Feel free to leave comments here overnight if they’re determined to drag this out into the early hours of the morning. I think they might break by midnight or 1am if possible. Members are getting grumpy.

Slinkerwink – will you have an available diary at 12:00 am tonight over at DailyKos?

George Miller was trying to figure out a schedule, and McKeon says:

Two or three 20 hour days would be better than two or three 24 hour days. I guess is what I’m saying…I think we would all function at a little bit higher better level if we had time to get a few hours sleep but I …you know, we’ll stay here as long as you want.

So the Republicans have offered up a billion time waster amendments, and I’m going to guess McKeon voted for every one of them.

WTF?

At least they are working that Corporate Whore Baucus called it a day and hell a week and said they would pick it up starting next week.

He really has become the Worst Person – I always thought Nelson would hold that role but this prick is just getting on my last nerve.

I don’t know about that. There will be continued liveblogging tomorrow when Ed and Labor resumes at 10am tomorrow. I’ll set up a mothership liveblog diary at 7 am. I think it’s needed at Dailykos for this effort.

Hey Slinkerwink – President Obama was in rare form today it felt like we were back on the campaign trail. If we could get 50% or more days like this we would all be doing a hell of a lot better.

I am certain that after his week-long international trip and leaving Rahm back in DC and nothing getting done, in fact it getting worse has caused him to shift to the ones that brought him as it were. That is why Plouffe was on AF1 and Axelrod has become more vocal.

Wow, Miller just ripped into them.

OK – cool. I will start dropping information in the comments section of various diaries.

Is kucinich offering a single-payer amendment? I can’t understand most of what he’s saying.

Yes – but remember this is the same idea that Senator Sanders put forth in the Senate HELP committee and it got killed with only 4 D’s voting for it.

Yeah. No Democrat in Congress wants to vote for single-payer when health care debate is going on a different piece of major legislation–well, except for Rep. Weiner and Kucinich. Some say they’re purity trolls, but I think one of them is brave.

Here is what I would advocate – we need to stay completely focused on a Robust Public Option and then dedicate 10% or so of our time to MedPac (Rockefeller).

Once we get the Progressive Bloc(k) built to ensure we can hold the line on the Robust Public Option (we will have this summer and September to complete this). The stuff we are doing with Mike walking the Halls, Jane pissing off DiFi (that is so damn funny), and all of US working multiple pathways of communication from a distance, Progressive Advertising targeted at DINO’s, and the President increasing his volume – we should accomplish this.

Now once we have the BILL we are happy with and can live with. Then after the 2010 elections we need to push for ‘A Pilot Study of 5-6 states that want to do the Single-Payer Approach’ along side the National Exchange. This is the Sanders Idea – this would allow the states to put in place about the same time the Exchange would be coming online in 2012-2013.

Great comment! What coast are you on? East or West? If you’re on the West Coast, could you update the comments with your liveblogging of this? I’m deaf so it’s kind of hard for me to follow the proceedings.

What’s the status of Kucinich’s amendment in the committee?

House Ways & Means are finishing up now the amendment process and having a roll call. It can be found on CSPAN 3

I am in Texas – I am still looking for the Education and Labor it must be on one of the lower CSPAN’s.

Ways and Means are hauling ASS.

Ms. Woolsey also wants to debate single-payer system becuase of the remarkable “overhead cost” margins with for-profit insurance. This amendment just removes the ERISA xxx xxx. Voice vote “yes” to consider the amendment. hurray.

Ways and Means just passed HR3200 out of committee 23-18.

dang none of the CSPANS have the Education and Labor committee going – any suggestions

Now onto amendment offered by Mr Hunter R-CA. Health care insurance cost relief for small business, triggered by economic conditions. Mr Andrews speaking of affordability credits and a measured assessment of what hardship means. recommends a yes vote.

Chair likes the amendment because it allows the secretary to develop the standards and is a placeholder to discuss important issues. Mr Hunter is amazed that chair supports amendment. Mr Poe speaks in support. in this bill, small business applies for a hardship waiver. Amendment agreed to by voice vote.

What is status of Kucinich amendment on state-level single-payer?

