A Filibuster in the House?

ABC's Jonathan Karl reports: Filibusters – the art of talking a bill to death — are done in the Senate, but tonight Republican House Leader John Boehner is attempting a filibuster in the House.

Just as the House was set tovote on the climate/energy bill, a top priority of President Obama, Boehner took to the House floor and began to read a 309-page “managers’ amendment” released by Democrats at 3am Friday morning.

“I hate to do this to you,” Boehner said, “but when you file an amendment at 3:05 a.m., I think we ought to understand what is in it.”

Normally, time for debate is strictly limited in the House, but by tradition the House allows party leaders to speak before going to a final vote. Boehner is using his time to read, and make comments on, the entire 309-page amendment.

A frustrated Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), chief sponsor of the bill, attempted to cut Boehner off but was unsuccessful.

Boehner’s gambit puts the timing of the vote in question, but not the outcome. Democrats, after a 48-hour, full-court press say they now have the votes to pass the bill.

Getting the votes hasn’t been easy. Democrats even brought Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) out of rehab to be present for the vote. Kennedy, who has battled drug addiction, checked himself into rehab two weeks ago.

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Tags: Filibuster, house

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