For months few have mentioned it. But as the public option withers on the Senate vine, progressive groups are beginning to push Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to use reconciliation rather than pass a health care reform bill without a public option in it. I’ve heard a few whispers on the Hill that this is still an option, but for the …
Senate
Health Reform: 59 and counting… 60 Votes To Proceed To Debate
2:30 EST: They’ve got 60. Lincoln says she will vote to proceed. See update below
With Senator Mary Landrieu’s announcement this afternoon on the Senate floor that she will support the motion to proceed to debate on the health care bill–with the caveat that this does not guarantee her support for the final product–Majority Leader …
Landrieu for $100 million
Senate Democratic leaders are wooing Senators Mary Landrieu, Ben Nelson and Blanche Lincoln — the last three hold outs who have not pledged to vote for the motion to proceed tomorrow night to start the debate on health care reform. Lincoln, an embattled Arkansas centrist, has been demanding 72 hours to read the bill — something she got …
The Senate Bill
I’m still wading through the Congressional Budget Office’s preliminary analysis of the health care bill that Majority Leader Harry Reid will be taking to the Senate floor, but here’s a Power Point circulating among Senate Democratic staffers that gives you a
basic tour of the bill, with some comparisons to other versions.
UPDATE: …
Early Word on the Senate Health Care Bill
Trigger Happy
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he will include a public option that states can vote to opt out of in his version of the health care reform bill that could be unveiled as early as Wednesday. But that certainly hasn’t ended the debate in the Senate about what kind of public option may finally end up passing the upper chamber …
Could the Senate be on the Cusp of Blowing Another Health Care Deadline?
Senate Democrats have been waiting on tenterhooks for a score from the Congressional Budget Office before they can introduce their health care reform bill and start the debate. Assuming the score comes today, the bill could be introduced as early as tomorrow. But, don’t get your hopes up for a vote any time soon. Senator Blanche …
Latest Latest Installment of the Make ’em Filibuster Campaign
There must be some Swampland followers in the Senate leadership. And it appears that, at last, they have heard our heartfelt pleas. Roll Call tells us this:
Harkin said Democrats expect Republicans will try to stall the debate by asking for the entire bill to be read on the Senate floor. If that happens, Harkin said, the majority
…
Sessions to Filibuster Obama’s 7th Circuit Nominee
Jeff Sessions, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, today told reporters that he plans on filibustering David Hamilton, President Obama’s nominee to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. “I intend not to support going forward on the Hamilton vote,” Sessions said. “Unlike Justice Sotomayor, when asked to discuss the empathy …
Latest Installment of Make ’em Filibuster
As long-time readers of Swampland know, I am a big proponent of the filibuster. And I mean the Real Filibuster–not the make-believe ones that the little girls of the United States Senate are constantly waging, and not the occasional exercises where they pull out the fainting couches cots and pretend that they are actually going to sleep …
Lieberman Going Rogue (Again)
Next week, much to the discomfort of the Obama Adminsitration, Joe Lieberman — chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Relations Committee — will begin his investigation into whether the Fort Hood shooter was a terrorist and if law enforcement agencies missed red flags that could’ve prevented the tragedy. This caps …
Let’s See How You Like It
This recess, a Democratic outside group is spending more than a $1 million on television commercials lambasting GOP lawmakers for voting against health care reform. The Foundation for Patients Rights, which is aligned with the Service Employees International Union, is planning ads in Delaware and Illinois against Reps. Mike Castle and …
What’s Ahead for Health Reform in the Senate
In the upcoming issue of dead-tree TIME (just $1.99!), I have this update on what lies ahead for Harry Reid, the public and private battles he is waging, and why the Democrats are feeling an even greater urgency to get the job done on health reform.