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Tuesday, February 23, 2010

President Obama and VP Biden in the Oval Office

The Tarantino and the Senate



THE HILL

Senate sitting on 290 bills already passed by House; tension mounts

By J. Taylor Rushing - 02/23/10 06:00 AM ET
Exasperated House Democratic leaders have compiled a list showing that they have passed 290 bills that have stalled in the Senate.
The list is the latest sign that Democrats in the lower chamber are frustrated with their Senate counterparts.

 An aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) says the list is put together during each Congress, but that this year’s number is likely the largest ever. However, he said Pelosi blames GOP senators, not Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) or Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

“The Speaker believes that the filibuster has its place, but clearly Senate Republicans are taking what was once a rare procedural move and abusing it to the detriment of progress for America’s working families,” said Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill.

But some House Democrats and their aides have shown no reticence in blaming Senate Democrats, who enjoyed a supermajority until Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) was sworn in earlier this month.
In January, House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) suggested the Senate was out of touch with Americans, and did not differentiate between the two parties.

“[Senators] tend to see themselves as a House of Lords and they don’t seem to understand that those of us that go out there every two years stay in touch with the American people,” Clyburn said in an interview with Fox News Radio. “We tend to respond to them a little better.”

Earlier this month in an MSNBC interview, House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (Conn.) said, “There’s a host of things that we’ve passed already, and there needs to be action in the Senate, and people are tired of it,” adding that he was “glad the president cited the House” for making more progress than the Senate in his State of the Union address.

The list of stalled bills includes both major and minor legislation: healthcare reform; climate change; food safety; financial aid for the U.S. Postal Service; a job security act for wounded veterans; a Civil War battlefield preservation act; vision care for children; the naming of a federal courthouse in Iowa after former Rep. Jim Leach (R-Iowa); a National Historic Park named for President Jimmy Carter; a bill to improve absentee ballot voting; a bill to improve cybersecurity; and the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Hammill said Pelosi’s office also compiled a second list in December of 90 pieces of legislation that have passed the House, more than 60 of them with at least 50 Republican votes.
“There’s a perception that the House is really partisan these days, but the actual numbers show otherwise,” Hammill said.

Reid, like Pelosi, blames Republicans for the legislative logjam. In a speech late Monday on the Senate floor, he took the GOP to task for opposing a job-growth bill pending before the chamber, and said Republicans are abusing the filibuster. “We had to file cloture some 70 times last year,” Reid said. “Seventy times. That’s remarkably bad. Let’s change that.”

This month, a group of Democratic aides and strategists told The Hill that the party risks losing its majorities if it doesn’t stop internal squabbling.

Simon Rosenberg, founder of the NDN and a former candidate for Democratic National Committee chairman, said congressional Democrats are “frustrated” but “need to look inward.”
“They have to find a way to work more effectively to do the people’s business. There’s going to have to be much tighter coordination on major legislation among the White House, Senate and House,” Rosenberg said.

