U.S. Senate's 'first baby' on hand for confirmation vote

By Richard Cowan

 

A little history was made in Washington on Thursday - little in the form of a newborn who became the first baby ever to appear on the floor of the U.S. Senate during a vote. A swaddled 11-day-old Maile Pearl Bowlsbey arrived on the floor of the chamber carried by her mother, Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth. 

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A little history was made in Washington on Thursday - little in the form of a newborn who became the first baby ever to appear on the floor of the U.S. Senate during a vote.

 

A swaddled 11-day-old Maile Pearl Bowlsbey arrived on the floor of the chamber carried by her mother, Senator Tammy Duckworth, as the Illinois Democrat came to vote on President Donald Trump's nominee to become head of the NASA space agency.

 

The historic mother-daughter arrival was made possible by a change in Senate rules late on Wednesday, enabling young children of senators to be brought onto the floor of the chamber during votes.

 

Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran who lost both her legs and partial use of her right arm when her helicopter was shot down during combat in 2004, was greeted with applause in the normally staid Senate as she and Maile were wheeled into the chamber.

 

Duckworth flashed a "thumbs-down" to the Senate clerk to record her vote and then was rushed by fellow senators - Republicans and Democrats - eager for a glance at the chamber's "first baby."

 

Some reporters in the press gallery peering down at the floor action even let out audible coos, prompting Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer to gaze upward and quip: "The press is finally interested in something worthwhile."

 

Vice President Mike Pence was waiting in the wings, not to witness history in the making but in case he was needed to break a potential tie vote on James Bridenstine to become NASA administrator.

 

In the end, Pence was not pressed into action for the 50-49 vote confirming Bridenstine, which a pink-capped Maile slept through.

 

(Reporting by Richard Cowan; Additional reporting by Amanda Becker; Editing by Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-04-20

As she is 1/2 Thai, perhaps she could give some pointers to the current Thai government.

Nice story.  I like Sen. Duckworth.  It's cool how she's half Thai and a combat hero.

 

Incidentally, Republican Senator Flake (in Wednesday's procedural vote) voted against Trump's NASA nominee, which would have made it a loss for Trump. 

 

However, Flake was bullied by his Republican buddies to change his vote, ...which he did.  Flake has a backbone akin to Ryan's:  a garden hose stuffed with overcooked macaroni.  McCain was absent due to illness.

 

I heard that lap dog Pence was not in the vicinity on Wednesday.

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/04/19/politics/nasa-vote-jim-bridenstine-jeff-flake-tammy-duckworth-senate-congress/index.html

While I may disagree with many of her political views and positions, I agree that the ability to have an infant with the member, while active voting is underway, is the right thing to do, and that’s regardless of party or other political alignments.


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8 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

Nice story.  I like Sen. Duckworth.  It's cool how she's half Thai and a combat hero.

 

Incidentally, Republican Senator Flake (in Wednesday's procedural vote) voted against Trump's NASA nominee, which would have made it a loss for Trump. 

 

However, Flake was bullied by his Republican buddies to change his vote, ...which he did.  Flake has a backbone akin to Ryan's:  a garden hose stuffed with overcooked macaroni.  McCain was absent due to illness.

 

I heard that lap dog Pence was not in the vicinity on Wednesday.

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/04/19/politics/nasa-vote-jim-bridenstine-jeff-flake-tammy-duckworth-senate-congress/index.html

Pence can only vote when it's a 50/50 tie.  With McCain out and having an odd number in the senate a tie is impossible.

Hope don the draft dodger and hIs equally odious NSA bolton never sullied the occasion.

Duckworth had the courage to enlist and serve in a combat zone.

Those 2  obviously dont have cojones preferring to let otjwrs do the real fighting.

She's helluva woman. To have suffered such extensive combat injuries, then gone on to create a successful political career, and have a baby, not half bad.

A lesser person could have easily given up, taken to the bottle or worse.

Thailand should reward her with a honorary citizenship.

3 hours ago, saakura said:

Thailand should reward her with a honorary citizenship.

No, they only do that with a man who hits a little white ball with a stick.

Darth Vader (injured in service to the Republic)  should have brought his children to the senate floor, things could of turned out different for an entire Galaxy.

 

Birth, money, power is the same privileges in USA as any where else in the world.

Whatever. A political correct stunt of disruption. Nursing is a natural process. There is a way to do it without disrupting the Senate. If I was a Senator sometime I might have to take a dump. They have special rooms called toilets for that, same thing.

 

30 minutes ago, ChiangMaiLightning2143 said:

Whatever. A political correct stunt of disruption. Nursing is a natural process. There is a way to do it without disrupting the Senate. If I was a Senator sometime I might have to take a dump. They have special rooms called toilets for that, same thing.

 

It's 2018 already, would you like the world to stop so you can get off?

Senators have nannies, personal assistants and can save their “milk” in the fridge. This is nothing more than a stunt to convince the public they are guilty of not being some disadvantaged minority.