The MOBILE NOW Act failed to secure passage thanks to the ongoing battle between Democrats and Republicans over stranded nominees, including Jessica Rosenworcel's renomination and the nomination of Merrick Garland to fill the empty Supreme Court seat.
Following two failed attempts to pass a continuing resolution, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) took to the Senate floor Tuesday to ask for unanimous consent to pass the bipartisan bill, but Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) once again said no dice while those nominations continue to be in limbo.
Thune's call for UC passage, essentially a procedural short-cut for noncontroversial bills, forced at least one senator to object or the measure would have passed. That was an angry Reid.
Reid said, quoting former Sen. Bob Dole: "If you don't keep your word, is doesn't matter what agenda you try to advance," making it clear that applied to the advancement of mobile wireless.
Reid said that while he had great respect for Thune, he was not going to let the bill through, at least not today.
He said he was still waiting for Republicans to keep the promise they had made 18 months ago on that same Senate floor to hold a confirmation vote on Rosenworcel and that they could bring up MOBILE NOW as much as they wanted, it wasn’t getting voted.
Reid back in April also hammered Republicans in a floor speech over the Rosenworcel deal/No Deal.
Thune said he was also disappointed, He said he knew Reid was frustrated with the inaction on Rosenworcel, but that it was out of his hands and he had done everything he could, including voting her out of the committee--unanimously. He said scheduling the floor was not in his control.
