The action in the Senate comes two weeks after the House approved a health overhaul bill of its own on a 220-215 vote. After the vote Saturday night, senators will leave for a Thanksgiving recess. Upon their return, assuming Democrats prevail on the vote, they will launch into weeks or more of unpredictable debate on the health care bill, with numerous amendments expected from both sides of the aisle and more 60-vote hurdles along the way.
Senate leaders hope to pass their bill by the end of the year. If that happens, January would bring work to reconcile the House and Senate versions before a final package could land on Obama's desk.
[...] The Senate bill was written by Reid in private negotiations with White House officials, combining elements of two committee-passed bills and making additional changes with an eye to getting the necessary 60 votes.
Along the way, Reid sweetened the pot for individual senators, adding federal funds for Louisiana and agreeing to support an amendment written by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., that would expand eligibility for the purchasing exchanges.
SOURCE: Fox News
Saturday, November 21, 2009
The $100 Million Health Care Vote
What does it take to get a wavering senator to vote for health care reform?
Here’s a case study.
On page 432 of the Reid bill, there is a section increasing federal Medicaid subsidies for “certain states recovering from a major disaster.”
The section spends two pages defining which “states” would qualify, saying, among other things, that it would be states that “during the preceding 7 fiscal years” have been declared a “major disaster area.”
I am told the section applies to exactly one state: Louisiana, the home of moderate Democrat Mary Landrieu, who has been playing hard to get on the health care bill.
SOURCE: ABC News
Here’s a case study.
On page 432 of the Reid bill, there is a section increasing federal Medicaid subsidies for “certain states recovering from a major disaster.”
The section spends two pages defining which “states” would qualify, saying, among other things, that it would be states that “during the preceding 7 fiscal years” have been declared a “major disaster area.”
I am told the section applies to exactly one state: Louisiana, the home of moderate Democrat Mary Landrieu, who has been playing hard to get on the health care bill.
SOURCE: ABC News
Historic health care bill clears Senate hurdle
Invoking the memory of Edward M. Kennedy, Democrats united Saturday night to push historic health care legislation past a key Senate hurdle over the opposition of Republicans eager to inflict a punishing defeat on President Barack Obama. There was not a vote to spare.
The 60-39 vote cleared the way for a bruising, full-scale debate beginning after Thanksgiving on the legislation, which is designed to extend coverage to roughly 31 million who lack it, crack down on insurance company practices that deny or dilute benefits and curtail the growth of spending on medical care nationally.
SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News
The 60-39 vote cleared the way for a bruising, full-scale debate beginning after Thanksgiving on the legislation, which is designed to extend coverage to roughly 31 million who lack it, crack down on insurance company practices that deny or dilute benefits and curtail the growth of spending on medical care nationally.
SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News
The Parliamentary Fight
As the Senate takes the first procedural vote Saturday on health care reform, I thought we should run down the procedural situation that Senators find themselves in.
It's not simple.
First, this vote is not like the vote two weeks ago in the House on health care reform.
That was on an entire bill.
This vote is basically whether debate should officially start on health care.
And to be 100% accurate about it, the Senate is not even voting to start work on a health care bill.
"Huh?" you say?
The Senate is voting on the Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 3590, the Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act of 2009.
That means, the Senate is voting to shut off debate on the motion to start debate on the underlying bill.
Instead of using the House-passed health care bill, Democrats are using a bill that was already approved by the House - which raises money - so it doesn't violate the Constitution's requirement that all money bills originate in the House of Representatives.
Once the Senate officially starts debate on H.R. 3590, then the real fun begins, as Democrats will offer the text of the changes put together by Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid as a substitute amendment to that bill.
That will start the real battle. Sen. Reid will probably file the first amendment to the substitute, and control amendments procedurally from there.
He might even "fill the amendment tree" - but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.
This is step one. On what we refer to as "The Deuce" (C-SPAN2) it will read:
Don't forget, the Democrats need 60 votes today. Anything less, and all hell breaks loose.
SOURCE: Jamie Dupree
It's not simple.
First, this vote is not like the vote two weeks ago in the House on health care reform.
That was on an entire bill.
This vote is basically whether debate should officially start on health care.
And to be 100% accurate about it, the Senate is not even voting to start work on a health care bill.
"Huh?" you say?
The Senate is voting on the Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 3590, the Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act of 2009.
That means, the Senate is voting to shut off debate on the motion to start debate on the underlying bill.
Instead of using the House-passed health care bill, Democrats are using a bill that was already approved by the House - which raises money - so it doesn't violate the Constitution's requirement that all money bills originate in the House of Representatives.
Once the Senate officially starts debate on H.R. 3590, then the real fun begins, as Democrats will offer the text of the changes put together by Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid as a substitute amendment to that bill.
That will start the real battle. Sen. Reid will probably file the first amendment to the substitute, and control amendments procedurally from there.
He might even "fill the amendment tree" - but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.
This is step one. On what we refer to as "The Deuce" (C-SPAN2) it will read:
"Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 3590, the Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act of 2009."
Don't forget, the Democrats need 60 votes today. Anything less, and all hell breaks loose.
SOURCE: Jamie Dupree
Not True Reform [video]
Republicans are using their weekly radio and Internet address to criticize health care legislation coming up for a test vote in the Senate. (Nov. 21)
SOURCE: Associated Press
SOURCE: Associated Press
1st Senate vote looms on health legislation
A crucial first Senate vote on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul in a rare Saturday night session looms as a test of Democratic unity and the president's prestige.
Democratic leaders are optimistic of success, but they need every Democrat and both independents to vote "yes," and two moderates remained uncommitted ahead of the roll call, which is expected around 8 p.m. The vote will determine whether debate can go forward on Majority Leader Harry Reid's 2,074-page bill to dramatically remake the U.S. health care system over the next decade.
SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News
Democratic leaders are optimistic of success, but they need every Democrat and both independents to vote "yes," and two moderates remained uncommitted ahead of the roll call, which is expected around 8 p.m. The vote will determine whether debate can go forward on Majority Leader Harry Reid's 2,074-page bill to dramatically remake the U.S. health care system over the next decade.
SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
