Omnibus deal struck?

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From Politico:

Cuba-omnibus deal in the works?

March 06, 2009

The White House is talking with Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) about breaking the embarrassing impasse over the $410 billion omnibus bill — which they have effectively blocked over objections to a House-inserted provision to loosen travel/importation restrictions to Cuba.

The senators, who have taken a hard line against the Castro regime, are looking for written assurances that the inclusion of a “general license” provision for the importation of goods to Cuba in the House bill won’t result in a de facto suspension of the embargo, according to people with knowledge of the situation.

Obama has given preliminary assurances and a written agreement could be in the works by Monday, a staffer told POLITICO.
Menendez, who is Cuban-American, refused to vote yes on a cloture motion for the omnibus last night, forcing Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to postpone the vote until next week — and pass an emergency stopgap funding bill today.

Menendez’s “no” has sparked a firestorm in the lefty blogosphere — He’s the chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and, hence, a key member of Reid’s leadership group. But Menendez made his objections known early, sources say, and made no secret of his opposition to any measure that contained the Cuba provision.

5 thoughts on “Omnibus deal struck?”

  1. Val,

    This how I believe Obama will betray the Senators.

    All Obama had to do was to request the removal of this language from the bill and instead leaves it.

    I don’t believe in any written or un-written promises given by President Obama, period. He’ll break them as soon as he feels like it (please remember the many pledges he made during the Presidential campaign).

    At the end, Bob Menendez and Bill Nelson will be left holding the bag.

    Remember this statement I’m making today:

    Bob Menendez will come to regret that he did not force the President to remove this language from the bill.

  2. The bill cant be opened and thus I dont think the language can be removed. Theyre trying to implement new regulations that will neutralize the effect of the cuba language in the bill.

  3. If the bill can’t be opened and the language still is there I think that we’re screwed because down the line President Obama and the liberals will try to do business with Havana and the bill’s language will protect them, regardless of the regulations.

    I hope that I’m wrong but I don’t trust President Obama and the liberals as far as I can piss.

  5. Cigar Mike,

    If that is the case then Bob Menendez should fight tooth and nail for that amendment and don’t compromise with the administration.

    I’m afraid that at one point he’ll fall for Obama’s bullshit and leave the language in the bill.

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