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Reid Moves on Coburn Omnibus

With much of the action on Capitol Hill occurring behind closed doors, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) decided Monday to take one last crack at breaking a bitter logjam with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) that has resulted in a package of bills being stalled.

As of Monday afternoon, Reid was proposing a series of unanimous consent agreements to move the package that covers a host of issues, including child safety legislation, health care bills and technology measures.

In a floor statement, Reid said he would first request the entire package be agreed to, then assuming Republicans block that UC, a second set of UCs proposing passage of segments of the package in an effort to “lay the obstruction bare.”

Coburn has put holds on several of the bills; other Members have done likewise. Coburn has said he has objected because the bills would result in more federal spending.

With little time remaining on the legislative clock, Reid late last week vitiated a pending cloture motion on the full bill because he was concerned it would eat up too much time.

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