There was only one Senator missing for this morning’s historic vote in the Senate Chamber. And where was Kentucky Republican Jim Bunning? His spokesman Mike Reynard tells me by e-mail:
The Senator has family commitments.
Oh.
Congress
The Health Care Bill: Looking Forward
Over at TIME.com, fellow Swampers Kate Pickert, Amy Sullivan and I look forward to some of the issues that will be important as the House and Senate attempt to reconcile their two versions of the bill.
Open Thread: The Senate Votes on Passes Its Health Care Bill
I’m up early this morning to watch the coverage of the Senate vote on health reform. Capitol Hill looks so festive that I am a little sorry that I didn’t make it up there to see it in person.
Vice President Biden just arrived to preside in his capacity as president of the Senate, though it doesn’t look like he will be needed to break …
Graham is the New Maverick
As Republicans have become less and less inclined to reach out to the Democrats and the Obama Administration – those even willing to listen are becoming noteworthy. Lindsey Graham is one of those who’ll listen, though it remains to be seen if any major legislation will be produced from his talks. In researching this story, I was …
Alabama’s Griffith Switches Parties
It was probably bound to happen sooner rather than later. Alabama’s fifth district is one of the few in the South held solidly by Democrats since Reconstruction thanks to economic development on the backs of the Tennessee Valley Authority, the military’s Redstone Arsenal and NASA’s Marshall Flight Space Center. But in recent years …
Senate Health Bill: The Economists Are Happy Again
Wonk alert! Incoming!
Close readers of this blog will know that I’ve been interested in the mood swings of a group of prominent economists with regard to this Senate health care bill. Brad DeLong tells us they now have sent yet another letter–this one congratulating Harry Reid on putting some additional cost containment in the bill. …
Health Care: What Does the Senate Bill Mean to You?
Over at Kaiser Health News, Jonathan Cohn (with an assist from MIT’s Jonathan Gruber) does the numbers for those who buy on the non-group market (that is, people who don’t get their coverage from their employer):
Harry Reid — Vindicated?
He didn’t win it pretty, but he won. Harry Reid showed, once again, why being Senate Majority Leader is the second hardest job in Washington. And on some days, the hardest.
Merry Christmas to You Too, Senator Coburn
Okay, let’s give Tom Coburn the benefit of every conceivable doubt. Is it possible to read this comment as anything but a wish prayer that catastrophe befall one of his colleagues, especially with the frail and ailing 92-year-old Robert C. Byrd requiring a wheelchair to make it to the Senate Chamber?:
At 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon —
…
Putting Some of the Reform Back Into Health Reform
NOTE: On Sunday, CBO changed its long-term estimates of cost savings, which it said were based on a misunderstanding of this bill. Please see this update.)
Given the drama and suspense of the past few weeks, it’s understandable that the first round of commentary about the new Senate health bill would focus on the deals that Majority …
What A 60th Vote Costs…
We suspect it can be found in this language on page 98 of the manager’s amendment to the health care bill:
‘‘(3) Notwithstanding subsection (b) and paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection, the Federal medical assistance percentage otherwise determined under subsection (b) with respect to all or any portion of a fiscal year
…
Senate: The Deal Looks Done on Health Care
Multiple sources are now reporting that Nebraska’s Ben Nelson, the last Democratic holdout, is now saying he will support the latest version of the health care bill. That makes 60 votes, enough to overcome a fillibuster.
So what’s actually in this bill? And what did it take to get the last votes? I’m still going through it, and will …
The Week In Review and What’s Next for Health Reform
Word is that Majority Leader Harry Reid will unveil changes to the Senate’s health reform bill on Saturday morning. The timing is part of Reid’s effort to get a final vote on the legislation by Christmas Eve. Of course, even the most carefully plotted timeline means nothing without the 60 votes Reid needs to break an expected GOP …