Reply #69: as you said, sfexpat2000. thank you!

[nofurylike]

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=34475

Daily Health Policy Report

Capitol Hill Watch | Senate Approves FY 2006 Labor-HHS, Defense Appropriations Bills
Dec 22, 2005

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Next Steps
A unanimous consent agreement in the Senate stated that the Labor-HHS bill would receive final approval once the House adopts, "without amendment," the enrolling resolution eliminating the ANWR provision from the DOD spending bill, CQ Today reports (Schuler/Swindell, CQ Today, 12/21). The House also will have to approve the change for the DOD spending bill to win final approval.

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(****)The House is scheduled to hold an informal, pro-forma session today, but only a few members will be present, meaning any action taken on legislation would require unanimous consent, according to the Times. House Democrats have said they will demand a formal roll-call vote, and with Republican leaders unlikely to call lawmakers back into session during the holiday break, aides expect the House not to vote on the legislation until next year (Washington Times, 12/22).

Effects of Delay
Democrats said the delay will give groups opposed to the legislation more time to lobby their positions, "potentially making a second House vote more difficult," CongressDaily reports (Cohn/Heil, CongressDaily, 12/21). AARP CEO Bill Novelli said his organization will "work to explain the full impact of this vote to its more than 36 million members." AARP opposes several provisions in the budget bill, CQ HealthBeat reports (Carey, CQ HealthBeat, 12/21). Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) said House Republicans likely will approve the budget measure (Dennis, CQ Today, 12/21).

Comments
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said, "This budget is an attack on the middle class and those in greatest need." However, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) said the bill does not cut programs but instead slows their growth, adding that the "entitlement spending path we are on" is "simply unsustainable." He said, "We can stand before you really in a celebratory mood. We are governing with meaningful solutions" (Washington Times, 12/22). President Bush said the Senate's approval of the budget reconciliation bill is "a victory for taxpayers, fiscal restraint and responsible budgeting" (Espo, AP/Chicago Sun-Times, 12/22)

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this is an informative article. pretty detailed.

well, except on what will happen today.

keeping watch...


peace!