Just before the Independence Day recess, H.R. 6331, a bill to prevent a 10% cut in payments to doctor by Medicare came to the floor of the Senate. The bill had passed the House by a vote of 355-59 the previous week with the supoort of 129 Republicans. Despite this, of course, Senate Republicans decided to filibuster. Majority Leader Reid’s motion to invoke cloture received only 59 votes, thus failing by one vote. Senator Reid changed his own vote at the last minute, so that at some date in the future, he would be able to call for a revote. Norm Coleman* (MN), Susan Collins* (ME), Elizabeth Dole* (NC) Lisa Murkowski (AK), Pat Roberts* (KS), Gordon Smith* (OR), Olympia Snowe (ME) and George Voinovich (OH) defied their leadership and supported cloture. Those with an asterisk face election this year.
After the recess, Senator Kennedy dramatically returned to the floor of the Senate to provide the 60th vote for cloture. However, when the cloture revote occurred yesterday, it received not 60 votes, but strangely enough 69. Nine Republicans voted differently from the way they did on June 26th. Who are these Republican cowards? A list follows:
Lamar Alexander* (TN)
Saxby Chambliss* (GA)
Bob Corker (TN)
John Cornyn* (TX)
Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)
Johnny Isakson (GA)
Bob Martinez (FL)
Arlen Specter (PA)
John Warner (VA)
After Cornyn’s initial vote, the Texas chapter of the American Medical Association withdrew its endorsement. The message was duly received. As November approaches, a calculation about one’s own polical future is going to take increasing priority over the wishes of the party leadership, especially a party led by a lame duck.