The Tarantino

By The Hill Staff - 02/22/10 08:45 PM ET
1) H.R. 12, Paycheck Fairness Act
2) H.R. 20, Melanie Blocker Stokes Mom’s Opportunity to Access Health, Education, Research, and Support for Postpartum Depression Act
3) H.R. 22, U.S. Postal Service Financial Relief Act
4) H.R. 23, Belated Thank You to the Merchant Mariners of World War II Act
5) H.R. 31, Lumbee Recognition Act
6) H.R. 35, Presidential Records Act Amendments
7) H.R. 36, Presidential Library Donation Reform Act
8) H.R. 44, Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act
9) H.R. 46, Family Self Sufficiency Act
10) H.R. 80, Captive Primate Safety Act
11) H.R. 81, Shark Conservation Act
12) H.R. 86, Regarding California Coastal National Monument
13) H.R. 118, Regarding Morristown National Historical Park
14) H.R. 129, Conveying Certain National Forest System Lands in Los Padres National Forest in California
15) H.R. 151, Daniel Webster Congressional Clerkship Act
16) H.R. 174, Establishing a national cemetery for veterans in the southern Colorado region
17) H.R. 310, HALE Scouts Act
18) H.R. 320, CJ’s Home Protection Act
19) H.R. 324, Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area Act
20) H.R. 325, Avra/Black Wash Reclamation and Riparian Restoration Project
21) H.R. 326, Cocopah Lands Act
22) H.R. 347, Congressional Gold Medal for 100th Infantry Battalion in World War II
23) H.R. 384, TARP Reform and Accountability Act
24) H.R. 388, Crane Conservation Act
25) H.R. 402, Naming William C. Tallent Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic
26) H.R. 403, Homes for Heroes Act
27) H.R. 409, Conveying Land to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway
28) H.R. 411, Great Cats and Rare Canids Act
29) H.r. 445, Heavy Duty Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development and Demonstration Act
30) H.R. 448, Elder Abuse Victims At
31) H.r. 466, Wounded Veteran Job Security Act
32) H.R. 469, Produced Water Utilization Act
33) H.R. 479, Wakefield Act
34) H.R. 509, Marine Turtle Conservation Reauthorization Act
35) H.R. 511, Terminating Certain Easements in Caseyville, Illinois
36) H.R. 515, Radioactive Import Deterrence Act
37) H.R. 548, Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act
38) H.R. 549, National Bombing Prevention Act
39) H.R. 553, Reducing Over-Classification Act
40) H.R. 554, National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act
41) H.R. 556, Southern Sea Otter Recovery and Research Act
42) H.R. 559, Fair, Accurate, Secure and Timely Redress Act
43) H.R. 577, Vision Care for Kids Act
44) H.R. 601, Box Elder Utah Land Conveyance Act
45) H.R. 603, Utah National Guard Readiness Act
46) H.R. 626, Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act
47) H.R. 628, Encouraging enhancement of expertise in patent cases among district judges
48) H.R. 631, Water Use Efficiency and Conservation Research Act
49) H.R. 632, Encouraging Silver Alert Plans
50) H.R. 637, South Orange County Recycled Water Enhancement Act
51) H.R. 685, United States Civil Rights Trail Special Resource Study Act
52) H.R. 689, Interchange administrative jurisdiction of certain federal lands between Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management
53) H.R. 714, Authorizing lease of certain lands in Virgin Islands National Park
54) H.R. 725, Indian Arts and Crafts Amendments Act
55) H.R. 729, Phylicia’s Law
56) H.R. 738, Death in Custody Reporting Act
57) H.R. 748, CAMPUS Safety Act
58) H.R. 749, Technical Amendment to Federal Election Campaign Act
59) H.R. 756, National Pain Care Policy Act
60) H.R. 762, Validating a final patent number
61) H.R. 780, Student Internet Safety Act
62) H.R. 842, Naming R. Jess Brown U.S. Courthouse in Jackson, Mississippi
63) H.R. 844, Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Amendments
64) H.R. 860, Coral Reef Conservation Act Reauthorization
65) H.R. 869, Naming Scott Reed Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Lexington, Kentucky
66) H.R. 885, Improved Financial and Commodity Markets Oversight and Accountability Act
67) H.R. 887, Naming James A. Leach U.S. Courthouse in Davenport, Iowa
68) H.R. 905, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve Boundary Modification Act
69) H.R. 908, Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Alert Program Reauthorization
70) H.R. 911, Stop Child Abuse in Residential Programs for Teens Act
71) H.R. 915, FAA Reauthorization Act
72) H.R. 934, Conveying certain submerged lands to Commonwealth of Mariana Islands
73) H.R. 940, Conveyance of certain National Forest System land in Louisiana
74) H.R. 957, Green Energy Education Act
75) H.R. 965, Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Network Continuing Authorization Act
76) H.R. 985, Free Flow of Information Act
77) H.R. 1002, Pisgah National Forest Boundary Adjustment Act
78) H.R. 1018, Restore Our American Mustangs Act
79) H.R. 1029, Alien  Smuggling and Terrorism Prevention Act
80) H.R. 1043, Deafy Glade Land Exchange Act
