Senate braces for final reform drive

Nov 11 2009

Roll Call: "Senate Democratic leaders are still pushing to bring up their health care reform bill next week, even though the gambit comes with risks as they race against the clock to get a measure passed before the end of the year." In his effort to bring the health bill to the floor next week before the Thanksgiving recess, Reid "appears to be calculating the public relations dangers of suspending debate" for the weeklong recess "do not outweigh the need to get the debate rolling" (Pierce, 11/10).

The Hill: "Senior aides and senators say Democrats plan to pivot quickly and file the first procedural vote as early as Monday. A 'motion to proceed' vote, which brings the bill to the floor, would require 60 votes — a first, critical test of the caucus's unity on procedural votes." Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office is expected to complete its cost analysis of the Senate Democrats' reform bill "by the end of this week or early next" (Rushing, 11/9).

McClatchy: But the GOP definitely plans to use the Senate's procedures to their advantage. "Republicans Monday had new hope that they could influence health care deliberations — influence that's so far eluded them — as the debate moves to the Senate, where the rules and the politics can work to their advantage," meaning, the Democrats may have difficulty reaching the necessary 60-votes without listening to the more conservative lawmakers Republicans are now working to sway (Lightman, 11/9).

CQ Politics: "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid insists that he and his colleagues refuse to be 'bound by any timelines' on health care legislation. But House passage of its overhaul bill this weekend has created momentum for — and pressure on — the Nevada Democrat to push forward on a Senate version by year's end" (11/9).

The Christian Science Monitor: Five "flash points" to watch in the debate will be: (1) the public option; (2) the cost of the plan; (3) the revenue-raising measures; (4) mandates for people to buy coverage; and (5) abortion (Feldmann, 11/9).