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Reconciliation Bill to be Sent Back to House
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The Health System Reform reconciliation bill will have to go back to the House for another vote after Senate parliamentarian Alan Frumin ruled early this morning that two minor provisions violated the chamber's rules and could not be included in the final bill. Both provisions made technical changes to the bill's Pell Grant regulations.
The section at issue only constitutes 16 lines of text of the 153-page bill.
The changes do not impact the reforms to the student loan programs and the important investments in education. It is understood the changes are 'minor' and won't create problems when the altered bill goes back to the House for approval.
The Senate held an all-night session as Republicans offered 29 amendments in a final attempt to scuttle the bill. Democrats steadily rejected each amendment, arguing that any changes would send the bill back to the House for another vote, an outcome Senate Democrats worked mightily to avoid before the parliamentarian's ruling early Thursday. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid finally adjourned the marathon session at about 2:45 a.m. after striking a deal with Republican Leader Mitch McConnell to return at 9:45 a.m. today and hold a final vote on the bill around 2 p.m. today. |
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March 25, 2010
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