81) H.R. 1044, Port Chicago Naval Magazine
82) H.R. 1053, Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act
83) H.R. 1065, White Mountain Apache Tribe Water Rights Quantification Act
84) H.R. 1080, Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing Enforcement Act
85) H.R. 1084, CALM Act
86) H.R. 1088, Mandatory Veteran Specialist Training Act
87) H.R. 1089, Veterans Employment Rights Realignment Act
88) H.R. 1107, Relating to certain public contracts
89) H.R. 1110, PHONE Act
90) H.R. 1120, Central Texas Water Recycling Act
91) H.R. 1121, Blue Ridge Parkway and Town of Blowing Rock Land Exchange Act
92) H.R. 1129, Authorizing iron working training program for Native Americans
93) H.R. 1139, COPS Improvements Act
94) H.R. 1145, National Water Research and Development Initiative Act
95) H.R. 1147, Local Community Radio Act
96) H.R. 1148, Conducting a program in the maritime environment for the mobile biometric identification of suspected individuals to enhance border security
97) H.R. 1168, Veterans Retraining Act
98) H.R. 1170, New Assistive Technologies for Specially Adapted Housing
99) H.R. 1171, Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Reauthorization
100) H.R. 1172, Requiring List on VA Website of Organizations Providing Scholarships for Veterans
101) H.R. 1178, Requiring a study on the use of Civil Air Patrol personnel and resources to support homeland security missions
102) H.R. 1211, Women Veterans Health Care Improvement Act
103) H.R. 1216, Naming Lance Corporal Matthew P. Pathenos Post Office in Chesterfield, Missouri
104) H.R. 1217, Naming Specialist Peter J. Navarro Post Office in Ballwin, Missouri
105) H.R. 1218, Naming Lance Corporal Drew W. Weaver Post Office in Saint Charles, Missouri
106) H.R. 1219, Lake Hodges Surface Water Improvement and Reclamation Act
107) H.R. 1242, Providing for additional monitoring and accountability of the TARP
108) H.R. 1246, Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act
109) H.R. 1253, Health Insurance Restrictions and Limitations Clarification Act
110) H.R. 1259, Dextromethorphan Distribution Act
111) H.R. 1262, Water Quality Investment Act
112) H.R. 1280, Modifying A Land Grant Issued by the Secretary of the Interior
113) H.R. 1287, Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center Partnership Act
114) H.R. 1293, Disabled Veterans Home Improvement and Structural Alteration Grant Increase Act
115) H.R. 1319, Informed P2P User Act
116) H.R. 1323, Reducing Information Control Designations Act
117) H.R. 1327, Iran Sanctions Enabling Act
118) H.R. 1333, Regarding shipment of certain explosive materials to federally recognized Indian tribes
119) H.R. 1345, District of Columbia Hatch Act Reform
120) H.R. 1376, Waco Mammoth National Monument Establishment Act
121) H.R. 1380, Josh Miller HEARTS Act
122) H.R. 1385, Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act
123) H.R. 1393, Lower Rio Grande Valley Water Resources Conservation and Improvement Act
124) H.R. 1404, Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement (FLAME) Act
125) H.R. 1429, Stop AIDS in Prison Act
126) H.R. 1442, Providing for sale of federal government’s interest in 60 acres of land in Salt Lake City, Utah
127) H.R. 1454, Multinational Species Conservation Funds Semipostal Stamp Act
128) H.R. 1471, Designating Jimmy Carter National Historic Site as a National Historical Park
129) H.R. 1511, Torture Victims Relief Reauthorization Act
130) H.R. 1517, Relating to certain U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees
131) H.R. 1580, Electronic Waste Research and Development Act
132) H.R. 1586, To impose an additional tax on bonuses received from certain TARP recipients
133) H.R. 1593, Adding a segment of Illabot Creek in State of Washington to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
134) H.R. 1617, Department of Homeland Security Component Privacy Officer Act
135) H.R. 1622, R&D on Natural Gas Vehicles
136) H.R. 1641, Cascadia Marine Trail Study Act
137) H.R. 1662, Anthony DeJuan Boatwright Act
138) H.R. 1664, Regarding executive compensation practices of companies receiving TARP funds
139) H.R. l665, Coast Guard Acquisition Reform
140) H.R. 1672, Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Reauthorization
141) H.R. 1674, National Consumer Cooperative Bank Act Amendments
142) H.R. 1675, Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act
143) H.R. 1676, PACT Act
144) H.R. 1679, House Reservists Pay Adjustment Act
145) H.R. 1694, Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Battlefield Protection Act
146) H.R. 1700, National Women’s History Museum Act
147) H.R. 1709, STEM Education Coordination Act
148) H.R. 1727, Managing Arson Through Criminal History (MATCH) Act
149) H.R. 1728, Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act
150) H.R. 1736, International Science and Technology Cooperation Act
151) H.R. 1741, Witness Security and Protection Grant Program Act
