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Senator Paul objects to up or down vote on Reid amendment

Senator Paul asked unanimous consent that the cloture vote on the motion to concur in the House amendment to S.627 with the Reid amendment #589 occur immediately or as early as 5:00pm today.

Senator Durbin asked to modify Senator Paul's request so that it would be a vote on the amendment with a Majority threshold.

Senator Paul objected to the modification and Senator Durbin objected to Senator Paul's original request.

Senator Paul then asked consent that a Balanced Budget amendment be in order.  Senator Durbin objected.

The unofficial transcript is below.

16:18:03 NSP} (MR. PAUL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

MR. PAUL: THE PRESIDENT HAS REFUSED TO TAKE OFF THE TABLE THE

FACT THAT WE WOULD GAULT DWAWLT ON OUR DEBT. THAT'S

IRRESPONSIBILITY AND WITHOUT A DOUBT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD COME

FORTH AND SAY HE WILL PAY THE INTEREST ON THE DEBT. ON OUR SIDE

WE'VE BEEN WILLING TO COMPROMISE ALL ALONG. WE'VE BEEN OFFERING

PLANS. WE PASSED TWO PLANS IN THE HOUSE. NOW WE HAVE A PLAN

BEFORE US, A DEMOCRAT PLAN TO RAISE THE DEBT CEILING, AND THERE

ARE SOME OF US WHO WOULD VOTE FOR THIS DEMOCRAT PLAN WHO MIGHT

REQUIRE SOME AMENDMENTS OR SOME COMPROMISE, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE

{16:18:34} (MR. PAUL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

SOME INPUT FROM OUR SIDE. AND YET EVEN THOUGH THIS BILL WAS

INTRODUCED YESTERDAY AND REPUBLICANS SAID THEY WOULD VOTE FOR

IT, THE DEMOCRATS ARE NOW FILIBUSTERING THEIR OWN BILL. WHAT'S

FUNNY, THEY FILIBUSTER THEIR OWN BILL AND THEN POINT FINGERS

AND SAY WE'RE TRYING TO STOP THINGS. WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TRY TO

MOVE THINGS FORWARD AND SO IN THE SPIRIT OF TRYING TO REACH A

COMPROMISE BEFORE THE DEADLINE COMES, I WOULD ASK UNANIMOUS

CONSENT THAT THE VOTE ON THE PENDING CLOTURE MOTION OCCUR

IMMEDIATELY OR AS SOON AS

{16:19:07} (MR. PAUL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

POSSIBLE 5:00 P.M. TODAY.

{16:19:10 NSP} (THE PRESIDING OFFICER) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

THE PRESIDING OFFICER: THE GENTLEMANFROM ILLINOIS.

{16:19:12 NSP} (MR. DURBIN) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

MR. DURBIN: RESERVING THE RIGHT TO OBJECT. UNDER THE FILIBUSTER

RULES OF THE SENATE, THERE IS A REQUIREMENT OF 60 VOTES FOR

CLOTURE. WE HAVE SAID THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A TIMELY

VOTE ON THIS PENDING AMENDMENT, A MAJORITY VOTE, THE SAME AS

THE VOTE THAT SPEAKER BOEHNER HAD IN THE HOUSE, AND I WOULD

OBJECT UNLESS THE SENATOR FROM KENTUCKY WANTS TO AMEND HIS

UNANIMOUS CONSENT REQUEST TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THIS WILL BE A

UNANIMOUS CONSENT WHICH I HAVE SPELLED OUT HERE IN DETAIL IF

HE'D LIKE ME TO PRESENT IT.

{16:19:45 NSP} (MR. PAUL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

MR. PAUL: RESERVING THE RIGHT TO OBJECT, I WOULD REMIND THE

SENATOR THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SENATE AND THE

HOUSE. OUR FOUNDING FATHERS GAVE GREAT POWER AND LEEWAY TO THE

SENATE. WE WERE MEANT TO BE A CHECK AND A BALANCE AGAINST

UNBRIDLED ENTHUSIASM SOMETIMES FROM ONE PARTY OR ANOTHER, AND

SO I WOULD OBJECT TO THAT MOTION.

{16:20:07 NSP} (THE PRESIDING OFFICER) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

THE PRESIDING OFFICER: IS THERE OBJECTION TO THE ORIGINAL

REQUEST?

{16:20:09 NSP} (MR. DURBIN) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

MR. DURBIN: OBJECT.

{16:20:13 NSP} (THE PRESIDING OFFICER) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

THE PRESIDING OFFICER: OBJECTION IS HEARD.

{16:20:15 NSP} (MR. PAUL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

MR. PAUL: MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT I BE

ALLOWED TO PRESENT AN AMENDMENT. THIS AMENDMENT WOULD BE AN

AMENDMENT TO THE REID BILL, AND UNDER THIS AMENDMENT WHAT WOULD

HAPPEN IS I HAVE AT LEAST 10 REPUBLICANS WHO WILL VOTE FOR THE

HARRY REID BILL WHICH WOULD ALLOW A COMPROMISE, WHICH WOULD

ALLOW THE DEBT CEILING TO RISE. I KNOW THE PRESIDENT IS WORRIED

ABOUT HAVING CAMPAIGN TIME. HE'S WORRIED ABOUT GETTING BACK OUT

AND DOING SOME FUNDRAISERS. HE DOESN'T WANT TO CONSIDER THE

DEBT CEILING AGAIN BEFORE HIS ELECTION OR HIS RE-ELECTION

CAMPAIGN. SO THIS AMENDMENT THAT I WOULD OFFER WOULD ALLOW US

{16:20:45} (MR. PAUL) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

TO MOVE FORWARD IN A BIPARTISAN WAY. ALL REPUBLICANS ARE ASKING

FOR IS THAT WE BALANCE OUR BUDGET GRADUALLY OVER A SEVEN TO

EIGHT-YEAR PERIOD. WHAT THIS AMENDMENT WHAT DO AND I'M ASKING

UNANIMOUS CONSENT TO PRESENT IS AN AMENDMENT THAT SAYS WE WILL

RAISE THE DEBT CEILING CONTINGENT UPON BADGE OF A BALANCED

BUDGET AMENDMENT. BY ASK UNANIMOUS CONSENT THAT I BE ALLOWED TO

PRESENT THIS AMENDMENT TO THE REID BILL.

{16:21:13 NSP} (THE PRESIDING OFFICER) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

THE PRESIDING OFFICER: IS THERE OBJECTION?

{16:21:15 NSP} (MR. DURBIN) { NOT AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT }

MR. DURBIN: MR. PRESIDENT, I OBJECT.