Congress: Climate change, health care
Posted: Tuesday, June 23, 2009 9:12 AM by Domenico Montanaro
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Congress
In a surprising development, House Democrats have reached an agreement to bring a sweeping climate change bill to the floor by the end of the week, Democratic aides announced late Monday night," The Hill says.
Democrats said "they are confident that they will resolve all outstanding issues [related to the 1,201-page energy package] in time for a vote Friday," Roll Call adds.
"A sweeping [health-care] bill unveiled in the Democratic-controlled House last week is to be weighed in hearings beginning Tuesday. The draft legislation, written without Republican help, would require all Americans to purchase health insurance and would put new requirements on employers, too."
Video: Former Gov. Howard Dean discusses why it’s been difficult for members of Congress to devise a health care reform plan that can win enough votes to pass and still be worthwhile.
GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell will say this about health care today: “The American people don’t want us to spend trillions of dollars we don’t have on a health care system they don’t want. And yet that’s exactly what Democrats plan to do, even though they can't explain to anyone how they will pay for it. Despite the staggering costs of the Democrat health care plan, we’re being told we need to rush it through the Congress for the sake of the economy. When Republicans ask how Democrats are going to pay for it, or what impact it will have on our health care system and the economy, the only words we hear are rush and spend, rush and spend.”
The Hill: "Few senators know that Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) have had a quiet friendship over the years, but that relationship may prove pivotal for Democrats’ hopes of passing a health reform package."
"Congressional Democrats are largely ignoring President Obama’s $19.8 billion in budget cuts,"
The Hill also writes. "The president proposed axing dozens of programs that he said were inefficient or ineffective, but members of the House Appropriations Committee are including the money for them."
And don't expect immigration reform to be tackled this year. The White House hopes -- possibly -- for debate to begin the end of this year. "Obama will meet with a bipartisan group of lawmakers Thursday to discuss the issue at the White House.”