152) H.R. 1746, Pre-Disaster Mitigation Act
153) H.R. 1747, Great Lakes Icebreaker Replacement Act
154) H.R. 1771, Chesapeake Bay Science, Education and Ecosystem Enhancement Act
155) H.R. 1803, Veterans Business Center Act
156) H.R. 1804, Federal Retirement Reform Act
157) H.R. 1807, Educating Entrepreneurs through Today’s Technology Act
158) H.R. 1824, Best Buddies Empowerment for People with Intellectual Disabilities Act
159) H.R. 1834, Native American Business Development Enhancement Act
160) H.R. 1838, Amending Small Business Act to modify certain provisions regarding women’s business centers
161) H.R. 1839, To amend the Small Business Act to improve SCORE
162) H.R. 1842, Expanding Entrepreneurship Act
163) H.R. 1845, Small Business Development Centers Modernization Act
164) H.R. 1849, Medal of Honor Commemorative Coin Act
165) H.R. 1854, Modifying an environmental infrastructure project for Big Bear Lake, California
166) H.R. 1858, Providing for a boundary adjustment for Roosevelt National Forest in Colorado
167) H.R. 1933, A Child Is Missing Alert and Recovery Center Act
168) H.R. 1945, Tule River Tribe Water Development Act
169) H.R. 2020, Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Act
170) H.R. 2034, Rural Homeowners Protection Act
171) H.R. 2062, Migratory Bird Treaty Act Penalty and Enforcement Act
172) H.R. 2092, Kingman and Heritage Islands Act
173) H.R. 2093, Clean Coastal Environment and Public Health Act
174) H.R. 2097, Star-Spangled Banner Bicentennial Commemorative Coin Act
175) H.R. 2134, Western Hemisphere Drug Policy Commission Act
176) H.R. 2173, Naming Carl B. Smith Post Office in Island Falls, Maine
177) H.R. 2174, Naming Clyde Hichborn Post Office in Howland, Maine
178) H.R. 2182, Enhanced Oversight of State and Local Economic Recovery Act
179) H.R. 2187, 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facilities Act
180) H.R. 2188, Joint Ventures for Bird Habitat Conservation Act
181) H.R. 2200, Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act
182) H.R. 2221, Data Accountability and Trust Act
183) H.R. 2247, Congressional Review Act Improvement Act
184) H.R. 2265, Magna Water District Water Reuse and Groundwater Recharge Act
185) H.R. 2278, Directing President to submit a report to Congress a report on anti-American incitement to violence in the Middle East
186) H.R. 2330, Camp Hale Study Act
187) H.R. 2352, Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act
188) H.R. 2410, Foreign Relations Authorization Act, FY 2010 and FY 2011
189) H.R. 2423, Naming George P. Kazen Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Laredo, Texas
190) H.R. 2430, Directing the Secretary of Interior to continue stocking fish in certain lakes
191) H.R. 2442, Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Program Expansion
192) H.R. 2454, American Clean Energy and Security Act
193) H.R. 2489, National Land Remote Sensing Outreach Act
194) H.R. 2510, Absentee Ballot Track, Receive and Confirm Act
195) H.R. 2522, Regarding Calleguas Municipal Water District Recycling Project
196) H.R. 2529, Neighborhood Preservation Act
197) H.R. 2571, Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act
198) H.R. 2611, Authorizing the Securing the Cities Initiative of the Department of Homeland Security
199) H.R. 2623, Clarifying and expanding the definition of certain persons under the federal securities law
200) H.R. 2646, Government Accountability Office Improvement Act
201) H.R. 2651, Maritime Workforce Development Act
202) H.R. 2661, Court Security Act
203) H.R. 2664, Promoting Transparency in Financial Reporting Act
204) H.R. 2711, Special Agent Samuel Hicks Families of Fallen Heroes Act
205) H.R. 2728, William Orton Law Library Improvement and Modernization Act
206) H.R. 2729, Authorizing designation of National Environmental Research Parks
207) H.R. 2741, Regarding water recycling and reuse project in Hermiston, Oregon
208) H.R. 2749, Food Safety Enhancement Act
209) H.R. 2751, Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Act
210) H.R. 2765, Prohibiting enforcement of foreign defamation judgments against the providers of interactive computer services
211) H.R. 2770, Veterans Nonprofit Research and Education Corporations Enhancement Act
212) H.R. 2781, Designating segment of Molalla River in Oregon as part of National Wild and Scenic Rivers System
213) H.R. 2802, Regarding the Adams Memorial Foundation
214) H.R. 2806, Adjusting border of Stephen Mather Wilderness and the North Cascades National Park
215) H.R. 2843, Architect of the Capitol Appointment Act
216) H.R. 2847, Jobs for Main Street Act
217) H.R. 2868, Chemical and Water Security Act
218) H.R. 2873, Enhanced SEC Enforcement Authority Act
219) H.R. 2947, Securities Law Technical Corrections Act
220) H.R. 2950, Regarding prepayment of contracts between U.S. and Uintah Water Conservancy District
221) H.R. 2971, Naming Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Post Office in Portland, Oregon
