Senate Republicans shut down debate in the early morning hours of April 19 to force votes on two bills related to Gov. Matt Blunt’s plan to sell Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority assets. The sale would raise $350 million to pay for construction and maintenance projects at state colleges and universities. Democrats say the sale would jeopardize MOHELA’s ability to continue providing low-cost student loans and had kept plan, which failed to clear the legislature last year, stalled for more than a month.
The plan approved by the Senate, however, bears little resemblance to the governor’s proposal promote life sciences research and economic development in Missouri. Republicans stripped the plan’s centerpiece – an $89.5 million life sciences research center at the University of Missouri-Columbia – and also removed funding for other projects at the UM System’s Columbia and Kansas City campuses.
The Senate gave first-round approval to SB 389, which provides legal authorization for the sale, on vote of 21-12. The Senate voted 20-13 to send HB 16, which contains the project list, back to the House for final approval.
SB 389 and HB 16 were just the seventh and eighth bills since 1970 on which the Senate shut down debate to force votes. Five of those actions have come since Republicans took control of the Senate in 2001. Unlike in the House of Representatives where the majority party routinely uses its power to cut off discussion, Senate tradition allows for indefinite debate.
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2 comments:
I am absolutely infuriated that the republicans are punishing students by withdrawing project funding just because two democrats were doing what they could to stop something they didn't agree with.
I am a 2005 UM-KC grad and I disagree with the MOHELA bill. But it's being forced through regardless so why punish the students?
check out the behind the scenes of MoHELA at joliejustus.blogspot.com
and thanks Representative - great blog!
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