South Carolina Congressman John Spratt has been in the midst of working out passage of health care reform. The House Budget Committee was charged with getting the reconcilation bill in shape before sending it to the House Rules Committee.

The Washington Post describes the process called “deem and pass” or the “self-executing rule” and features a photo of Spratt preparing to chair the committee proceedings.  The Budget Committee changes to the health care bill are now in the House Rules Committee. The changes would make the bill more palatable to House members who reject items like the Nelson Nebraska concession.  For instance, Majority Whip Jim Clyburn has vowed to vote against any bill that singles out only one state for benefits. [Read more...]

A national health care restructuring bill is more likely to become law this week. Democrats, and U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, are considering a tactic called “deem and pass,” which would fast-track the Senate bill to a full vote.

Republican Joe Wilson says the move is a smoke and mirrors way for Democrats to avoid taking a tough vote on the Senate version of the healthcare bill: “Sadly, for the American people it violates the Constitution. Article one, section seven requires legislation requires the vote of the House and the Senate. They are trying to use a legislative trick, a gimmick. Even the liberal Washington Post today editorialized that it was a dodgy way to reform health care. But, what it achieves is that people who vote for the bill can claim they didn’t vote for the bill,” says Wilson. [Read more...]