Senate:
Committee Near Accord On Bill
Finance
Committee Negotiators Near Accord On Bill
[Jul
29, 2009]
The
Washington Post: "Three Democrats and three Republicans
on the Senate Finance Committee are expected to wrap up
their arduous multi-week talks in the coming days, and
Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said he expects
a panel vote before the Senate recess, which will begin
Aug. 7. Assuming the fragile committee coalition holds,
the legislation it produces would scramble the reform landscape
by introducing policy ideas that have their origins in
the political center. The bill is bound to disappoint liberals."
"The
finance panel's legislation is expected to include incentives
for employers to provide health insurance for their workers,
rather than a more punitive coverage mandate. The committee
is also likely to endorse narrowly targeted tax increases,
rejecting a controversial tax surcharge on wealthy households
that the House adopted and limits on deductions for upper-income
taxpayers that Obama is seeking" (Murray and Kane,
7/29).
NPR's
Steve Inskeep interviewed Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa,
who discussed the bipartisan negotiations: "We have
made great progress. Every day we make progress. Will we
get it done by this weekend? .... We're restructuring one-sixth
of the economy, we think it ought to be done right." (Morning
Edition, 7/29).
Senators
negotiating in the Finance Committee are close to reaching
a deal that would save $35 billion in Medicare spending
during the next decade by assigning an independent commission
to examine changes, The Associated Press reports, quoting
sources.
"Under
the plan, an independent commission would be empowered
to recommend changes in Medicare annually, to take effect
automatically unless Congress enacted an alternative. In
addition to saving money, the proposal is aimed at turning
the program for those age 65 and over into one that more
clearly rewards quality, officials said. The commission
would be required to recommend $35 billion in savings over
a decade from Medicare" (Espo and Werner, 7/28).
Roll
Call: "Senate Finance Committee Democrats, following
a meeting Tuesday morning, appeared slightly happier with
the direction of ongoing health care reform talks that
(Baucus) is leading with three of the panel's Republicans.
... 'It was actually a good meeting,' Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.)
said. 'I told Max -- I said: I'm encouraged'"(Drucker,
7/28).
Bloomberg: "Democratic
Senator Max Baucus, leading the talks among six Democrats
and Republicans on the finance committee, said they made
progress and will meet again today. ... 'We reached an
agreement on a couple of very key points,' Baucus told
reporters after meeting with the other senators" (Litvan
and Dodge, 7/29).
The
Hill: "Senators need 60 votes to advance the legislation
and many say the burden of resolving the healthcare dispute
in their chamber will rest with (Reid), setting up arguably
the most difficult decision of his career. Reid, who has
already moved the floor debate to the fall, said Tuesday
that Senate Democrats will spend 'many hours' in a series
of meetings next week to seek some sort of consensus" (Bolton
and Young, 7/28).
Politico
has more on Reid's role in uniting the Finance Committee
with the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee: "It's
a risky and unusual role for a majority leader who -- unlike
his Democratic predecessor, Tom Daschle -- prides himself
in taking a hands-off approach and giving his committee
barons wide latitude to do their work. If Reid can bring
together the sparring factions of his own caucus, he may
get the credit for being the critical negotiator who made
health care reform possible. But if he can't -- if the
bill moves too far to the right or too far to the left
or just doesn't move at all -- Reid could be blamed for
missing a may-never-come-again chance to vastly expand
coverage" (Raju, 7/29).
The
Hill reports in a second story: "Reid stepped out
to defend Baucus at a mid-afternoon press conference, but
avoided details. Asked if he was confident that a bill
will reach the Senate floor by the time the recess begins
on Aug. 7, Reid simply said, 'Yes'" (Rushing, 7/28).
The
Associated Press in a second story: "But the recess
will be no vacation for the forces at work on health care,
least of all Reid and Baucus. A message war will ensue,
with Republicans demanding a rewrite and Democrats calling
for patience. Aides will spend the summer break toiling
over how to marry the Finance Committee bill with elements
of less viable proposals turned out by other panels." At
some point, Obama and congressional Democrats will decide
whether compromising towards the center is the best strategy
for passage or too risky in terms of losing support from
the party's liberal base. "The next 10 days are pivotal.
The onus to deliver is on Baucus and Reid" (Kellman,
7/29).
Reprinted from kaisernetwork.org.
You can view the entire Kaiser
Daily Health Policy Report, search the
archives, and sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy
. The Kaiser Daily
Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org,
a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. © 2009
Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All
rights reserved."
Share
Your Thoughts on this Article
Back
to top
|
