2010-03-11
Congressional
negotiators assembling a health-care overhaul package are considering
procedural as well as policy details as they try to obtain the votes needed in
both the House and Senate to complete President Obama’s legislative priority.
Pushing the
health-care overhaul to final passage requires work on three fronts. Key Democrats are negotiating the proposal
language that will address House concerns with the Senate bill including
abortion language and the level of subsidies offered to people buying coverage
through insurance exchanges. The
proposal waits final scoring from the Congressional Budget Office and the cost
of the proposal will be a factor in its passage. Finally, Democratic congressional leadership
is seeking guidance about the rules involved with the Senate passing elements
of health-care reform through the budget reconciliation process.
On the procedural
front, President Obama has set a deadline of March 18 for action on a completed
health-care overhaul. Although few, if
any, believe the Congress will meet this target, congressional leaders are
working fast and furiously on a plan to ensure passage. The current plan is to have the House of
Representatives pass the original Senate-passed bill (HR 3590), along with a
proposal that addresses House concerns with the Senate bill. Once both documents are passed by the House
of Representatives, then the Senate bill and proposal for amendment will move
to the Senate for action through the budget reconciliation process. If the Senate bill and proposal are approved
by both Houses, then the President will sign the legislation into law. Congress is scheduled to break for its spring
recess on March 26.
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