President Obama and Democratic leaders insist they will push ahead with efforts to overhaul the U.S. health care system despite losing undisputed control of the Senate.
They just haven’t decided what it will look like or how they will pass it. In fact, they aren’t explaining much.
A senior Democratic aide said Saturday that House and Senate leaders are considering changes to the health care bill passed by the Senate that could make it acceptable to the House. Under one scenario, Democratic senators would make the agreed-upon fixes using a special budget procedure that requires only 51 votes to overcome Republican delaying tactics.
The House would then pass the Senate bill, sending it to Obama for his signature and allowing the health care remake to become law.
But the aide, who described the discussions on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said no decisions have been made. The strategy would be politically risky because it would enrage Republicans, and the legislation itself lacks strong public support.
The changes to the Senate bill under discussion would reflect agreements leaders of both chambers made during negotiations at the White House two weeks ago. That includes weakening the Senate bill’s tax on high-cost insurance plans, opposed by labor unions and considered a nonstarter in the House. Closing gaps in prescription drug coverage for the elderly is also under consideration.
One potential approach could allow the Senate to act with a simple majority instead of the 60-vote total Democrats now lack with the election of Republican Scott Brown in Massachusetts. A supermajority of 60 votes is needed to overcome Republican filibusters — a legislative procedure that blocks measures from coming up for a final vote.
But House Republican leader John Boehner said the election of Scott Brown in Massachusetts has sent a loud warning to Democrats — cease and desist on health care overhaul.
“For the better part of those nine months, Democrats in Washington have been focused on this government takeover of health care that working families just can’t afford and want nothing to do with,” Boehner said in his party’s radio and Internet address Saturday.
