Could Procedural Error Prevent Dems From Passing Food Safety Bill?
- Posted on December 2, 2010 at 1:19am by
Meredith Jessup
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A controversial food safety bill that passed the Senate this week appears to be heading back to the chamber after Democrats violated a constitutional provision that requires tax provisions to originate in the House of Representatives, Roll Call reports. This procedural hurdle could threaten the Food Safety Modernization Act‘s passage as time remaining in the Senate’s lame-duck session ticks away. 
By pre-empting the House’s tax-writing authority, Senate Democrats appear to have touched off a power struggle with members of their own party in the House. The Senate passed the bill Tuesday, sending it to the House, but House Democrats are expected to use a procedure known as “blue slipping” to block the bill, according to House and Senate GOP aides.
The debacle could prove to be a major embarrassment for Senate Democrats, who sought Tuesday to make the relatively unknown bill a major political issue by sending out numerous news releases trumpeting its passage.
Section 107 of the bill includes a set of fees that are classified as revenue raisers, which are technically taxes under the Constitution. According to a House GOP leadership aide, that section has ruffled the feathers of Ways and Means Committee Democrats, who are expected to use the blue slip process to block completion of the bill.
“We understand there is a blue slip problem, and we expect the House to assert its rights under the Constitution to be the place where revenue bills begin,” the GOP aide said.
The blue slip leaves Senate Democrats with two options: drop the issue completely, a strategy that would allow them to pursue other last-minute priorities; or Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., could press the issue forward in the Senate after the House takes times to pass a new version of the bill. But, in order for that to happen in a timely manner, Roll call notes, Reid would have to secure unanimous consent on a motion to limit Senate debate — an unlikely possibility given opposition to the bill from Senators such as Tom Coburn, R-Okla.
With time extremely limited and a number of priority issues at stake — including any extension of the Bush tax cuts — Democrats will need to make a tough choice, one that could leave the 111th Congress’ food safety bill in the dust.
Still, some Democrats remain optimistic. On Wednesday, Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, remarked that “nothing is going to kill this bill.”
“I think we’re going to get it done. I think it’s going to happen soon. We’re going to get something back from the House that we can move,” Harkin said after speaking with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. “Somehow this is going to get done. We’re just looking for a way to get it done.”
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glenng2
Posted on December 5, 2010 at 6:05amWhen the Republicans retake controll of the seats of power it will be time to pass a law that being a progressive in thei Country is treasonous and any progressive act will subject the actee to the charge of treason punishiable by death.
Report Post »Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on December 4, 2010 at 6:16pmGit ‘R dunn – Git’r Duuunnn
Report Post »What a bunch of Yawwhoooos
RWGN
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 10:02pmLast minute deals, cheating sounds Demo-cheats to me… Guess they won’t ever learn, but why do they need to they have income for life unlike those of us that pay their salary’s…
Report Post »Billsocal
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 8:56pmI can only this bill has to go back to the house. What is really worrisome is the fact that Monsanto has either bought XE Service ( Blackwater Security) or is employing it to work for them. Oh yes George (Spooky Dude) Soros is one of the larger shareholders of Monsanto. What is awaiting in the wings is even worst the Food Safety Bill. It is CLEAR Act, Consolidated Land, Energy, and Aquatic Resources Act. This give control of your water ways and coast waters to the UN. It has already pass in the House. So we’re not out of the woods yet.
Report Post »ponytail
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 7:50pmIt’s not only the Dems that are not reading the bills. Kirk from IL had only been in office for 40 hrs and he voted yes on the food bill. How can anyone read and understand a multy page bill in that amount of time. We have to contact these republicans and tell them to wake up and stop this bill.
Report Post »Joshua7
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 6:47pmThis is just too funny. It go to show that the way the 111th congress has done things are wrong in several ways. They didn’t realize the mistake they were making!? I guess Reid forgot to take put on his glasses when reading it? Nah, he probably didn’t even read it in the first place.
Report Post »wash1776
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 4:38pmDo you want to make those congressmen who passed this and the companies that stand to benefit from this cry? Those poor crooks will be SO UPSET!
Report Post »JD Carp
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 3:13pmI hope this works but I am confident they will simply “suspend the rules” as they so often do. BTW why have any rules if you can suspend them at will?
Report Post »UH60L13
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 2:26pmIsn’t that the same thing they did with the Healthcare Bill?? Wasn’t it the Senate version that the House voted on??
Report Post »Bunnie
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 11:56amSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., could press the issue forward////////////////////BOYCOTT NEVADA!
Report Post »Bunnie
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 11:56amSenate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., could press the issue//////////// BOYCOTT NEVADA
Report Post »rfycom
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 11:30amI had food poisoning one time. It was so bad I wanted to die and almost did. We cannot allow people to do whatever the hell they want in business. I’m for it.
Report Post »GDG
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 1:20pmGood so after they pass the bill you won’t have to worry about food poisoning again, because you won‘t be able to afford to buy any and you’ll die of starvation.