Thanks Neil for picking up the live blogging. I was unable to help SlinkerWink out – I can’t find the committee on either of the 3 CSPANs

amendment offered by Kucinich. To bring down the cost of healthcare insurance by regulating executive compensation. it limits the total comp package of ins company executives to a formula pegged to the compensation of the president of the USA. Now compensation is tied to profits which incentives health insurance execs to maximize profits even by denying coverage and raising premium prices that result in lost coverage and sometmies personal bankruptcy.

Mr Kline finds compensation levels problematic too but doesn’t want to make exec pay restrictions part of the package.

Mr Andrews does not think Congress should get into the business fo fixing compensation unless it owns the business. Mr Andrews thinks the power to control exec pay should be legislated to allow shareholders to pursue it instead of congress. Kucinich lkes the idea, so Kucinich will pursue this alternative idea instead. Amendment dropped.

agreed to with voice vote but i’m confused about whether they decided to have a recorded vote (later?)

Thanks, but that confuses me too. If it passed, it passed, or not?

I missed the beginning of Mr. Mcintock’s amendment. This amendment “protects” taxpayers from cost overrun of health care bill. Guarantees that if the revunes anticipated in this bill fail to materialize, that the tax payers are protected from additional tax increases.

Mr Andrews opposes. 1) Calls for deficit neutrality in each year. 2) appears to suspend the exchange provisions and XX but doesn’t touch xx yy 3) delegating to the commissioner the right to suspend the program, which is a law (as oppose to suspending the program by passing a new law, an act by Congress signed by the President.) Poison pill, yes? YES.

Chair – why would we do this 30 days after the enactment? why on a year by year basis when in fact it sould leave people without health insurance.

Mr. Wilson wants to be heard on this very thoughtful amendment. if the program contributes the federal deficit at then end of any year then it’s ends. Are these guys serious? [How much money do health insurance companies give to Wilson’s campaign?]

Poison Pill – this will go down in flames

If it can pass on a voice vote only, it passed. It they can ask for a recorded vote, I thought I heard someone ask for it and I don’t think they took it at that time. Sorry. Wish I was more clear on what happened. I think the amendment passed.

As far as live blogging, it sounds like we want a brief description of the amendment, who is sponsoring and whether they vote to consider or vote to not consider the amendment. Yes?

Thanks
That sounds like what’s needed

Voice vote no on Mr. Mcintock’s [poison pill] amendment but if the gentlemen is entitled to a roll vote, he will have it.

Kucinich’s office tells me there’s not been a vote on his state single-payer amendment yet.

Mr. Holt is introducing his amendment. Amendment based on work done and documented in book “Not just Getting By” Mr. Woo supports amendment. Mr Leobsack:this amendment proposes to encourage development of long term care work force and state’s xx xx.

Training opportunities in their areas and work force development centers. Match unemployed and interested in getting training for long term care.

Mr.Courtney ..

Did we have a vote on Holt’s amendment? Why is Mr. Tonko presenting what sounds like a new amendment?

That makes sense. The voice vote did not stand. Those in opposition requested a roll call vote, to be conducted later.

Vote on en block amendment offered by Holt.

Aye’s have it. No conversation following about roll call vote later. OK, HOLT’S EN BLOCK AMENDMENT for long term care health worker training PASSES.

Mrs. Biggert has an amendment. She’s talking about how bad the public plans in England and Canada are. Her daughter is her health care “expert” but she confirmed it by looking at a few websites. In England, rationing cancer medicine prescriptions by zip code. cataract surgery wait time 8 months. Hernia repair 5 mos wait. safety net Poison pill for 3 trillion dollar health care gamble. Didn’t explain the triggers ran out of time – maybe wait times for surgery are the triggers to end the program. Another Poison Pill. Chairmen is pissed about stupidity of putting millions of people’s health insurance at risk. [Who is Biggert? Mrs. Biggert or Mrs. Biggert’s baby?
Mrs. Biggert’s baby becuase she’s a little Biggert]

Mr (Dr.) Roe: Republicans call the amendment ‘accountability and quality of care’. Roe misidentifies wait times as ‘rationing’. Roe says for-profit insurance will crumble under health care reform with public option.

Chair wants to include data collection and report requirements on wait times but not poison pill component.

Mr. Tierney (Massachusetts) can we stop wasting time on this and vote now?

Mr. Wilson – no, i want to talk. tells a long story about Canadian health care wait periods for procedures.

