Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Don't get too comfortable on those cots! The Politico outlines Reid's plan for quorum calls, which will have Senators come to the floor to show their presence: count on one around 12-12:30 am and one at 3:00 am or so. And the Sergeant of Arms may be pulling them out of bed: after the quorum call at midnight or so, Reid may then ask the Senate to vote on a measure that would instruct the
Sergeant at Arms "to request, and, when necessary, to compel" any absent senators to attend.

Reid made a similar motion earlier this evening, which failed by a 44-47 margin. Nine senators did not vote on that motion: Sens. Joe Biden (D-Del.), Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), Trent Lott (R-Miss.), Barack Obama (D-Ill.), and Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.). Johnson has been on medical leave from the Senate since the start of the session.

UPDATE: Reid now talks about another vote to occur around or after 5:00 am. Cloture vote on Levin-Reed withdrawal amendment looks set for 11:00 am.