222) H.R. 2990, Disabled Military Retiree Relief Act
223) H.R. 3014, Small Business Health Information Technology Financing Act
224) H.R. 3029, Improving Efficiency of Gas Turbines
225) H.R. 3113, Upper Elk River Wild and Scenic Study Act
226) H.R. 3123, Regarding collapsed drainage tunnel in Leadville, Colorado
227) H.R. 3137, Regarding authority of U.S. Postal Service to accept donations as an additional source of funding for commemorative plaques
228) H.R. 3157, Naming Max J. Beilke Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic in Alexandria, Minnesota
229) H.R. 3165, Wind Energy Research and Development Act
230) H.R. 3175, Conveying to Miami-Dade County certain federally owned land in Florida
231) H.R. 3179, SIG TARP Small Business Awareness Act
232) H.R. 3193, Naming Alto Lee Adams, Sr., U.S. Courthouse in Fort Pierce, Florida
233) H.R. 3219, Veterans’ Insurance and Health Care Improvements Act
234) H.R. 3221, Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act
235) H.R. 3224, Building a vehicle maintenance building for Smithsonian Institution
236) H.R. 3237, Enacting certain laws relating to national and commercial space programs
237) H.R. 3246, Advanced Vehicle Technology Act
238) H.R. 3250, Naming Private First Class Garfield M. Langhorn Post Office in Riverhead, New York
239) H.R. 3254, Taos Pueblo Indian Water Rights Settlement Act
240) H.R. 3269, Corporate and Financial Institution Compensation Fairness Act
241) H.R. 3276, American Medical Isotopes Production Act
242) H.R. 3305, Naming H. Dale Cook Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Tulsa, Oklahoma
243) H.R. 3330, Improved Oversight by Financial Inspectors General Act
244) H.R. 3342, Aamodt Litigation Settlement Act
245) H.R. 3360, Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act
246) H.R. 3371, Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act
247) H.R. 3388, Petersburg National Battlefield Boundary Modification Act
248) H.R. 3433, Regarding payment of non-federal share of costs of wetland conservation projects in Canada
249) H.R. 3476, Reauthorizing the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area Citizen Advisory Commission
250) H.R. 3527, FHA Multifamily Loan Limit Adjustment Act
251) H.R. 3537, Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Reauthorization Act
252) H.R. 3570, Satellite Home Viewer Reauthorization Act
253) H.R. 3585, Solar Technology Roadmap Act
254) H.R. 3598, Energy and Water Research Integration Act
255) H.R. 3603, Renaming the Ocmulgee National Monument
256) H.R. 3618, Clean Hull Act
257) H.R. 3619, Coast Guard Authorization Act
258) H.R. 3631, Medicare Premium Fairness Act
259) H.R. 3632, Federal Judiciary Administrative Improvements Act
260) H.R. 3634, Naming George Kell Post Office in Swifton, Arkansas
261) H.R. 3639, Expedited CARD Reform for Consumers Act
261) H.R. 3689, Extending legislative authority of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
262) H.R. 3714, Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act
263) H.R. 3726, Castle Nugent National Historic Site Establishment Act
264) H.R. 3737, Small Business Microlending Expansion Act
265) H.R. 3738, Small Business Early-Stage Investment Act
266) H.R. 3743, Small Business Disaster Readiness and Reform Act
267) H.R. 3759, BLM Contract Extension Act
268) H.R. 3763, Certain amendments to Fair Credit Reporting Act
269) H.R. 3791, Fire Grants Reauthorization Act
270) H.R. 3804, National Park Service Authorities and Corrections Act
271) H.R. 3854, Small Business Financing and Investment Act
272) H.R. 3892, Naming E.V. Wilkins Post Office in Roper, North Carolina
273) H.R. 3940, Facilitating public education programs in the non-self-governing territories of the United States
274) H.R. 3949, Veterans’ Small Business Assistance and Servicemembers Protection Act
275) H.R. 3951, Naming Roy Rondeno Sr. Post Office in New Orleans, Louisiana
276) H.R. 3961, Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act
277) H.R. 3963, Criminal Investigative Training Restoration Act
278) H.R. 3978, First Responder Anti-Terrorism Training Resources Act
279) H.R. 3980, Redundancy Elimination and Enhanced Performance for Preparedness Grants Act
280) H.R. 4017, Naming Ann Marie Blute Post Office in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
281) H.R. 4061, Cybersecurity Enhancement Act
282) H.R. 4095, Naming Congresswoman Jan Meyers Post Office in Overland Park, Kansas
283) H.R. 4139, Naming Sergeant Matthew L. Ingram Post Office in Hickory, Mississippi
284) H.R. 4154, Permanent Estate Tax Relief for Families, Farmers and Small Businesses Act
285) H.R. 4173, Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
286) H.R. 4194, Law Student Clinic Participation Act
287) H.R. 4213, Tax Extenders Act
288) H.R. 4474, Idaho Wilderness Water Facilities Act
289) H.R. 4495, Naming Jim Kolbe Post Office in Patagonia, Arizona
290) H.R.4532, Social Security Disability Applicant’s Access to Professional Representation Act

