Toomey chides Senate for not voting on legislation for two weeks

“Could we please get on this bill,” Toomey said on the Senate floor. “I think we’re on our second consecutive week where we have not had a single vote on a legislative matter. … This is unacceptable.”

{mosads}Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) introduced S. 1392, which contains measures to boost building codes, train workers in energy efficient building technologies, help manufacturers become more efficient and bolster conservation efforts at federal agencies, among other provisions.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has complained that Republicans are insisting on amendment votes unrelated to the bill.

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) is pushing an amendment that would require the president, the vice president, political appointees and all congressional staffers to use ObamaCare’s health exchanges, and limit tax subsidies that would make coverage more affordable for federal employees.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is also calling for a vote on his amendment that would delay the individual mandate requiring people to buy health insurance or pay a fee. McConnell said it’s unfair to treat individuals differently than businesses under ObamaCare since the administration delayed the employer mandate until 2015.

Reid said Wednesday that if the deal isn’t reached soon, the Senate would scrap the energy bill and instead take up a technology jobs bill — the High Technology Jobs Preservation Act, S. 1513.