 (Image: crschmidt under CC 3.0) |
According to many prominent Democrats, the chances of healthcare reform passing Congress prior to the Easter holiday are very slim. Despite President Obama’s recent prodding to move quickly and have an up-or-down vote using budget reconciliation, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer believes that the health insurance situation won’t be solved before Congress takes its spring break on March 29th.
What’s the reason for the delay? Many undecided Democrats in the House of Representatives want to closely examine the provisions for reconciliation with the Senate; if they approve the Senate’s bill, there will no doubt be strings attached that require near-immediate revision.
It may be too early for Republicans to celebrate. The bill has seen several delays and missed many deadlines, yet the affordable health insurance fight rages on. However, many rank-and-file Democrats just want to get the process over with–they want to steer the focus back to jobs before the mid-term elections. Further delay will only serve to jeopardize the possibility of re-election even more.
Tags: affordable health insurance, democrats, health insurance, healthcare reform, house of representatives, obama, steny hoyer
