Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio) has decided to vote yes for the small-business bill, a deficit-neutral package of tax breaks that has been held up for months in
“„In an interview, Voinovich said he could no longer support Republican efforts to delay the measure in hopes of winning the right to offer additional amendments. Most of the proposed GOP amendments “didn’t have anything to do with the bill” anyway, Voinovich said, and amounted merely to partisan “messaging.”
“„“We don’t have time for messaging,” Voinovich said. “We don’t have time anymore. This country is really hurting.”
“„Voinovich said he told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) that, if a single amendment to reduce paperwork for business owners is considered on the floor, he would add his vote to that of the 59 senators who caucus with Democrats. That would give the majority party the 60 votes needed to overcome a possible GOP filibuster and approve the package when Congress returns to Washington next week.