Mr Souder – running at the mouth. ok now to the point. this bill will lead to less innovation in healthcare technology

Mrs. Biggert withdraws amendment. (with agreement to follow up with data collection and reporting [as an amendment?] later)

Mr. Jared Polis – data collection program to identify groups - by sexual orientation, gender, geographical location [these groups minimum standard] that suffer health disparity.

Aye’s have. Amendment is adopted.

Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers

Amendment – People who make less than 250K per year will not face any new taxes. With this new health bill, if an American does not secure acceptable health insurance coverage, they will have to pay 2.5% Federal income tax [up to thousands of dollars in new taxes], a punitive enforcement which she wants dropped for people who make less than 250K a year.

Mr Miller moves that the amendment is out of order b/c it is not germane to the committee’s jurisdiction – Amendment is out of order.

Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Northern Mariana Islands

Amendment to include Americans residing in the territories.

Chair supports amendment.

Ms. Clarke (D-NY) wants the bill to embrace health care as a fundamental human right, include the 5-6 million people in the territories, most are people of color without health insurance who do not get check-ups and preventative care. Include them as equals and don’t make them second class citizens. Hoo Rah.

Mr Payne (they say its your birthday, happy birthday to you) suppors the amendment. Many citizens from the territories serve in our armed forces

Mr Kucinich. Let’s move to put colonialism behind us and pass this.

Aye’s have it, the amendment is adopted.

[Can we call this amendment the honorable Tom Delay amendment?]

Mr Kline (R-MN)

Didn’t really get this. It has to do with limiting anticipated liabilities… If plans to choose to join the exchange …

outside of the exchange , the bill leaves the X intact.
within the exchange, there are state law remedies that are applied.

VOTE - NO’s have it. Recorded vote requested.

Mr Sestak (D-PA)

This amendment insures that there is a definition of what a Consumer Representative is – educate patient and/or consumer advocate. Creates qualified plan ombudsman.

Mr. Bishop

Discussion about requirements to speak in terms that can be understood by the patient (may not be well-defined in the amendment). Sesteak suggests we can fix that. Mr, Kline says the commisioner wil handle it.

VOTE – The AYE’s have it.

Mr David Price D-NC

Not clear on proposal – some provision for state legislature prerogative to create their own health care exchange – allow state legislatures to repeal or change parts of the federal health plan legislation. Can state government chart their own course?

Mr. Soulder – Hawaii meets the standards and has a carve out. why not other states?

Against: Would make a national system impossible.

VOTE – NO’s have it. ROLL CALL VOTE REQUESTED.

Mr David Wu (D-OR)

data collection and study that promotes the adoption of electronic health records – subsidy incentive (increased reimbursement rates) for providers that adopt electronic health records (????)

this amendment addresses plans in the exchange. [my notes are bad on this amendment]

VOTE – Aye’s have it

Mr Mark Souder (R-IN) BA Notre Dame.

“I believe life begins at conception.” Oh Abortion. Mr Souder is “worried about the most massive expansion of abortion ever.” Amendment: will not mandate that every single policy in America include abortion. (therefore plans can decide to not offer abortion but don;t have to.)

Chair: the bill should be neutral on whether a plan includes abortion or not, that’s what the bill says now. Mr Souder’s amendment tilts the playing field by saying that a plan cannot be forced to have a plan. The plan should not tilt toward or against: please defeat the amendment.

Ms. Woolsey – hands off my uterus! You and I have no right b/c you believe what you believe and I believe what I believe. Do not try to prohibit the practice.

Will the Minimal Standard for the Exchange include abortion? No, not specific surgical procedures.

Mrs Lincoln Davis: Why not allow the law of the land control this issue and be silent on it in the bill?

Mrs McMorris Rodgers: we are delegating a lot of power to the commissioner. what about pre-natal diagnosis? we need to insure that the parent can make a choice about an abortion or a right to carry the baby full term. we have to protect the choice.

Mr Payne – law of the land. if overturned, we get back street abortion.

VOTE No’s have it. ROLL CALL VOTE LATER

Mr Mark Souder (R-IN) BA Notre Dame.

Abortion, another bite of the apple. The amendment will not require the public option to pay for abortions. I THINK.

