More obstructionism from Mitch

Today the DSCC issued this press release:

McConnell Chooses Politics Over Bills To Stop Child Predators, Fight Disease
Opposes Package of Non-Controversial, Bi-Partisan Bills, Some of Which He Cosponsored

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell voted against a package of 35 non-controversial bills today, some of which he cosponsored, while instructing Republicans to block all bills in the Senate. The bills McConnell voted against, all but one of which already passed the House by huge bipartisan margins, have all been blocked by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), who has single-handedly obstructed nearly 80 bills – the most of any senator. The bills in today’s package cover a huge range of subjects, from protecting children from sexual predators to improving stroke prevention to expanding access to broadband internet services to helping victims of Lou Gehrig’s disease and paralysis.

“Anyone who thinks it doesn’t matter who represents them in Washington should pay attention to what Mitch McConnell did in the Senate today,” DSCC spokesman Matthew Miller said. “Mitch McConnell chose delivering his party’s marching orders over protecting our children and helping victims of stroke and paralysis. Kentucky deserves better than a politician who plays partisan games with vital legislation.”

Nearly every bill in the package passed a Senate committee by a unanimous voice vote, all have Republican cosponsors, and nearly a third were written by Republican Senators.

Below is a complete list of the bills McConnell opposed today:

HELP Committee bills
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Registry Act (S. 1382/HR 2295)
Christoper and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act (S. 1183/HR 1727)
Stroke Treatment and Ongoing Prevention Act (S. 999/HR 477)
Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act (S. 1375)
Vision Care for Kids Act (HR 507/S. 1117)
Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act (S. 1810/HR 3112)

Judiciary Committee bills
Emmitt Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crimes Act (S. 535/HR 923)
Mentally Ill Offender Treatment and Crime Reduction Reauthorization and Improvement Act (S. 2304/HR 3992)
Drug Endangered Kids (HR 1199/S. 1210)
Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act (S. 2982/HR 5524)
Effective Child Pornography Prosecution Act (HR 4120)
Enhancing the Effective Prosecution of Child Pornography (S. 2869/HR 4136)
PROTECT Our Children Act (HR 3845/S 1738)
Star-Spangled Banner and War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission (S. 1079/HR 1389)

Foreign Relations Committee bills
Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act (HR 1469/S 991)
Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management Act (HR 1084/S 613)
OPIC Reauthorization (HR 2798/S 2349)
Tropical Forest and Coral Conservation Reauthorization Act (S. 2020/HR 2185)
Torture Victims Relief Reauthorization Act (HR 1678/S 840)
Support for the Museum of the History of Polish Jews Act (HR 3320)

Homeland Security Government Affairs Committee bills
National Capital Transportation Amendments Act(S. 1446/HR 401)
Preservation of Records of Servitude, Emancipation, and Post-Civil War Reconstruction Act (HR 390)
Predisaster Hazard Mitigation Act (HR 6109/S. 3175)

Commerce Committee bills
Broadband Data Improvement Act (S. 1492/HR 3919)
Hydrographic Services Improvement Act Amendments (S. 1582/HR 3352)
Ocean Exploration, Mapping & Research (HR 1834/HR 2400/S. 39)
National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act (S 3160/HR 5618)
Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act (S. 950/HR 2342)
Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act (S. 1581/HR 4174)
Training for Realtime Writers Act (S. 675/HR 1687)

Environment and Public Works Committee bills
Captive Primate Safety Act (S. 1498/HR 4933)
The Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing Authorization Act (S. 2707/HR 5540)
Beach Protection Act (S 2844/HR 2537)
Appalachian Regional Development Act Amendments of 2008 (S. 496/HR 799)

Rules bill
Smithsonian greenhouse bill (HR 5492)