Step 4: Congress Passes Legislation
(this step has been completed)
Overview of the Process
The three committees in the House (Ways and Means, Education and Labor, and Energy and Commerce) have passed their health care bills, as have the two committees in the Senate (Kennedy's former HELP Committee and the Finance Committee). Now, the bills are merged in each house of Congress and brought to the floor for amendments and a vote on passage by the full membership. The House has already competed this process and passed their bill, and the Senate bill is on the floor for amendments and moving towards a vote.
In the House of Representatives, a limited set of amendments (or an amendment that serves as a complete substitute) were offered. In the Senate, it is more common for there to be a more open-ended process for consideration of amendments to legislation on the Senate floor. These amendments would be voted on by the full chamber as well.
Once all amendments have been considered, both chambers will vote on their final bills before the two version head into "conference," where the two houses of Congress will hash out the differences between their bills.
Where We Are Now
The House
The House of Representatives has passed their health care bill on Novermber 7th, 2009 with a vote of 220-215 (roll call, full bill). The bill has the choice of a public health insurance option, tax credits to make health care affordable, asks employers to pitch in their fair share, and covers 96% of Americans according to the CBO. This is the first time in our country's history that the House has passed a comprehensive health care bill. (You can find out how your Representative voted by clicking here.)
Two amendments were offered in the House, a Republican substitute amendment which failed to pass, 176-258 (roll call), and an amendment offered by Congressman Stupak (D-MI) which would prohibit any health care plan in the new Exchange from offering abortion coverage. The Stupak amendment passed, 240-194 (roll call).
The Senate
All committees in the Senate have also passed a health care bill, another historic first. The Senate Finance Committee was the last to pass their bill on October 13th by a vote of 14-9 (press release [pdf]). Majority Leader Harry Reid has merged the two committee bills into the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (full text), which has been brought to floor of the Senate.
The merged Senate bill has a public health insurance option with an opt-out for states, and has more generous tax credits than the Senate Finance bill to make health care affordable for families. (While it is affordable for middle class families, the bill still falls short in financing for everyone. Click here for an analysis of costs for families in the House and Senate bills [pdf].) It does not ask employers to pitch in their fair share, and while it is more fairly financed than the Finance bill, it could be fully funded by asking those of us who can most afford it to pay their fair share. The CBO estimates that it will cut the deficit by $127 billion over ten years and cover an addition 31 million people, leaving 94% of the population insured (read the CBO letter on the budget here [pdf]), and that it would decrease the cost of insurance (read the CBO letter on insurance costs here [pdf]).
The Senate bill has cleared its first hurdle. Debate was opened on the bill with a cloture vote along party lines on November 21st. The vote was 60-39. The Senate then closed debate and passed their health care bill on a party-line vote.
The bill will now head into conference with the House, explained below.
Where We Are Going
After the Senate passes their bill, the Senate bill will join the House bill and leaders from each house of Congress will head into "conference" to hash out the differences between their bills. The agreed upon bill ("conference report") will then be brought to each chamber for a vote which could again be blocked in the Senate by a procedural motion that needs 60 votes to clear.
What You Can Do To Help
We are nearing the final stretch. Things will be moving quickly, so we will have to pull out all the stops and make sure Congress passes quality, affordable health care for all, with the choice of a public health insurance option.
We will need your energy to keep Members of Congress committed to our principles for reform, to vote for bills and amendments that meet these principles, and dissuade them from compromising on principles or voting for a bill that doesn't meet them. Phone calls, office visits, faxes, emails, and demonstrations around the country are proven tools to communicate to Members of Congress the importance we place on enacting a true guarantee of quality, affordable health care we can all count on.
Calling and writing letters to your congressional representatives are by far the most important things you can do. Members take calls and personal letters from constituents very seriously, much more seriously than faxes or emails. Please take a moment and call, even if your Members of Congress are already supporting our efforts.
- Call your Members of Congress in support of reform - Ask your Members of Congress to support real health care reform, including the choice of a public health insurance option.
- Call your Senators in support of a public option - Call your Senators in support of a strong public health insurance option, not "co-ops" or other proposals that won’t do all the things a strong public option can.
- Spread the word about our campaign - When President Bill Clinton tried to pass health care reform back in 1993, he didn't have a grassroots army behind him to hold Congress' feet to the fire and fend off opponents. That critical mistake eventually doomed his efforts. This time will be different, but we need your help to recruit your friends and family. Please send a message to anyone you know who supports President Obama and his promises of health care reform and ask them to join our campaign.
- Volunteer in your state - Health Care for America Now has grassroots offices in 42 states and grassroots supporters in all 50. Get involved in the effort in your state and in your community to help us pressure Congress and win quality, affordable health care for all in 2009.
