Reid Makes Plans for Friday Bailout Vote
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) filed cloture Wednesday on the $14 billion loan for automakers in a move that likely will result in a Friday afternoon vote on the package. Reid was unable to persuade enough Republicans to support the deal struck between Congressional Democrats and the White House. GOP Senators, led by Sen. John Ensign (Nev.) and Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs ranking member Richard Shelby (Ala.), said they would stall the bill unless Democrats made changes. Reid earlier threatened that the he would force the Senate to work into the weekend if Republicans followed through on their threats to filibuster the bailout.