Reid Loses Procedural Ruling; Budgets Votes Loom in Senate

The Senate’s chief referee has issued a ruling against Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), a move bringing unwanted election-year pressure to act on politically dicey budget bills. Newly appointed Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough, whom Reid recommended for the job, has ruled that last summer’s deal on the debt ceiling and spending caps does not preclude the Senate from taking up other budget resolutions this year. The ruling could force Democrats to cast tough votes that hurt them in November, a situation Reid and other leaders are eager to avoid as they work to protect their majority. The ruling, issued late last week, gives Republicans significantly more leverage to push for votes on budgets of their choosing. It could mean roll calls on Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget plan and others. Democrats would gladly vote down the Ryan blueprint, but a version of Pres. Obama’s own $3.6 trillion budget proposal, which the House unanimously rejected last week, also could come to the Senate floor, ensuring an embarrassing replay of last year when not a single senator voted for the president’s budget.

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