Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Six House Democrats stage 'sit-in' on Senate floor

from Politico on July 28, 2010

Six House members crossed the Capitol to stage a "sit-in" in the Senate chamber to protest what they believe to be GOP obstruction of jobs legislation.

These House Democrats sat quietly in the back of the chamber and were approached by both Majority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois and Republican Sen. Bob Bennett of Utah, who shook the hands of the upper chamber visitors.

Democratic Reps. Donna Edwards of Maryland, Carolyn Kilpatrick of Michigan, Danny Davis of Illinois, Ed Perlmutter of Colorado, Gwen Moore of Wisconsin and Jackie Speier of California seated themselves in the area from which Senate staffers ordinarily watch their bosses on the floor.

Nothing really came of the silent protest.

But it was the second planned trip from the House side of the Capitol to the Senate — with the first being last week — and this brief sojourn to the upper chamber drew the attention of reporters when Senate Press gallery staffers announced their presence on the floor.

The orchestrated "sit-in" was a modest illustration of House frustration over the dozens of major pieces of legislation that have cleared the lower chamber only to be stuck in legislative limbo in the Senate. In addition to a pending small-business jobs bill, the House has passed climate change legislation, campaign finance reform and a tax extenders package — all of which await Senate approval.

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