Research Briefing

Reid Rushing Through His Bill While Dems Who Said They Would Slow It Down And Bring Transparency Don’t

EIGHT SENATORS SENT LETTER TO HARRY REID SAYING AMENDMENTS AND CBO SCORES SHOULD GET 72 HOUR REVIEW BEFORE ANY VOTE

Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Joe Lieberman (D-CT), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Mark Pryor (D-AR) and Jim Webb (D-VA) Told Leader Reid The Health Care Reform Process Needs To Be Transparent With Full Legislative Text And A Budget Score 72 Hours Before Votes. “The legislative text and complete budget scores from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) of the health care legislation considered on the Senate floor should be made available on a website the public can access for at least 72 hours prior to the first vote to proceed to the legislation.  Likewise, the legislative text and complete CBO scores of the health care legislation as amended should be made available to the public for 72 hours prior to the vote on final passage of the bill in the Senate.  Further, the legislative text of all amendments filed and offered for debate on the Senate floor should be posted on a public website prior to beginning debate on the amendment on the Senate floor.” (Sen. Jim Webb et. al., Letter To Senate Leader Harry Reid, 10/6/09)

BUT REID’S TIMELINE CALLS FOR A VOTE LESS THAN 72 HOURS FROM NOW

Reid Plans First Vote On The Managers Amendment Monday Morning At 1 AM. “The tentative plan from Jim Manley, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's spokesman:  … ‘Following passage of the DoD bill, Senator Reid would file closure on the manager's amendment, substitute amendment and the underlying bill on health care. This would set up the first cloture vote on the manager's amendment on Monday morning at 1 am. The second cloture vote on the substitute amendment would be Tuesday at 7 am. And, the cloture vote on the underlying bill would be Wednesday at around 1 pm. We could get an agreement to wrap up and have a final passage vote on the 23rd, however Republicans could continue to not cooperate and force us to have a vote on final passage on Christmas Eve.’” (Chris Frates, “Senate Votes After Midnight Tonight,” Politico’s “Live Pulse” Blog, 12/17/09)

WILL WAIVERING SENATORS MAINTAIN DEMAND FOR REVIEW OR CAVE TO HARRY REID?

Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) Spokesman Said He’s Still Undecided. “Senator Webb has a reputation for being very deliberative and independent-minded. The fact that he has said he is undecided about this bill is not extraordinary. He reviews all legislation with great care and deliberation. During this debate, he has broken with his party six times, including four votes to prevent cuts in Medicare.” (Amy Gardiner, “Webb Under Fire On Health Care,” The Washington Post’s “Virginia Politics” Blog, 12/17/09)

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) Won’t Decide On Vote Until She Reviews Final CBO Score. “There are a lot of things on the table still and until, you know, we hear back from CBO it’s going to be hard to see whatever I can support, for sure.” (Jeffrey Young, “Landrieu, Lincoln: No ‘Compromise’ Made On Health Bill,” The Hill, 12/9/09)

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) Won’t Support Bill Unless It Lowers Costs And Saves Money And Will Want To Start Over If It Doesn’t.  Q: “No, you're saying if this doesn't bend the cost curve, you go back to the drawing board, start all over?” SEN. CLAIRE MCCASKILL (D-MO): “My statement all along is it has to slow down the increase of health care costs over time, and that is bending the cost curve, and secondly, that it has to be deficit neutral. We have to be saving more money for our government than we're spending. And if we're not saving more money for our government than we're spending, then not only will I not support it…” (Fox News’ “Fox News Sunday,” 12/13/09)

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) Is Warning That Further Changes Will Cause Him To Oppose The Bill. “But he also sent a stark message to his counterparts in the House and on the left: If, after passage, negotiations with the House change the terms of his compromise substantially, he's fully prepared to vote against final passage. Specifically, he called for a ‘limited’ conference proceeding and warned: ‘If there are material changes in that caucus, changes that adversely affect the agreement, I reserve the right to vote against the next cloture vote... I will vote against it if that is the case.’” (Jonathan Cohn, “BREAKING: Nelson Says Yes; That Makes 60,” The New Republic’s “The Treatment” Blog, 12/19/09)