Senate Postal Amendments Slimmed Down

Senate leaders late Thursday reached a compromise on which amendments may be added to the postal reform bill, S. 1789.  Votes on 39 amendments -- or a potentially a shorter list of amendments -- will occur on Tuesday afternoon.  Seventy-eight amendments had been filed by Senators.  NAPS is currently studying the amendment text to determine which amendments it will support or oppose.  Further details will be forthcoming.

The compromise came after Majority Leader Reid invoked a procedural measure to block Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) from adding an amendment to the postal reform measure that would have cut off American funding to Egypt. Paul's amendment did not make the list of 39 that Reid announced.  Underlying the agreement was a new parliamentary approach to allow amendments that are "relevant" to the measure being amended, not "germane."

The Senate agreement on amendments includes an additional requirement that all amendments subject to recorded votes -- as well as the final vote on the amended measure -- will require 60 affirmative votes.  Some amendments may be subject to unrecorded voice votes.

The Senate will reconvene on Monday for continued debate on the postal measure, along with other unrelated business.

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