Tax News

CCH (cch.taxgroup.com) reports:

  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has laid out the steps he plans to take to pass the Senate's $848-billion sweeping health care reform overhaul before Christmas. With the expected unveiling on December 19 of his manager's amendment, which includes all the changes negotiated with members over the past several weeks, and, hopefully, the approval of moderate holdout Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Nev., Reid plans to begin the procedural steps that will likely lead to final passage before December 25. If Reid fails to lock in all 60 votes from caucus members, however, the health care reform debate could be pushed into the final week of December while leadership continues to negotiate problem areas.

  The three-step process, according to an internal memo circulated by Senate Assistant Majority Leader Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., would begin with Reid filing cloture on his manager's amendment, a substitute amendment, and the underlying bill (HR 3590) on December 19. Procedural rules would call for a vote on the manager's amendment late on December 21, followed by a vote on the Reid substitute amendment on December 22. On December 23, lawmakers would vote to approve cloture, which limits debate, on the health reform measure. Assuming all goes smoothly, the Senate could proceed to a final vote on the bill on December 24.

  By Jeff Carlson, CCH News Staff