[As posted by Kathryn Wolfe in Politico]
With negotiations ongoing, the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO is circulating a letter to senators urging support for the WRDA bill.
The letter comes as another key Democratic constituency, green groups, are unhappy with the bill’s project streamlining provisions.
TTD also urges support for language in the bill that would bring Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund spending more in line with revenues. A previous version of the bill called for HMTF spending to be harmonized with revenues faster, which had caused some angst with the White House, appropriators and fiscal conservatives, some of whom may still not be happy with the redone language.
The Senate is in recess for weekly caucus lunches, where final negotiations are taking place over what amendments will be allowed to be offered to the WRDA bill.
Majority Leader Harry Reid said that when the lunches break, if no deal is in hand the Senate will take a planned vote on cloture, which would preclude any further opportunity for amendments.
“If there’s no agreement at 2:15 when she comes in, then we’re going to vote at 2:30 on cloture,” Reid said. “I hope that’s not necessary. And we’re not going to have any — ‘I’m objecting on behalf of somebody else.’ If it’s not done, I don’t care who objects, we’re going to move to cloture.”
— Kathryn A. Wolfe