Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid sets up Monday vote on ENDA

The Washington Blade has the details:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) officially set up a Monday vote for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act by filing cloture for the bill on the Senate floor Thursday evening.

Reid made the announcement on the Senate with little fanfare. He didn’t explicitly address ENDA during his remarks before he moved on to other business and adjourned the Senate until Monday at 2 pm.

Falz Shakir, a Reid spokesperson, estimated the cloture vote on ENDA would take place around 5:45 on Monday.

By filing cloture on the bill, Reid starts for the time period for when cloture vote will take place to enable the bill to move to the floor. After filing for cloture, the vote will take place after an intervening day and one hour pass. For a successful vote on cloture, 60 votes are required in the Senate.

After cloture is invoked, up to 30 hours of debate can take place before a vote happens on final passage, which requires a simple majority. But the vote for final passage could take place sooner if both parties agree to give up the time.

The bill currently is supported by all 55 members of the Democratic caucus, plus co-sponsors Republicans Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Mark Kirk (R-IL). Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) voted for the bill in committee so they are considered supporters. One more vote is needed to get over the threshold.