Report Post »SlimnRanger
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 6:51pmi had food posining once to and yes i know how you felt it was horriable but even with that i say kill the bill we don’t need that in this nation,kill it, kill it
Report Post »2smart
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 11:13amThis bill gives more regulation without any benefits. Typical of a Democrat controlled Congress. KILL THE BILL!!!
Report Post »mikem1969
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 10:49amYESSSSS, block the bill. Their own stupidity slaps them in the face again.
Report Post »ron the veteran
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 9:07amits time for us all to start calling for obama to resign along with reid and piglosi.
Report Post »Pslam 144 verse 1
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 12:06pmIMPEACH THE DEMONCRATS! All the down to the local level.
Report Post »GDG
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 1:31pmYea ship them over to Iran, they’ll love it there.
Report Post »Conserving Ink
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 8:40amThis bill must die, and those who wrote it should be trotted out to explain themselves. This bill has the potential to outlaw your own home garden. Control the food, control the people.
Report Post »___________________________________________________________________
http://conserving-ink.blogspot.com/2010/12/government-we-didnt-elect.html
Lorist
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 8:28am@strictlybusiness i agree VICTORY OR DEATH!
Report Post »Stu Pedaso
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 8:14amMost of these bozos were the “free loving” hippie sort. So do you really think they went to any sort of civics class? Let alone anything about the Constitution. Lets fire them all and start over, this time with term limits and a pay cut.
Report Post »Pslam 144 verse 1
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 12:04pmIsn’t about time for them all to have a really bad acid flshback, freak out and get outta the way of this great Country to heal!!??? We‘ve gotta get rid of’um all, staffers included!
Report Post »jColes
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 7:46am“Procedural error,” my fat patootie! This bill contains numerous affronts to the Constitution and clearly demonstrates the Democrats’ absolutely disdain for and disregard for the rules upon which the country is founded. A generation ago even a 9th grade civics student would have known that revenue-raising legislation must originate in the House…either the Dems who wrote this horrid Federal power-grab bill are constitutionally illiterate or they just don’t care about the basic law of the land.
On second thought, it is most likely that they don‘t know AND don’t care about the Constitution…
This Progressive reign of terror must end, and no anti-constitutionalist must be allowed to hold public office at any level ever again. Let us finish in 2012 the purge of our political system that began on 2nd November 2010.
Report Post »dallenh
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 7:45amPathetic. More government control that is not needed. We have the safest food in the world, but then again… this bill really has nothing to do with food safety.
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 7:14amWhat a stroke of luck!
Report Post »EP46
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 6:15amThis is a MAJOR TAKEOVER by regulations of our food. They can use this to shut down businesses, restrict growing food, and greatly encrease the price of food. STOP THIS BILL email your congressman and say NO This is another way of RE-DISTRIBUTION so the U.S. has to buy MORE imported food. The regulations will hurt small business. DO NOT LET OBAMA’S CZARS CONTROL OUT FOOD
Report Post »DaytonConserve
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 5:42amKill the Bill.
Report Post »upsetagainin2010
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 3:55amThank God for small wonders.
Report Post »southerncross
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 4:40amyou mean like Obama’s mental capacity? I agree!
Report Post »patrickrose
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 3:03amI’m sick of dems saying we can get this done… Last minute deals are always a disaster with them.” We need to pass it to see what’s in it ” Please ! Lets get people back to work.
Report Post »Lunar
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 3:36amPlease have this die on the floor. It would feel so good to know that somewhere Soros just force choked a lackey and threw him against a wall.
Report Post »southerncross
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 4:40amthey said the same thing about JFK………….we’ll get it “done’ somehow………. and done it was!
Report Post »Strictlybusiness
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 7:11amLast Minute Deals are a disaster with the dems??? My friend, THE ENTIRE DEMONOCRAT PARTY AND EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM, IS A COMPLETE DISASTER ! ! ! VICTORY or DEATH
Report Post »verb
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 7:12amThis is like deja vu all over again …
“We’ll go through the gate. If the gate’s closed, we’ll go over the fence. If the fence is too high, we’ll pole vault in. If that doesn’t work, we’ll parachute in but we’re going to get health care reform passed for the America people.”
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 8:42amHere’s what will happen though. If it dies on the floor, some Czar somewhere will simply enact it without any kind of vote required.
This is the new way of doing things. Congress is simply going through the motions much in the same way that somebody who has just died will reflexively inhale for a while.
Report Post »AZ Conservative
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 9:46amI HOPE SO! I hope there is something to keep this travesty from passing!
Report Post »ponytail
Posted on December 3, 2010 at 7:47pmYes even Republicans are failing us– I am sorry to say Kirk from IL voted yes on this bill after he had been in office for 40 hrs. How can you read and understand a several page bill in this amount of time?? We have to continue calling these republican senators and tell them to vote no!!1
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