The house WILL be the first to write and pass a reconciliation bill!(distinction:not the whole senate bill) which is one thing that is being overlooked here on the great diaries like these by Turkana:How About A Vote On The Public Option, Mr. Axelrod? & Cenk Uygur:Take the Damn Vote
The house HAS to pass a reconciliation first by statue because it is a revenue (US Constitution, Article II, Section 7). ALSO since this is a reconciliation bill the senate cant just amend any old stalled house bill so they can bypass this constitutional requirement(as they usually do), since the house hasnt passed any reconciliation bills recently. For reconciliation rules such as sunsets and what can and can't pass via the measure see sigy.
The pressure we are bearing right now is somewhat misplaced! we should be burning the numbers of HOUSE members & the speaker to put the PO in their reconciliation bill first or whip an amendment for it! Pressure your senators also but the house goes first on the reconciliation bill and will write it probably with consultations of the senate (Also notice the distinction between a reconciliation bill and the senate bill. Pelosi has said they have to have the reconciliation bill passed before they can pass the whole senate bill. but the reconciliation bill HAS to start in the house)
More information tonight: LINK
House Dems "reasonably confident" they can pass a reconciliation package
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said today that Democrats would pursue a "simple majority" strategy and her chief of staff reinforced that point telling supporters during a conference call that reconciliation is a legitimate legislative process, dismissing criticism of the move as a "non-issue," according to the notes of several participants.
--snip
The next step, he said, is to put the President Obama's proposal into legislative language and send it to the Congressional Budget Office for a cost estimate.
If Democrats can agree on a reconciliation package, John Lawrence said, House leaders are "reasonably confident" they can pass it.
The next step, he said, is to put the President Obama's proposal into legislative language and send it to the Congressional Budget Office for a cost estimate.
--snip
Pelosi, he said, still supports the public option but it's inclusion will come down to whether they can win the votes for it. If not, the legislation would act as a foundation on which to add a future public option.
Lets MAKE SURE she has enough votes for it!! call your house members tomorrow & next week!
She was the only one who mention the public option PASSIONATELY in that snooze fest Thursday, so the chances are better than 50 that if push comes to shove her heart will be at the right place! here is what she said:
Jaw-Dropping Words from The Speaker
As a representative of the House of Representatives I want you to know that we were there that day in support of the public option which would save $120 billion, keep the insurance companies honest, and increase competition. We’ve come a long way to agreeing to a Republican idea, the exchanges. Senator Enzi has been a leader in that. Senator Snowe along with Senator Durbin had legislation to that affect—bipartisan—because the insurance companies opposed the public option. They couldn’t take the competition.
We have in our bill market-oriented, encouragement-to-the-private-sector initiatives. I think that the insurance industry, left to its own devices, has behaved shamefully. And we must act for the American people. We have lived on their playing field all this time. It’s time for the insurance companies to exist on the playing field of the American people
If the public option is in the house reconciliation bill & it passes it will go to the senate and then they have to strip it out if they are against it! The senate has to form a block of 50 votes to specifically KILL the PO. The advantage however will be on our side in that case, much more than it is right now since they will be put on the record and now the onus is on THEM to find the votes to kill it as opposed to the supporters.
Call the Speaker tomorrow and next week((415) 556-4862) and tell her to CONTINUE her leadership and put the PO (that already has passed the house) in her reconciliation bill!
She claims to be a strong supporter of the PO, she has acted on her claims by having the PO pass the house in their HC bill (a bill far better than the senate insurance friendly bill).Call and tell her to show her leadership AGAIN when it counts the most. If her bill has the PO its chances will skyrocket IMO. Its in her hands for the first step, lets encourage her to lead the revolution for the little guy by siding with them as opposed the insurance companies!
Adios