Senate Dems Defeat GOP Attempt to Filibuster $1.1T Spending Bill

[The Straight Story]

WASHINGTON - The Democratic-controlled Senate has defeated a GOP filibuster of a huge year-end spending bill.

The 60-34 vote during a rare Saturday session sets the stage for a final vote Sunday afternoon on the $1.1 trillion measure. The bill combines generous increases for domestic agencies and foreign aid with a 2 percent average pay raise for federal workers.

The 1,000-plus page bill includes $447 billion in operating budgets with about $650 billion in payments for federal benefit programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. It also contains more than 5,000 back-home projects sought by lawmakers in both parties.

The legislation bundles six of the 12 annual spending bills, capping a dysfunctional appropriations process in which Senate Republicans dragged out debates on the routine measures.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/12/senate-poised-advance-t-spending/

[Demoiselle]

1. Russ Feingold voted against cloture. Has he given a reason?

Richard Shelby, on the other hand, voted for cloture. So they got the requisite 60. Is this just an error in at the Senate web site or has the world turned (slightly) upside down?

[lamp_shade]

3. So did Bayh and McCaskill.

Byrd showed up an hour after the roll-call started with the 60th vote. Almost immediately after that, McCaskill placed her "no" vote. I suspect she may have voted "yes" if Byrd hadn't shown up.
Collins voted "yes" and I don't remember who the other "yes" repub vote was.

[Demoiselle]

4. The Republicans voting "Yes" for cloture were Cochrane Collins and Shelby.

Today's vote "on the motion" got the same "no's" from Dems..Bayh Feingold and McCaskill,
The Republicans shifted a bit...Bond, Collins and Cochrane.

[monmouth]

2. 2% average pay raise for federal workers????? Does this include

the sens. and reps.??? What the hell is wrong with this picture??