[12:30 PM]
I will be spending the next two days in the Capitol reporting on what is happening.
On today’s docket, the Senate will move forward with the compromise budget between Senate Democrats, Republicans and Governor Wolf. On the other hand, House Republicans are gearing up on sending their budget, House Bill 1460, out of committee and to the floor. The bill has not been amended to this point, and we will know more about that later on today.
“This is a Mess”
“This is a mess” or “this is a fucking mess” – you pick your wording – but this is what everyone has been echoing in the halls of the capitol. Some believe that House Republicans are throwing an intentional tantrum to sell the song and pony dance to their constituents back home, but others believe that they are serious on tanking the budget. One thing is known though. House Republicans do not have the votes to pass a budget bill through their caucus. If a budget bill is going to get done, they will need House Democrats to bail them out like they did with last year’s transportation bill.
“This is a mess” says everyone in the Capitol. #PABudget
— Sean Kitchen (@RCPress_Sean) December 7, 2015
Turzai v. Reed Over the weekend, I reported that there was a Game of Thrones esque blow up between House Speaker Mike Turzai and House Majority Leader David Reed. Political insiders are claiming that the two have made up and kissed, but others say Saturday’s blow-up brings them back to the day when former House Speakers Bill DeWeese and Denny O’Brien went at each other.
@AngryTomWolf, feud between Turzai and Reed occurred. Draws parallels to DeWesse and O’Brien #PABudget — Sean Kitchen (@RCPress_Sean) December 7, 2015
But it is almost Christmas so the capitol is decked with decorations and caroling choirs
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in a #PABudget less Pennsylvania pic.twitter.com/BtODEHUcUv — Sean Kitchen (@RCPress_Sean) December 7, 2015
[2:05]
Definition of insanity, watching House Appropriations Chair defend @PAHouseGOP #PABudget after Senate passes budget with 43 votes. — Sean Kitchen (@RCPress_Sean) December 7, 2015
The Pennsylvania Senate just passed one of the main budget bills with a 43-7 vote.
Minutes later, the House Appropriations Chair Bill Adolph opened the meeting defending the bare bones budget and passed their budget amendment and bill on a party line vote.
State Representative Madeleine Dean asked Adolph “how can I vote on a bill that was handed to me as I walked in the door.” Adolph responds, off the camera, have until tomorrow to read the bill and decide.
.@RepMDean “I was asked to vote on a bill as I walked through the door” Adolph “you’ll have a day to read over it.” #PABudget
— Sean Kitchen (@RCPress_Sean) December 7, 2015
After the committee passed House Bill 1460 on a party line vote, Adolph was asked by a reporter how come House Republicans are consistently passing bills on a party line vote. I was able to follow up with the following.
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