Reid, Coburn in floor spat over shark bill

The feud between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)
and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) flared up again Wednesday over Coburn’s objection
to a bill protecting sharks.

The shark legislation, which deals with a prohibition on the
harvesting of shark fins, was one of several bipartisan bills intended to
protect wildlife that drew objections from Coburn on Wednesday.

{mosads}Reid called the bills “issues of good moral conscience,” but
Coburn objected that they were gifts to special interest groups that would
widen the deficit.

The fight began when Reid asked for unanimous consent to
approve the Crane Conservation Act, marine mammals rescue assistance
legislation, the Great Cats and Rare Canids Act, the Shark Conservation Act and
the Southern Sea Otter Recovery and Research Act. All of the bills have already
passed the House.

“Today we have the opportunity to help a great number of
species,” Reid said in an impassioned plea for the bills on Tuesday evening.

Reid noted the Shark Conservation Act would improve federal
enforcement of an existing prohibition on the harvesting of shark fins.

“Because of a loophole in the existing law, animals are
still caught, their fins are severed and the dismembered shark is thrown back
in the ocean to die,” said Reid. “But they don’t die. They suffer a horrible
and protracted death. All that cruelty for a bowl of soup.”

Coburn has clashed often with Reid during the 111^th
Congress, often throwing up objections to business the Democratic leader
considers routine and slowing the pace of work.

Their relationship got off to a bad start at the beginning
of the 111th when Coburn blocked a routine request by Reid to introduce the
Omnibus Public Land Management Act, which was a top priority of the leader.
Reid scheduled an unusual Sunday vote to overrule Coburn. 

When Coburn asked Wednesday to be recognized on the Senate
floor — a routine request — Reid objected, leaving Coburn momentarily
speechless.

Coburn then stood up on the floor an explained his
opposition.

Coburn said the Senate should be working on ways to lower
the federal deficit.

“The problems that are facing this country are so big and so
massive that our attention ought to be focused on those large problems, not on
five separate bills that have been proffered for special interest groups.”

Coburn said the bills would add to the federal deficit at a
time “when our economy is languishing because we continue to grow the federal
government.”