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."
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