by wildcherry on Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 | News, World | No Comments

The Senate agreed tonight to debate and amend a far-reaching health care bill. That debate will get started in earnest after Congress returns from next week’s Thanksgiving recess. Democrats and Republicans expect to offer hundreds of amendments (each of which will be held to a 60 vote threshold) and debate for several weeks before holding yet another procedural supermajority vote–to end debate. If that gets 60 votes, then there will be an up-or-down vote on passage of the bill.

If the bill passes it will likely undergo yet more changes in conference with House negotiators. The “conference report” that emerges from that process can’t be amended, but can be filibustered in the Senate, so will likely require 60 votes for passage. Only after both chambers have passed the conference report can the bill be sent to President Obama for a signature.

Tags: cspan, Health Care, Health Care Debate, health care reform, Health Care Vote, Senate, Senate Health Care Vote, senate vote, senate vote on health care reform, senate votes

by wildcherry on Sunday, November 8th, 2009 | Health, News | No Comments

The Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed landmark health care legislation Saturday night to expand coverage to tens of millions who lack it and place tough new restrictions on the insurance industry. Republican opposition was nearly unanimous.

The 220-215 vote (click here to see how each member voted) cleared the way for the Senate to begin a long-delayed debate on the issue that has come to overshadow all others in Congress.
A triumphant Speaker Nancy Pelosi likened the legislation to the passage of Social Security in 1935 and Medicare 30 years later. “Oh, what a night!” she proclaimed at the beginning of a press conference held after the vote. Obama issued a statement saying, “I look forward to signing it into law by the end of the year.”

“It provides coverage for 96 percent of Americans. It offers everyone, regardless of health or income, the peace of mind that comes from knowing they will have access to affordable health care when they need it,” said Rep. John Dingell, the 83-year-old Michigan lawmaker who has introduced national health insurance in every Congress since succeeding his father in 1955.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/07/house-health-care-vote-br_n_349468.html&cp

Tags: Health Care, health care reform, Health Care Vote, Health Care Vote House, Health Care Vote In House, Health Care Vote Today, Health Care Votes, Health Vote, Healthcare Vote, House Health Care, House Health Care Bill, House Health Care Vote, House Healthcare Vote, House Of Representatives, House Of Representatives Vote, house of representatives vote results, house vote, House Vote Health Care, House Vote On Health Care, house vote on health care bill, how they voted on health care bill, Live Blogging House Healthcare Debate Nov. 7, roll call vote on health care bill, Stupak Amendment, Stupak Amendment Vote, vote on health care, vote on health care bill, who voted for health care bill