From NAPUS
April 18, 2012
Today, the Senate continued to debate S. 1789, the Lieberman-Collins-Carper-Brown postal relief bill. There was considerable discussion underscoring the importance of post offices to communities they serve. However, the Senate could not take up the so-called managers’ amendment to the bill, because Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) raised an objection. He wanted to offer a “non-relevant” amendment to S. 1789 to suspend foreign aid to Egypt. Paul was denied the opportunity to offer the amendment, so he objected to the “motion to proceed” to the managers’ amendment. This means that tomorrow the Senate needs to muster a 60-vote super-majority to “end debate” (i.e., cloture) on the motion to proceed. (NAPUS supports a YES vote on cloture.)
In response to the Paul objection, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filled-up the “amendment tree”, which severely limits the number of amendments that can be considered on the Senate floor. Inasmuch as Senators have filed 74 amendments, such a limitation may be problematic. Consequently, the managers of the bill may need to request “unanimous consent” to proceed with any amendment. A number of amendments that were filed after 1:00 PM would definitely need unanimous to be considered.
Besides the Paul Amendment on foreign aid, amendments were offered relating to postal employee benefit cuts (McCain), accelerating the movement to 5-day delivery (McCain), the creation of a post office closing commission (McCain), imposing a moratorium on postal facility closures until enactment of the bill (Pryor), providing the USPS with temporary authority to raise first class postage (Carper), curtailing nuisance political campaign phone calls (Feinstein), enrolling senior citizens in the FEHBP (Paul), etc. NAPUS is reviewing all 74 amendments and will be sharing our views with the Senators.
A number of amendments are noteworthy. Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI) has filed Amendment 2049, which would clarify that the USPS cannot unilaterally change or eliminate the product of Postmaster and supervisor pay and benefit consultations, without mutual agreement. Notwithstanding a mutual agreement, proposed changes should only take place during the times prescribed in law. NAPUS has requested that the managers of S. 1789 accept the Akaka Amendment. In addition, there are a number of amendments that seek to strengthen rural post office safeguards, including Amendment 2031 filed by Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), with the co-sponsorship of Senators Baucus, Merkley and Tester.
NAPUS has been holding a series of telecons with NAPUS Legislative Chairs relating to legislative activities that they will be conducting. In fact, a number of NAPUS chapters have been asked by their Senators to participate in Senator-sponsored telecons on the postal legislation. Moreover, all NAPUS members have been invited to participate in a nationwide Tele-Town Hall Meeting with the Senate Leadership tomorrow. For more information about this unique Tele-Town Hall Meeting, please contact your Chapter Legislative Chair, Chapter President, National Vice President, or the NAPUS Government Relations Department.
The republicans tells fell Americans that they are going to lower our wages and benefits, get rid of unions jobs, cut social security, cut medicare/medicaid, get rid of the minimum wage, do away with many programs that help/aid the poor and make it easier for the rich to get richer and pay little to no taxes and people still stand in line to vote for them. This is insane. I here republicans always saying that people who receive food stamp and welfare are sorry. Well in these tough economic times there is chance that your company could shut down and move overseas too and where will that leave you. Guess what probably “poor” and in need of these social programs that you so much hate. No where to turn, no family to assist you and your wife and children looking to you for the only help when all your savings are depleted. These programs are not to be taken for granted and make for a good insurance policy when all else fails. So if you vote the wrong way there will be no hope for you if you fall on hard times. Beside if the republicans cut all of these programs they are not going to low your taxes unless you’re already rich. If you are poor or middle class your taxes will probably go up because they do care about you and they don’t mind telling you so. They will take that money from all those programs that they cut and waste it on something ridiculous like grants for the big oil companies to drill for more oil.
Dems still support us more than any Repukes. Period.
Hey lastbesthope………….Communist Party? You’re original. I love it when all else fails, and there is no debate, when people want a level playing field, or for things to be just at the least somewhat fair, people like yourself label others as “Socialist” or “Communist”. Perhaps YOU yourself can form a “Labor Party” like your idol Adolf Hitler!
CORRECTED COPY
You all just don’t get it. It doesn’t matter which party you vote for or with. What matters is which system you vote for. Our entire economic system is based on making money off the poor. Right now there are too many middle class people in the U. S. and the rich feels threaten. They don’t want anymore at the top. The more poor people there are the more money they will make. They want to provide them with low paying jobs with little or no benefits and work them until they die. And when that happens all they will say is next. A lot of you fault the President for high gas prices. How stupid do the republican think people are. Coupled with the fact that in the most difficult economic times the oil companies are making billions in profit. What’s wrong with making millions in profits and giving the consumers a little break. The speculators are in high gear just causing the price of gasoline to rise approximately $.58 per gallon and nothing is being done about it. Last but not least the banks are raking us over the coals by imposing outrageous credit card processing fees which the gas stations happily pass on to the consumer jacking the price of gas up even more. The republicans advocate deregulating everything. Can you imagine the oil companies, banks, electric power companies, realty companies, communications companies, law enforcement agencies and stock market with no regulations. This country would be totally wiped out and afterward all of the wealthy would relocate to dubai to spend their hard earn stolen riches.
You all just don’t get. It doesn’t matter which party you vote for or with. What matters is which system you vote for. Our entire economic system is based on making money off the poor. Right now there are too many middle class people in the U. S. and the rich feels threaten. They don’t want anymore at the top. The more poor people there are the more money they will make. They want to provide them with low paying jobs with little or no benefits and work them until they die. And when that happens all they say is next. A lot of you fault the President for high gas prices. How stupid do the republican think people are. Couple with the fact that in the most difficult economic time the oil companies are making billions in profit. What wrong with making millions in profits and give the consumers a little break. The speculators are in high gear just causing the price of gasoline to rise approximately $.58 per gallon and nothing is being done about. Last but not least the banks are raking us over the coals by imposing outrageous credit card processing fees which the gas stations happily pass on to the consumer jacking the price of gas up even more. The republican advocate deregulating everything. Can you imagine the oil companies, banks, electric power companies, realty companies, communications companies and law enforcement agencies and stock market with no regulations. This country would be totally wiped out and afterward all the wealthy would relocate to dubai to spend there hard earn stolen riches.
Darrel Issa (R-CA), isn’t he the one APWU & NALC gave COPA donations to back in 09? Money well spent eh Billy?
How about you both suck?
Anyone in the middle class that allows either of these parties to control congress AND the white house is nuts.
Anyone in the middle class (or any American) who votes for the Communist Party (aka Democrat Party) is as blind, deaf and dumb as..well..an Obama voter.
Even Joe Lieberman had the good sense to leave the Party of anti-American fools
Anyone in the middle class still voting for any Rethuglikkkans like Rand Paul, are truly the stupidest of the stupid.