Delays Continue to Plague Health Care Reform Debate - July 24, 2009

After two of the three House committees of jurisdiction moved swiftly to pass health care reform legislation, the process has ground to a halt in the Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid and the Public Health Service, due to continued objections by conservative “Blue Dog” Democrats. The Committee began its mark-up process on Thursday, July 16, but has not held a mark-up session since Monday, July 20 as House leaders and the Committee’s chairman, Henry Waxman, continue to negotiate with Blue Dogs. The conservative Democrats are calling for greater cost control measures to be included in the bill. It is unclear if and when the Energy and Commerce Committee will reconvene its mark-up and whether the House will move swiftly enough to pass a bill on the floor before the August recess, scheduled to begin in the House on July 31.

Meanwhile, the Senate Finance Committee has not scheduled its mark-up due to pending negotiations among six Senators - Democratic Senators Baucus, Bingaman, Conrad and Republican Senators Grassley, Enzi, Snowe - on Senate health reform legislation.