Peter Suber’s latest post needs no comment:
Tonight the Senate passed the Labor-HHS appropriations bill containing the provision to mandate OA at the NIH. More, the vote was a veto-proof 75-19.
Comments
- Neither of the harmful Inhofe amendments was part of the final bill.
- Yes, this is big, even if we cleared this hurdle only to face a Bush veto.
- When the same language was adopted by the House (July 19, 2007), it only received 276 votes, when it needed 290 to be veto-proof. Hence, it’s not at all clear that the full Congress will be able to override a Bush veto, something both sides know very well. However, as we go into post-veto strategies, we’re much better off with this language having passed both houses than having passed only one. More later.
But it does deserve a (CAUTIOUS) celebration. We’ll be at the Panton Arms as usual on Friday lunchtime – 1230.