to let this bill go forward unless I have a vote on when life begins.'" Reid said Tuesday on the Senate floor.
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On Monday, Paul introduced the amendment, which calls for defining life as beginning at conception. The bill at large would re-authorize the National Flood Insurance Program, a federal entity that offers flood insurance to more than 5 million homes.
Paul's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment on why he proposed the amendment.
While the bill was set to soon pass with bipartisan approval, Reid said he will no longer allow a vote on the measure as long as the amendment stands.
"We'll either do flood insurance with amendments dealing with flood insurance-or we won't do it," Reid said. "We'll have an extension."
It's not uncommon for lawmakers to tack on non-relevant amendments to bills, but the highly-charged amendment Paul chose was one step too far, Reid said. And given that some of the bill's biggest proponents are Republicans, Paul may face pressure to back down on the amendment.
"They better work on their side of the aisle, because I'm not going to put up with that on flood insurance," Reid said.
He also pointed to a controversial amendment for the so-called highway bill in February. The provision called for a repeal of a federal mandate that required some religious institutions to cover contraception in insurance plans for employees.
After weeks of escalating debate over contraception, the Obama administration adjusted the mandate, and the Senate amendment was killed in March.
"I don't understand what this is all about," Reid said.
- CNN Senior Congressional Producer Ted Barrett contributed to this report.
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How do republicans get away with nonsense. God bless America.
Major reform needed on how a bill gets through congress. This story is proof of a system that welcomes hostage takers like Paul on the American people.
LOL...he's starting to make his old man look sane...LOL
Why does it look like most gop have a nice tan? When do they find the time between doing nothing and doing stupid stuff?
LOL...he's starting to make his old man look sane...LOL –LOL...he's starting to make his old man look sane...LOL
LOL...he's starting to make his old man look sane...LOL–LOL...he's starting to make his old man look sane...LOL
The never ending story of abortion. Religion is worse than an addiction.
Pass this bill.
you can do nothing and/or stupid stuff in a tanning booth...
or out of one...
This one is just plain partisan, political BS. Our Congress FINALLY worked on something both sides could agree on and Senator Paul injects something he KNOWS is controversial and has nothing to with the issue. This is why Congress gets approval ratings in the law teens. This bill affects 5 million homes in America. He's telling those 5 million people they don't mean anything by injecting something he knows will stall the bill. I hope his GOP counterparts push him to back down on this issue.
Granted, people have beliefs on when life starts, abortion, etc. That is a "moral" issue with each individual, not something the government should be doing and definitely not something that should hold a bill that has bipartisan support. If this is not obstruction, then let I don't know what is. Absolutely ridiculous.
Rand Paul is just part of the fanatical wing of the Republican Party. What do you really expect? Really? So all the people that voted for this fanatic and others can be thanked for bringing congress to a hault. Don't expect anything to get done!
The people in his home state sure elected a prize, he might not be as kooky as his old man, but he is as slick!
Wow. I wonder if Rand knows that Roe v Wade is still a legal law abiding right.
If this stupitidy got thru it would be shot down, not legal.
Nothing like the good old GOP keeping down any and all bills that help American People.
ridiculous that stuff like this can happen, from either party....
It's Rand Paul. ::sigh::
This guy REALLY needs to pack up and leave - he's nuts.
There really needs to be reform on bill amendment. Rand is a loon though and always will be. Maybe he was missing his name in the papers since it's been a while since he did something crazy enough to get in the limelight again.
These Tea Bagger traitors should all be tried for treason!
We'll remember in November!
This is what happens when voters get discouraged and fail to go vote. Voters: please make the effort to vote. You may think sometimes that your vote doesn't count but, if you don't vote, it definitely will not count. Please vote for sane candidates who are capable of reaching a consensus for the good of the nation. When you don't vote, religious fanatics and extremists from both sides of the political spectrum are more likely to slip into the void. We have gridlock and this type of insanity when you don't vote. VOTE!
People in 3rd world countries risk their lives for the opportunity to vote. Surely you can make the effort to check out the candidates and take the time to vote.
Why do we (our congress) allow amendments that have nothing to do with the bill that some twit wants to amend?
I hope that those folks that saw fit to give the Tea Party a try now see the folly of their choices in 2010. Those folks need to go home and leave the serious governing stuff to serious people.
Careful there rat, or Silence Dogood will accuse you of s e x i s m !
Keep voting for the teapublikkkans. Nothing is more important to them than to take over a woman's body and send us back to the middle ages again!
A bill should not be held hostage by any one party but it seems that between the rethug provisions and the filibusters the elected officials are DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. INCLUDING JOBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Too bad your mother, rand, didn't think of getting rid of you when there was still a chance!!!
I understand, Senator Reid. It' obstructionism, plain and simple! Since the Republicans have no real plans of their own, they can only obstruct those in Congress who are trying to actually work for the American People. So sad. Too bad we can't hand out Pink Slips to these idiots who blatantly use every trick in the book to keep this Country from moving forward.
I hope you folks in Kentucky don't get any floods anytime soon. If you do and you lose everything you've worked for your whole life, thank Mr. Paul. Perhaps next time you vote you will remember how he had you best interest at heart.
Rand Paul needs to back down and knock this BS off, RIGHT NOW. NEVER get in the way of, or distract the attention from your opponent when they are in the middle of a major meltdown or defeat. NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR THIS!!!!
The Paul's (father and son) are angry, insignificant, trouble makers and I think the majority of the American people (with the exception of the TP trash) are getting sick of them.
What is wrong with that man, Rand Paul? Is he there to legislate or indoctrinate his social beliefs on the rest of us? That man has no shame. After what has happened here in Florida with Tropical Storm Debby, offensive does not even begin to describe this amendment. This man does not care about his responsibilities as a senator, he has one objective and that his own personal conservative agenda.
OBAMA/BIDEN/FIRST LADY MICHELLE 2012!!!!