House Passes Healthcare Reform Bill
BY LAUREN UZDIENSKI, NOVEMBER 9, 2009
The House passed its healthcare reform bill 220-215 this weekend after an unusual Saturday session. This rather narrow victory offers a prelude to what is sure to be a challenging vote in the Senate, as the same contentious issues are troubling both chambers: how to pay for the bill and the role of the public option.
Speaking to his threats to filibuster the bill, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) said, "If the public option plan is in there . . . I will not allow this bill to come to a final vote." Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) is expected to introduce the bill to the Senate floor as early this week, following cost estimates from the CBO, with a public option. Unlike the House bill, states will reportedly have the option of not participating in the public program.
After Sen. Reid introduces the bill, there will be a vote to bring the bill to a floor-wide debate, at which point several weeks of debate and amendments are expected to ensue. From there, the chamber will prepare for a final vote.
President Obama said yesterday that he was "absolutely confident" the bill would pass the Senate, though many are expecting his year-end deadline to slip into 2010.
