Blanche Lincoln voted against Schumer's public option admendment by proxy

[ProSense]

Schumer Public Option Amendment Fails in Finance Committee

Brian Beutler

The Senate Finance Committee can't even endorse a modest public option like Chuck Schumer's. Citing his belief that a public option can't pass on the Senate floor "at this time," Finance chairman Max Baucus joined two Democrats and all Republicans in voting down the amendment, which failed 10 to 13.

Joining Baucus on the Democrats' side of the dais were Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) and, by proxy, Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) who wasn't present for the vote.

There will be no public option in the Finance Committee's health care bill.

Ugh!

[Renew Deal]

1. The thing I don't understand....

If the Senate bill has 60 votes and no PO and the House bill has the PO, then the PO can be reconciled into the bill right?

[pinto]

3. I think the key to get to reconciliation is a budget issue in negotiation among the House / Senate.

I'm a little unclear on the process, but iirc, reconciliation has to be a budget related issue.

COBRA (the Consolidated Budget Reconciliation Act), back when, was enacted that way.

[mvd]

5. Hi, pinto. I'd like to know more about that

What can exactly be done through reconciliation?

[pinto]

8. Hi mvd. Wikipedia has this, with some good references, citations, etc.

Reconciliation is a legislative process of the United States Senate intended to allow a contentious budget bill to be considered without being subject to filibuster. Reconciliation also applies in the United States House of Representatives, but since the House regularly passes rules that constrain debate and amendment, the reconciliation process represented less of a change in that body.

A reconciliation instruction (Budget Reconciliation) is a provision in a budget resolution directing one or more committees to submit legislation changing existing law in order to bring spending, revenues, or the debt-limit into conformity with the budget resolution. The instructions specify the committees to which they apply, indicate the appropriate dollar changes to be achieved, and usually provide a deadline by which the legislation is to be reported or submitted.<1>

A reconciliation bill is one containing changes in law recommended pursuant to reconciliation instructions in a budget resolution. If the instructions pertain to only one committee in a chamber, that committee reports the reconciliation bill. If the instructions pertain to more than one committee, the House Budget Committee reports an omnibus reconciliation bill, but it may not make substantive changes in the recommendations of the other committees.<2>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconciliation_(United_States_Congress)#History

[clear eye]

12. Think that refers to changing a passed bill w/i the individual house

when the members are trying to pass a budget bill and fit everything in it.

I don't know what rules, if any, apply to bi-cameral reconciliation.

On this issue, my guess is that the overwhelming momentum would be toward a lowest common denominator final bill (w/o po). There's something fishy about all this talk of not being able to fight for it on the Senate floor b/c it doesn't have 60 votes. Since when has that been the standard? Apparently there's real resistance to hunkering in for a long fight.

[pinto]

9. MSNBC has a less "wordy" overview. (Wiki's blurb reads like a legal text.)

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/09/29/2082655.aspx

:hi:

[mvd]

11. Thanks!

:hi:

[last_texas_dem]

2. I didn't think proxy voting was even legal

Is it legal for committee votes but not floor votes? Or did I completely imagine that proxy voting had been outlawed?

[pinto]

4. Proxy in committee amendment consideration is permitted, I believe.

:hi:

[last_texas_dem]

6. Thanks, pinto!

:hi:

[Hippo_Tron]

10. Only in committee votes not on the floor, I've seen it done before

Markups are usually (although not always) just formalities and the real negotiation is done among staffers before the markup. Therefore sometimes Senators will decide to prioritize something else over a markup and sent a staffer in their place.

[Jakes Progress]

7. Makes sense. She is a insurance industry proxy. nt

[TheKentuckian]

13. Of course. At least she is too ashamed to show up to do her dirt.

I think that means she is pretty wounded and caught between two masters. One that she serves and another that she must pretend to to get the chance to be of use to her real lieges.