Washington (CNN) -- Now that the House has passed the Senate's health care reform bill and a package meant to reconcile differences between the House and Senate bills, the next step is for members of the Senate to sign off on those changes.
That won't be as easy as it sounds.
Senate Republicans have indicated they will use any and all legislative tactics in order to slow -- even stop -- the reconciliation bill from passing.
President Obama is expected to sign the health care bill Tuesday at the earliest. Only then can the Senate begin dealing with the reconciliation package.
According to Senate rules, members are allowed to offer unlimited amendments and challenges to the reconciled bill.
"There's hope that [the vote] would be done within a short period of time, like a week or so," said Tim McBride, a health economist and associate dean of public health at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. "But the Senate is complicated and doesn't have the discipline that the House does."
Once the bill hits the Senate floor, reconciliation rules stipulate that there must be 20 hours of debate.
But that 20 hours is more of a suggestion than an indicator of what will happen, because Republicans are allowed to offer unlimited amendments and are geared up to offer many, all of which must be ruled on by the Senate parliamentarian.
"It could get all messy and could go on forever if they threw up amendment after amendment," said Cheryl Block, a law professor at Washington University's School of Law. "Theoretically, it should only take 20 hours, but it will likely take longer because Republicans have things up their sleeve."
Senate Democrats, though, do have an option to overrule the parliamentarian's decision; but they would need Republican votes to reach the necessary three-quarters majority required to do that, and that's unlikely in the highly polarized Senate.
Meanwhile, if a provision in the reconciled package is struck down, the bill would then have to go back to the House for another vote.
House Democratic leaders are hopeful they will have enough support in the Senate to stop Republicans' attempts to block the legislation. All they need is a simply majority of 51 votes. If needed, Vice President Joe Biden, who serves as president of the Senate, could cast a tie-breaking vote.
Ahead of Sunday's vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was confident the reconciled bill would receive the Senate's backing.
She said that when her members go to vote, they will have "all of the assurance they need" that the reconciliation package will be passed in the Senate.
"When we bring the bill to the floor, we will have a significant victory for the American people," Pelosi added.
House Minority Leader John Boehner, however, argued Friday that the vote was "pretty tight."
Boehner had said the revised health care bill was worse than the original legislation, adding that the "American people are going to hear about every payoff, every kickback and every sweetheart deal that comes out."
What does this have to do with the whiners?? Why is it people who don't agree with everyone else is a whiner?? jeez:)
WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WHY REPUBLICANS "HATE" THIS BILL SO MUCH WHEN ITS PRACTICALLY IDENTICAL TO 2 PAST BILLS PROPOSED BY THEIR OWN CANDIDATES
This applies to the whiners because...
They talk like the bill is now in effect. They don't realize it still has steps to go through before it is actually a LAW, and changes can be made to it before that even happens. As per the article...
"According to Senate rules, members are allowed to offer unlimited amendments and challenges to the reconciled bill."
You know, I totally get that there are people who aren't liking this bill. But ya know... there are thousands, if not millions of people this bill will help out. Our country is in need of a change, a change that past president's were too chicken shit to make. And why? For this very reason. People are SCARED of change. Hell, I am too. But I am also intelligent enough to know when something is boken, you fix it. Too many people are getting dropped from their insurance plans, too many people are getting turned away because they don't have insurance. These are some of the same people that are spreading disease around. These are some of the same people who are being left behind to die, because they can't afford treatment. These are some of the same people who are living on the streets because they spent their income trying to pay for treatments. People who are whining need to learn to have a LITTLE compassion for those who are truly struggling, and need this bill. It isn't about being lazy, it is about our healthcare system being broken and full of greedy ass doctors who want their Jaguars and big houses.
Quoting SWKansasmomma:
This applies to the whiners because...
They talk like the bill is now in effect. They don't realize it still has steps to go through before it is actually a LAW, and changes can be made to it before that even happens. As per the article...
"According to Senate rules, members are allowed to offer unlimited amendments and challenges to the reconciled bill."
You know, I totally get that there are people who aren't liking this bill. But ya know... there are thousands, if not millions of people this bill will help out. Our country is in need of a change, a change that past president's were too chicken shit to make. And why? For this very reason. People are SCARED of change. Hell, I am too. But I am also intelligent enough to know when something is boken, you fix it. Too many people are getting dropped from their insurance plans, too many people are getting turned away because they don't have insurance. These are some of the same people that are spreading disease around. These are some of the same people who are being left behind to die, because they can't afford treatment. These are some of the same people who are living on the streets because they spent their income trying to pay for treatments. People who are whining need to learn to have a LITTLE compassion for those who are truly struggling, and need this bill. It isn't about being lazy, it is about our healthcare system being broken and full of greedy ass doctors who want their Jaguars and big houses.
My DH is not a doctor, we do not live in a big house, or drive a Jaguar...yet, this bill could affect our life. Just like your opinion is for this bill..there are many others that their opinions are against this bill. Doens't make either"whiners"
Just as this bill could help many...it could also destroy many.
10 THINGS EVERY AMERICAN SHOULD KNOW ABOUT HEALTH CARE REFORM
1. Once reform is fully implemented, over 95% of Americans will have health insurance coverage, including 32 million who are currently uninsured.2
2. Health insurance companies will no longer be allowed to deny people coverage because of preexisting conditions—or to drop coverage when people become sick.3
3. Just like members of Congress, individuals and small businesses who can't afford to purchase insurance on their own will be able to pool together and choose from a variety of competing plans with lower premiums.4
4. Reform will cut the federal budget deficit by $138 billion over the next ten years, and a whopping $1.2 trillion in the following ten years.5
5. Health care will be more affordable for families and small businesses thanks to new tax credits, subsidies, and other assistance—paid for largely by taxing insurance companies, drug companies, and the very wealthiest Americans.6
6. Seniors on Medicare will pay less for their prescription drugs because the legislation closes the "donut hole" gap in existing coverage.7
7. By reducing health care costs for employers, reform will create or save more than 2.5 million jobs over the next decade.8
8. Medicaid will be expanded to offer health insurance coverage to an additional 16 million low-income people.9
9. Instead of losing coverage after they leave home or graduate from college, young adults will be able to remain on their families' insurance plans until age 26.10
10. Community health centers would receive an additional $11 billion, doubling the number of patients who can be treated regardless of their insurance or ability to pay.11
What is your greatest accomplishment? UPDATE
- SWKansasmomma
on Mar. 22, 2010 at 5:32 PM