PoliticoReid decided to use a majority vote to override Senate rules, and doesn't think it'll come back to bite him in the ***.
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So last week, Reid lined up Democratic senators to vote to effectively overturn the decision of the parliamentarian, who serves as the Senate’s official referee. By a simple majority of 51 senators, Democrats established a new precedent in the body. It’s a rarely used maneuver to overturn the parliamentarian — it hasn’t happened in 11 years — and it’s been avoided by both parties for fear of the consequences.
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Reid spokesman Adam Jentleson said it’s “disingenuous” for Republicans to suggest that they can make major changes to policy by a simple majority because of last week’s maneuvering, saying nothing has changed that has affected the rights afforded to the minority party.
But Senate Republican aides were quietly discussing what the rules change could mean for signature Obama initiatives — including the health care law. For instance, if a senator offers an amendment to repeal the health care law to a bill that has cleared a filibuster, it may be ruled out of order by the parliamentarian.
But the chamber could then presumably vote by a simple majority to overturn that ruling. And the amendment could stay pending to the bill, which could then be passed by a simple majority vote in the full Senate.
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