Senate GOP: Parliamentarian Says Health Bill Must Become Law Before Fix
Health reform just hit a potential snag.
The Senate GOP leadership is confirming that the parliamentarian has informed them that the Senate bill must be passed into law before any reconciliation fix is passed — lessening the likelihood that such a fix will actually happen.
“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 Mitch McConnell, emails, confirming an anonymously sourced report in Roll Call.
If this bears out, it would effectively nix one route forward that House Dems had hoped would give them a guarantee of getting the bill fixed later. The hope had been that the House could pass the Senate bill and then get the reconciliation fix done before the whole package were signed into law — a route that would have increased the pressure on the Senate to do a fix.
Now, if the GOP Senate leadership is right, that may no longer be possible. To be clear, the Senate could pass a reconciliation fix after the Senate bill becomes law. But as Ryan Grim notes, there will now be much less pressure to do so.
This increases the possibility that the Senate bill without a fix will become the law of the land. It also means that with the fix in peril, some House Dems may be less likely to support the Senate bill.
The road ahead just got a bit tougher, and Republicans are rejoicing on the Hill right now.
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Update: A quick clarification: This claim by the parliamentarian, if it bears out, doesn’t have to lessen the chances of getting reform done. If House Dems don’t let fear that the fix will fail dissuade them from voting for the Senate bill, it won’t impact the likelihood of passing it, obviously. The GOP is already pushing this parliamentarian opinion to further spook House Dems, so a lot rides on them ignoring the GOP’s efforts.
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All, happy hour roundup posted:
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/terrorism/happy-hour-roundup-178/
“BG: I really like Warren but the running is like putting my eye out comment, even allowing for humor, doesn’t sound like someone with the stomach for retail politics. And from what I’ve seen of her, she sure doesn’t seem like a natural politician. I’d like Capuano for that seat. If Obama smartened up he’d put Warren somewhere high in the Administration.”
I don’t know why everyone is so eager to have her run for office – that’s a great way to kill a very good whistleblower.
Tena, agreed. I’d rather see her in a position of authority (cabinet or agency). And I think ruk would like to see her in a different position of authority (think dirty).
I do not want to put President Obama in the position where he has to go through a sham bill signing ceremony.
How would it be a sham?
“And I think ruk would like to see her in a different position of authority (think dirty).”
LOL!
And the Speaker of the House.
If you want a glimpse of US Government Healthcare, please visit a VA Hospital or an Indian Health Service facility before it is too late for you to change your libtard mind.
David Waldman (aka Kagro X) at CongressMatters.com points to both a CQ article and a ({cough} Republican funded) Politico.com article that both repudiate the Republicans claims of what the Parliamentarian (who only advises) said.
From CQ.com:
Republican aides, reporting the decision, interpreted it to mean the House would have to clear the Senate bill and President Obama would have to sign it before the reconciliation bill could be passed. House leaders had been hoping that the two bills could be passed almost simultaneously.
The parliamentarian, however, later reportedly clarified his position to Senate aides, saying that the reconciliation bill could be written in a way that would not require Obama to sign the Senate bill into law before the reconciliation bill is voted on.
Republican funded Politico.com, committing a rare act of journalism:
[A]ccording to reporting by POLITICO’s David Rogers, the accounts aren’t accurate and misconstrue what the Senate parliamentarians have said. That is that reconciliation must amend law but this could be done without the Senate bill being enacted first. “It is wholly possible to create law and qualify law before the law is on the books,” said one person familiar with situation.
For example, if the big bill itself amends some Social Security statute, reconciliation could be written to do the same –with changes sought by the House. Then if reconciliation is passed and signed by President Barack Obama after he signs the larger bill, the changes made in reconciliation would prevail.
This jives with what Pulse sources were saying soon after the first wave of stories hit – in essence, don’t take the reported parliamentarian’s declaration to the bank.
http://congressmatters.com/storyonly/2010/3/12/2173/-Update-on-reconciliation
re: US Government Healthcare
“The Best Medical Care In The U.S.: How Veterans Affairs transformed itself — and what it means for the rest of us.”
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_29/b3993061.htm
FACT: When government run healthcare is managed by Democratic leaders it is far superior than anything private industry provides.
(blockquote fixed)
David Waldman (aka Kagro X) at CongressMatters.com points to both a CQ article and a ({cough} Republican funded) Politico.com article that both repudiate the Republicans claims of what the Parliamentarian (who only advises) said.
From CQ.com:
Republican funded Politico.com, committing a rare act of journalism:
http://congressmatters.com/storyonly/2010/3/12/2173/-Update-on-reconciliation
Pragmatic | March 11th, 2010 at 04:12 pm
I don’t see this as bad news unless the spine that the Congressional Dems seem to have recently found is just phony rhetoric. It’s well settled that the House had to pass the Senate bill first. Yesterday, Speaker Pelosi said she had the votes to pass the Senate bill. So pass the Senate bill and let’s move on to reconciliation.
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It’s now 8 PM on March 16th..and Ms Pelosi, as usual, was..and is Full Of S%%T.
If she had the votes, she wouldn’t be talking. We would have already had the vote.
The Hill is running a count on the votes.
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/85693-whip-watch-the-hills-survey-of-house-dems-positions-on-healthcare
If more than 37 democrats defect, the bill is dead.
37 Democrats are now listed as firm “NO” or leaning “no”. Thah includes 9 Democrats who previously voted “yes”.
No Democrats who voted “no” are yet in the “yes” category.
53 democrats, including many in swing or GOP leaning districts, are in the undecided categorty.
All those 37 Democrats already in the “no” category.. vote that way..all it will take is one vote,, ONE vote, from among those 53 undecided Democrats to kill the bill.
If you were Vegas..how would you bet?