Chair: There is currently a Constitutional right to have an abortion. Chair says abortion should be paid for by public just as right to lawyer is. A decision between a patient, their god and their doctor. We don’t allow people who object to death penalty to withhold their income taxes.

Will there be two types of minimum standard plans; one with abortion and another without? Yes, assumed says chair.

Founding fathers never considered that rights require financing by the Federal government. Chair agrees. That was then.

Mrs. Davis – We don’t change minds in these discussion. Vote your conscience.

Crazy Pete Hoeksrta – working it. Appointed (unelected) Commisioner has too much discretion, especially with regard to public money funding abortion services.

VOTE No’s have it. ROLL CALL VOTE CALLED FOR, LATER

Mrs. Biggert

Health Spiritual Care. Amendment to protect Mormon’s from religious discrimination.

Chair will not oppose but wants amendment reviewed for constitutionality.

VOTE – AYE’s HAVE IT

Mr Price (R-GA)

??

VOTE – AYE’S HAVE IT

Mr. Price’s amendment was to assert that people can privately contract with doctors outside of their plan (I think).

Crazy Pete Hoekstra (R-MI)

Health care sharing ministry 501(c) voluntary share one another’s medical expense.

chair: we want to work with you. how can we do it?

WITHDRAWS AMENDMENT WITH COMMITMENT TO WORK WITH CHAIR TO GET THIS DONE.

Mr Tom Petri (R-WI)

Health Savings Account Option. Deductible plans. Preventative programs. Cost control from the bottom up.

Chair makes counter offer. Strike the word Permanent and replace with “5 year exception.”

VOTE – AYE’s HAVE IT

Mr Buck McKeon (R-CA)

The sounds was out for a bit. back on now.

I also have no sound :(

Just got sound back!

Mr Buck McKeon (R-CA)

Allow individuals to join a national association health plans, AHP (across state lines).

Unions have this already. Honeywell.

Chair and Mr.Wu oppose amendment.

Mr Sestak – likes the concept. is it mandated that pool of small companies will have to meet minimum standards in the bill? Are you open to it if it did meet standards? such as pre-conditions? McKeon, no.

Chair prefers exchange mechanism to aggregate purchasing power and discounts.

Someone gets a lot of money from realtors.

VOTE No’s have it THERE WILL BE A RECORDED VOTE.

Mr Castle (R-DE)

Prevention and Wellness Programs. Smoking Cessation under group health plan. Health risk assessment. Greater incentive for employers to provide Prevention and Wellness.

Premium discrimination (really?? or incentive for those who can lower their cost by being healthier) based on participation in wellness programs – smoking cessation.

Chair: people w/ disabilities or pre-existing condition should not pay a higher premium b/c they cant participate.

AMENDMENT WITHDRAWN

Mr Joe Wilson (R-SC)

Elected Federal officials must forgo their existing plan and subscribe to big guv’mint healthcare.

New plan will destroy private healthcare contrary to Obama’s promise. Guv’mint takeover of healthcare.

Chair disagrees with characterization them moves to accept amendment.

VOTE – AYE’s have it. AMENDMENT ACCEPTED

Dr. David Price (D-NC)

defined contribution and ownership of the health insurance policy

In a group health plan, if employer and employee // Chair: questions this would offer up the a defined contribution account rather than a defined benefit account // Individual gets ownership of their health insurance policy.

VOTE – NO’s have it – WILL HAVE A RECORDED VOTE

Dr. David Price (D-NC)

not clear but here goes: medicare patients who attempt to receive care outside medicare for procedure offered by medicare is illegal. this plan has same provision. this amendment would strike the provision that prohibits patient to do this under the public option. don’t define participating and non-participating physicians.

with medicare we don’t allow the patient to pay above the regulated rate.

VOTE - No’s have it – WILL HAVE A RECORDED VOTE

LAST AMENDMENT!!!

Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)

Exempt Native Indian Tribal Nations.

Chair: we oppose at this time for this reason: Tribal leaders want to be included in the same way a state or local government are included.

VOTE – NO’s have it. Amendment not adopted.

Some members away. Discussion about taking vote now, for those who are there, and leaving the vote open for those returning at 9:15 AM. Amendment Votes Scheduled to be conducted at 9:15.

I’m not sure I’ll be awake at 9:15. Who can monitor the amendment votes?