Thread: Reid puts House healthcare bill on Senate calendar

Reid puts House healthcare bill on Senate calendar

By J. Taylor Rushing - 11/10/09 09:49 PM ET

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) late Tuesday laid the groundwork for the Senate's healthcare reform debate to start next Tuesday.

Reid filed a motion to introduce the bill on Monday, Nov. 16. Anticipating a Republican objection, the bill would be pushed onto the Senate calendar.

"A motion to proceed to the bill would be in order the next legislative day," said Reid spokesman Jim Manley.

In doing so, Reid heeded the advice of former President Bill Clinton, who visited Senate Democrats Tuesday at their weekly caucus lunch and urged them to move quickly to pass health reform. Clinton imparted lessons from his own attempt during his presidency, in 1993, and said Democrats should be prepared to compromise but should act with speed.

Currently, the Senate's healthcare bill is awaiting a cost analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, which senior Democratic aides expect by the end of this week.

Reid's action late Tuesday sets up a critical vote next week on a motion to proceed to the bill. Such a motion would require 60 votes to succeed — an important, early test of the Democratic caucus's unity on procedural votes. Several senators who caucus as Democrats have expressed skepticism about the bill, while others have expressed a willingness to support procedural votes.

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman John Cornyn (Texas) have both warned Democrats that they will target any senators who support procedural votes on the bill.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing- ... e-calendar

Better "Open Wide" they're going to try to shove this down our throats.

Time for us to call all of the Senators and tell them that we don't want this health care bill. And too, we can request that the Republican and/or Senators that we know don't support the bill promote and vote "yes" on "States Rights" legislation in the event the Fascist push this unconstitutional bill through, etc.

Health care reform legislation still an uphill and controversial battle

November 11, 9:00 AM Chicago Economic Policy
Examiner - James McConnell


Overall cost, abortion funding, exchange availability to illegal immigrants, and government insurance programs competing with private enterprise are the four hot button issues in the Senate’s consideration of health care reform, now that the House has passed its version of the measure. Clearly, what comes out of the Senate will not look the same as the House bill, and contentious conference committee negotiations may end up producing a bill unsatisfactory to the required number of legislators in both houses.

President Obama, who has hoped this legislation would be the crown jewel of his first year in office, has already expressed dissatisfaction with the House bill passed over the weekend. Regarding the House approved “Stupak Amendment,â€