Reid criticizes Coburn as bills merged for vote

by: JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau
7/11/2008 12:00 AM

WASHINGTON - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid declared Thursday
that negotiating with Sen. Tom Coburn was a waste of time as he laid out
an unusual effort to pass a number of bills held up by the Oklahoma
Republican.

Reid, D-Nev., told reporters that senators were assembling a package of
bills, from a number of committees, that Coburn has blocked.

He did not identify any specific measure but said the bills had wide
support from both Republicans and Democrats.

"It is going to be an omnibus bill,'' Reid said.

The package would include about 40 bills, he said, adding that a vote
would be scheduled before senators leave for their August break.

Asked whether members were negotiating with Coburn on amendments, Reid
replied:

"For those of you who may not know this, you cannot negotiate with
Coburn. It's something that you learn over the years, that it's a waste
of time.''

Coburn declined to comment.

Since his entrance into the Senate in 2005, Coburn has used so-called
"holds" to keep legislation from the Senate floor.

The Senate's Web site describes a hold as an informal practice in which
senators inform leaders that they do not want a particular bill to reach
the floor for consideration.

The majority leader does not have to honor that hold but is put on
notice that an opposing senator may filibuster any motion to proceed
with the measure.

Because the Senate operates much of the time on unanimous consent
requests, holds give power to each senator.

Holds can be used as leverage to negotiate changes in legislation or to
kill it.

Coburn has holds on more than 80 bills at any given time.

Reid's comments appear to represent a shift in tactics on dealing with
Coburn and his holds.

In the past, even Democrats seemed willing to let the process work
without questioning Coburn, at least publicly.

The Senate needs 60 votes to limit debate on a bill.

"It is up to the Republicans,'' Reid said.

If they want legislation to pass, he said, then they will join Democrats
and vote to invoke cloture on these bills.