Reply #13: Riders

[emulatorloo]

MOST POLICY RESTRICTIONS BLOCKED

The package does not contain the most divisive policy "riders," or restrictions, that Republicans wanted: measures to ban funding for birth control and greenhouse-gas regulation.

Republicans had sought to block birth control funding to the Planned Parenthood family planning organization, because it also provides abortions, though not with public money.

That provision is not included. Instead, the Senate will vote on it separately, but the measure is not expected to get the 60 votes needed for passage.

The bill did include one policy rider: school vouchers for the District of Columbia, a pet project of Boehner's, according to congressional aides.

It also bans the use of local money to pay for abortions in Washington, a provision that has already been included in past budgets.

As part of the compromise, the Senate also agreed to hold a vote on blocking implementation of Obama's healthcare reform law, but that measure is expected to fail.