Senate Clears Way for Government Funding Debate
Republican Senator Ted Cruz’s 21-hour, 19-minute verbal assault on President Obama’s signature health care law ended Wednesday when the Senate voted 100-0 to break off debate and move to consider House legislation that Democrats plan to use to keep the government open next week.
Mr. Cruz’s marathon session — which began Tuesday afternoon, went straight through the night and ended at a pre-determined noon deadline — did not win over senators from either party, and in fact Mr. Cruz even voted to open debate. After the vote, Senate Mike Lee, Republican of Utah and a Cruz ally, said the Texan never intended to oppose the motion to take up the bill, a position contradicted by his words and procedural motions for days before the tally.
Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, greeted the conclusion of Mr. Cruz’s performance by declaring it “a big waste of time.”
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http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/26/us/politics/senate-budget-battle.html?emc=edit_na_20130925
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