Summary Box: To pass health overhaul, Democrats may use shortcut used mostly by GOP in past
By APThursday, February 25, 2010
Summary Box: Dems’ health care overhaul shortcut
THE SHORTCUT: Democrats may use the so-called reconciliation process, which would let them push President Barack Obama’s health overhaul bill through the Senate with a simple majority. Republicans — who hold 41 of the Senate’s 100 seats — have been using filibuster rules to force Democrats to garner 60 votes.
THE HANGUP: A reconciliation bill is supposed to be limited to provisions that directly affect taxes and spending. That means it may be hard for Democrats to include provisions they covet such as curbing insurance industry practices, defining how exchanges for purchasing health coverage would operate and restricting the use of federal health subsidies for abortions.
THE HISTORY: Republicans complain that reconciliation was never meant for enacting sweeping new programs. But of the 22 reconciliation bills Congress has sent a president since the process was first used in 1980, 16 were approved by a GOP-controlled Senate, including for President George W. Bush’s tax cuts enacted in 2001, 2003 and 2006.
THE PRESIDENT: Obama defended the practice at his summit despite criticism from Republicans. “I think most Americans think that a majority vote makes sense,” he said.
Tags: Barack Obama, Filibusters, Gop, Health Care Reform, Political Issues, Political Organizations, Political Parties, Summits