NASA Night Shuttle Landing







Republican Alternative to Health Care Bill

 GOP Website

November 3, 2009 (8:35 p.m.)

Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R___________

Summary of Republican Alternative Health Care Plan updated 11/4/09


Is this the health care plan ththat the REpublicans have put forth for America. They state without adding to the crushing debt Washington has placed on our children and grandchildren. I would love to see how they might try and pull that off...

CBO finding on Republican Health Care Bill 11/04/09


CBO: Republican health plan would reduce premiums, cut deficit

By: Susan Ferrechio
Chief Congressional Correspondent
11/05/09 6:30 AM EST

The Congressional Budget Office Wednesday night released its cost analysis of the Republican health care plan and found that it would reduce health care premiums and cut the deficit by $68 billion over ten years.

The Republican plan does not call for a government insurance plan but rather attempts to reform the system by creating high-risk insurance pools, allowing people to purchase health insurance policies across state lines and instituting medical malpractice reforms.

"Not only does the GOP plan lower health care costs, but it also increases access to quality care, including for those with pre-existing conditions, at a price our country can afford," House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said.

According to CBO, the GOP bill would indeed lower costs, particularly for small businesses that have trouble finding affordable health care policies for their employees. The report found rates would drop by seven to 10 percent for this group, and by five to eight percent for the individual market, where it can also be difficult to find affordable policies.

The GOP plan would have the smallest economic impact on the large group market that serves people working for large businesses that have access to the cheapest coverage. Those premiums would decline by zero to 3 percent, the CBO said.

The analysis shows the Republican plan would do little to expand coverage, which Democrats were quick to point out in a late night missive to reporters.

"Here's the Bottom line - Americans lose and Insurance companies win under the Republican plan," Pelosi spokesman Nadeam Elshami said.

The CBO found that under the Republican plan, insurance coverage would increase by about 3 million and that the percentage of insured non-elderly adults would remain at about 83 percent after ten years. The House bill would increase coverage to an additional 36 million people, raising the number of insured to 96 percent.

The CBO put the price tag for the GOP plan at $61 billion, a fraction of the $1.05 trillion cost estimate it gave to the House bill that lawmakers are set to vote on this weekend. And the CBO found that the Republican provision to reform medical malpractice liability would result in $41 billion in savings and increase revenues by $13 billion by reducing the cost of private health insurance plans.