WASHINGTON -- The Senate voted to invoke cloture Monday evening and allow for consideration of some small business legislation being managed by Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., over the opposition of a dozen Republicans led by Landrieu's colleague from Louisiana, Sen. David Vitter, seeking a focus on spending cuts. The 84 to 12 vote followed a conference call with reporters...
Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., is backing a bill to reauthorize the Small Business Administration.The 84 to 12 vote followed a conference call with reporters in which Landrieu and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., expressed some pique with Vitter's maneuvering to block consideration of a bill they say will create jobs and help restore the American economy.
"I cant imagine anything so senseless," said Reid. "This program creates jobs. Jobs. It's good for our economy. It's good for individual states. It's good for innovation for our country. The jobs that are produced are American jobs. To be honest with you, I was kind of offended by that letter."
The letter to which Reid referred was a March 10 correspondence from Vitter, signed by seven Republican colleagues, in which they wrote: "We feel that the Senate must not debate and consider bills at this time that do not affirmatively cut spending, directly address structural budget reforms, reduce government's role in the economy so businesses can create jobs, or directly address this current financial crisis."
"We, therefore, are notifying you of our intention to object to the consideration of any legislation that fails to directly address this crisis in a meaningful way," the letter said.
Landrieu noted that the Small Business bill had been reported out of committee by an 18 to 1 vote.
Vitter acknowledged that he backs the bill.
"I obviously support the small business bill, but object to bringing it to the floor now. This illustrates my point that we need to bring up meaningful spending cuts, reducing debt and reducing the size of government before anything else," Vitter said.
When Landrieu was asked on the conference call about the Vitter objection, Reid pre-empted her, saying he wanted to answer the question and noting that Vitter's "letter was to me."
When Reid was done, Landrieu took her own cuts at Vitter and his allies. "I literally believe every American understands that the debt is not going to be eliminated by focusing on discretionary domestic spending alone, and so their argument falls to the side," Landrieu said. She said the small business bill was about helping to reduce the debt by "growing the economy."
"Investment like this and smart, innovative, cost-effective federal programs that help produce jobs is a way of closing, of eliminating debt and closing the annual deficit," she said.
Reid described the reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research Program -- which directs a portion of federal research and development dollars to small businesses -- and the Small Business Technical Transfer Program, as a "jobs bill."Reid and Landrieu concluded the conference call on an upbeat note.
"Mary, I think we did it," said Reid."Harry, good job," said Landrieu.