After a long day of speeches, still no progress on STOCK Act

Minutes before the Senate shutdown for the evening, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) took the floor to concede there would be no votes on amendments until at least Thursday morning.  The last vote that took place was on Monday night when the bill was advanced 93-2. 

“We have not been able to reach an agreement… on this simple bill,” said Reid, frustration evident in his voice. “I remember, everybody loved the bill. I thought we would be able to finish it quickly but it hasn’t worked out that way.”

Reid however did sound a note of optimism saying “we are close” and suggested it was still possible for the Senate to complete work on the bill, which is designed to affirm that it is illegal for lawmakers to engage in insider-trading, by Thursday night.

Reid announced on Monday he would allow an open amendment process for a change but implored his colleagues not to abuse his generosity by offering non-germane amendments that could sink the legislation. Sens. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Scott Brown (R-Mass.), the bill’s floor managers, also repeatedly requested throughout Tuesday and Wednesday, that their colleagues keep their amendments on topic.