Senate Votes Tonight on Healthcare

The Senate vote tonight is a vote to "invoke cloture" on the motion to proceed on the bill. Sixty votes are required.
If the motion does pass tonight, we are likely looking at several weeks of further debate on the Senate floor before a vote on the actual bill takes place.

From Take Back Medicine:

Breakdown of the Senate's schedule for today:

The Senate convened at 9:45 AM est and resumed debate on the motion to proceed to H.R. 3590 (shell for the health care bill) until 8:00 PM. The time will be equally divided and controlled in one hour alternating blocks until 6:00 PM, with the Majority controlling the first hour.

The time from 6:00-6:30 PM will be under Majority control, the time from 6:30-7:15 PM will be under Minority control, the time from 7:15-7:30 PM will be under Majority control and the final 30 minutes will be divided equally between the two leaders with the Republican Leader controlling the first 15 minutes.

At 8:00 PM the Senate will proceed to vote on the motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 3590. If cloture is invoked, all post-cloture time will be yielded back, the motion to proceed will be agreed to and the Majority Leader will be recognized to offer a substitute amendment which will be reported be number only.

Please let your Senators know that you do not support government take-over of healthcare. If you are in an area where you do not think your voice will change your Senator's vote, consider writing to a Senator who may still be "on the fence" and let them know that you will financially support their opposition next election if they vote yes tonight. Or choose from the list below:

(via TIA Daily)
Richard Chudacoff of MillionMedMarch helpfully provides contact information for four senators considered to be persuadable on this vote.

Senator Bill Nelson (NE)
Chief of Staff: Tim Becker (timothy_becker@bennelson.senate.gov)
Washington, DC (202) 224-6551 / (202) 228-0012 fax
Lincoln (402) 441-4600 / (402) 476-8753 fax
Omaha (402) 391-3411 / (402) 391-4725 fax

Senator Blanche Lincoln (AR)
Chief of Staff: Elizabeth Burks (elizabeth_burks@lincoln.senate.gov)
Washington, DC (202) 224-4843 / (202) 228-1371 fax
Little Rock (800) 352-9364 / (501) 375-7064 fax

Senator Mary Landrieu (LA)
Chief of Staff: Jane Campbell (jane_campbell@landrieu.senate.gov)
Washington, DC (202) 224-5824 / (202) 224-9735 fax
New Orleans (504) 589-2427 / (504) 589-4023 fax
Baton Rouge (225) 389-0395 / (225) 389-0660 fax
Shreveport (318) 676-3085 / (318) 676-3100 fax
Lake Charles (337) 436-6650 / (337) 439-3762 fax

Senator Mark Warner (VA)
Chief of Staff: Luke Albee (luke_albee@warner.senate.gov)
Washington, DC (202) 224-2023 / (202) 224-6295 fax
Abingdon (276) 628-8158 / (276) 628-1036 fax
Norfolk (757) 441-3079 / (757) 441-6250 fax
Roanoke (540) 857-2676 / (540) 857-2800 fax
Midlothian (804) 739-0247 / (804) 739-3478 fax

Act now to help preserve freedom of choice in health care!


(Correction: Deleted sentence which erroneously stated that filibuster would be prevented by passage of tonight's motion.)


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