The Hill: Dems mull skipping Energy and Commerce Committee, bringing healthcare right to the floor

[flpoljunkie]

Dems mull skipping panel, bringing healthcare to floor
By Jared Allen

Posted: 07/23/09

House Democrats, still searching for a way to pass their healthcare bill before August, are considering bypassing the Energy and Commerce committee altogether, where the bill has stalled, and proceeding right to the floor.

“The preferable course would be to go through the committee,” Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson (D-Conn.) said Thursday night. “But all options will be on the table.”

Larson’s comments came as he and the rest of the Democratic leadership team emerged from a meeting where they hosted Ways and Means Committee and some Energy and Commerce Committee Democrats.

Earlier in the afternoon, leaders met for hours with the group of seven Energy and Commerce Blue Dogs who have vowed to block the bill from passing their committee. Those Blue Dogs still have disagreements over regional Medicare reimbursement disparities and insufficient health care savings.

more...

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/dems-mull-skipping-panel-bringing-healthcare-to-floor-2009-07-23.html

[Thrill]

1. Lets see what comes out of Pelosi and Rahm's meeting today

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. Let's shine the green light

[jwirr]

3. Can that be done? THEN have our beloved Ted Kennedy walk in

before the vote. It would not hurt if Elizabeth Edwards were also there to lobby the vote through. VP Biden and President Obama can double up on the BDs and we can get things going. Time to move.

[DrToast]

4. They can do that

But I think that the parts the Energy and Commerce has jurisdiction over wouldn't be "approved" formally. It would still have to pass committee and then there would be another floor vote, I believe.

There was some talk of doing this in the Senate a while back, too.

[backscatter712]

5. I like this idea!!!

Two other committees have already put bills on the floor. Reconcile the Education & Labor and the Ways & Means committee bills, run the CBO numbers, and as long as it's deficit-neutral, slam it through!

The Blue Cross Dems can suck it!