Senate Works; House Takes Two-Hour Lunch
Senators continued to work - albeit in closed door caucuses - through the lunch hour on Wednesday. Democrats are trying to anticipate what strategy Republicans might employ to bring the hotly disputed voter ID bill to the Senate floor and they were considering their options in a party caucus outside the chamber. Republicans were holding their own caucus - on and off - as they also discussed alternatives to take up the legislation. The Senate was due back at 12:30, but there is still no sign of activity except at the press table.
Meanwhile, I walked over to the House and found the chamber nearly empty. They recessed shortly after noon for a two-hour lunch break. What a life - and with less than two weeks left in the session and hundreds of bills awaiting action. Over in the Senate, there is talk of a filibuster if the voter ID bill makes it to the floor. That is virtually guaranteed since the Democrats consider the proposal their number one target in the closing days of the 2007 session. The clock is ticking and all House and Senate bills must be voted on by next Wednesday - or they're dead, barring some creative law-making near the session's end.