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The trouble with reconciliation

Post on January 29, 2010 by 2 Comments »

At the Health Access Coalition we think the best way forward on health reform is for the House to pass the Senate’s comprehensive bill. Then the Senate and House can vote on a few measures to fix the features of the Senate bill that the House finds objectionable.

Because Republicans have decided that every vote in the Senate requires the support of a super majority to pass, fixing the health reform bill will require reconciliation.

Some advocates think the entire bill should have been pushed through reconciliation, which requires a simple majority, but Senate procedure is not that easy. This compelling interview with former Senate parliamentarian Robert Dove explains some of the benefits, and problems, with reconciliation.

I think Dove makes it clear that while a few health reform provisions could qualify for reconciliation, the procedure is not adequate for approving a comprehensive reform package.

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Comments (Closed):2

  1. IBXer
    January 29, 2010 at 3:21 pm

    Reconciliation is a process that the Congress can use to reconcile budgetary issues on EXISTING law. As an example, let’s say a program passed last year was not adequately funded by this year’s budget, instead of having to rewrite the whole budget Congress can use reconciliation to provide the program the money it needs. Never has reconciliation been used to actually make a new program.

    Trying to pass Obamacare with reconciliation would be illegal, unethical, and unwise… which means the Dems will most likely go for it.

  2. Adam Linker
    January 29, 2010 at 4:00 pm

    Wrong.

    In 1985 reconciliation was used to create COBRA, in 1996 reconciliation created a new welfare system, in 1997 reconciliation was used to create the Children’s Health Insurance Program, in 1997 it was also used to create Medicare Advantage (then called Medicare + Choice), in 2001 and 2003 reconciliation was used for new tax cuts.