Hoyer, Reid move to finish health reform legislation by December

[babylonsister]

Hoyer, Reid move to finish health reform legislation by December
By Jordan Fabian and Ian Swanson - 11/11/09 12:49 PM ET

The House could be in session until nearly Christmas Eve to try to win final passage on a healthcare bill.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) outlined the new schedule on Wednesday, saying he is prepared to keep the House working into late December in order to pass President Barack Obama’s keystone issue of his first year in office.

Hoyer’s move follows Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) decision late Tuesday night to file a motion that could allow the Senate to begin debate on healthcare next week.

The actions by Reid and Hoyer appear designed to meet a goal of sending a healthcare bill to Obama’s desk by the end of the year. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Vice President Joe Biden and Obama himself have recently touted the year-end deadline.

Hoyer said the House would be in session for the first three weeks of December, but that could be extended to the week of Christmas.

“The House could also be in session on Monday, Dec. 21 and Tuesday, Dec. 22 if needed,” Hoyer said in a statement.

“As action on health insurance reform legislation moves to the Senate, the House is updating its schedule for November and December to reflect that, and to ensure there is time to complete our work on other important issues,” Hoyer said.

Reid late Tuesday filed a motion to introduce the Senate healthcare bill on Monday, Nov. 16. Anticipating a Republican objection, the bill would be pushed onto the Senate calendar.

Reid’s action sets up a critical vote next week on a motion to proceed to the bill. Such a motion would require 60 votes to succeed — an important, early test of the Democratic caucus's unity on procedural votes.

Finishing the healthcare bill by the end of the year will be difficult given the dynamics in the Democratic caucuses in both chambers.

Several senators who caucus as Democrats, including Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.), have expressed skepticism about the healthcare bill. It is unclear whether they will support Reid on procedural motions that require 60 votes.

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman John Cornyn (Texas) have both warned Democrats that they will target any senators who support procedural votes on the bill, and McConnell has indicated he’ll do everything possible to slow the healthcare bill’s movement. :eyes:

more...

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/67361-hoyer-reid-move-to-finish-healthcare-in-2009-