SIIA Leglislative Update – Healthcare Reform
March 12, 2010
House Likely to Debate Healthcare Reform Reconciliation Bill Next Week
Early this evening, SIIA’s Government Relations Staff learned that the House is moving towards considering the final stage of the healthcare reform process next week. As reported, the reform bill passed by the Senate will be the vehicle for the final reform package. In order to obtain the necessary votes in the House, Democrat leadership needs to make changes to the Senate bill. These changes would have to be dealt with through the Reconciliation process, a rarely used legislative technique that allows for legalisation, in limited circumstances, protection from normal Senate filibuster rules.
It is expected that Reconciliation language and a cost-estimate will be released this weekend. SIIA’s Government Relations Staff will report when that information is available. If the drafting of the bill is completed this weekend, the House Budget Committee will consider it on Monday afternoon; which is a required step for Reconciliation bills. Speaker Pelosi has promised a 72 hour waiting period after that for Members and the public to review the bill.
As many House Democrats do not want to have to take a vote on the Senate bill due to political reasons, House Democrat leadership are considering simply attaching the Senate bill to the Reconciliation bill and deem it passed at the time the Reconciliation bill is (therefore there would technically be no stand alone vote on the Senate bill). There is some debate still as to whether this is allowable. The Senate Parliamentarian in a statement this morning said that the Senate bill must be signed into law before a reconciliation bill can be passed.
We will continue to report throughout this fluid process as more information is available.
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