"The Senate Parliamentarian's office has informed Senate Republicans that reconciliation instructions require the measure to make changes in law," Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, said in an e-mail. U.S. stocks rose on the news, reversing earlier losses. The Standard & Poor's 500 Managed Health Care Index climbed 1.6 percent, after earlier dropping as much as 0.7 percent.... House Democrats are seeking assurance [from Senate Democrats] that the reconciliation changes [amendments to Baucus bill] will become law [IF House Democrats pass Baucus bill as referred by not-conference committee]. Lawmakers in the chamber originally sought to have the Senate act first on reconciliation [draft a budget excerpt from Baucus bill for bi-cameral vote]; then they wanted Obama to delay signing the 10-year, $875 billion Senate bill until the changes [House negotiated amendments] were passed. Read more...
House Democrats are seeking assurance [from Senate Democrats] that the reconciliation changes [amendments to Baucus bill] will become law [IF House Democrats pass Baucus bill as referred by not-conference committee]. Lawmakers in the chamber originally sought to have the Senate act first on reconciliation [draft a budget excerpt from Baucus bill for bi-cameral vote]; then they wanted Obama to delay signing the 10-year, $875 billion Senate bill until the changes [House negotiated amendments] were passed.
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Gregg said Republicans would force votes on a provision in the 1974 bill that says reconciliation can only be used to amend laws, plus another longstanding Senate rule that says reconciliation can only be used for budget-related issues, plus yet another Senate rule that says 60 votes are necessary to waive the budget-only rule. Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) sent a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) that insisted he had 41 votes for the last roadblock, thereby denying Democrats the magic 60. Read more...
Possibly related post:
Jan 2010 Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
"Liberal health reform advocates have encircled Washington's Ritz Carlton Hotel, site of the industry's annual policy conference. Labor organizers and the heads of liberal advocacy groups are now addressing the crowd as they move closer to an attempted 'citizen's arrest'." Read more...
"Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean addressed the crowd gathered at Dupont Circle, calling on Congress to take a final vote on the proposed health care overhaul. 'We deserve a vote,' he said. 'This is a vote about one thing - are you for the insurance companies or for the American people?'" Read more...
"The demonstration, which drew several thousand protestors from as far away as Illinois and California, was organized by groups that for more than a year have pushed Congress to create a government-run insurance plan to compete with private insurers as part of national healthcare overhaul." Read more...
h-e-double toothpicks Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.
