GOP Rolls Out Last-Ditch Efforts to Stop Health Care Bill

AP

Updated at 5:25 p.m. ET

Republicans on Tuesday rolled out all of the obstructionist tactics they promised as the Senate kicked off its final health care showdown, beginning 20 hours of debate on the reconciliation bill meant to amend the comprehensive legislation signed into law on Tuesday. GOP tactics to stall the measure included introducing headline-grabbing amendments to the bill (like a proposal to prohibit Viagra coverage for sex offenders), and blocking Senate business on issues unrelated to health care.

Even as the GOP pulls out all the stops, Democratic leadership says they hope to finish debate on the reconciliation "fix it" bill as early as Thursday night, the Washington Post reports. Under the rules of reconciliation, which allows a bill to be passed with just 51 votes, the Senate debates for 20 hours. At the end of the debate, the Senate goes into "vote-a-rama," a rapid-fire voting session on all of the amendments up for discussion. After already slogging through more than seven hours of debate on Tuesday, "vote-a-rama" could begin as early as tonight.

Republicans unveiled their strategy of introducing amendments that would be difficult for Democrats to vote against, raising the ire of the majority party. For instance, one of the nine amendments introduced by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) is entitled "No Erectile Dysfunction Drugs To Sex Offenders." Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), meanwhile, introduced an amendment to erase "sweetheart" deals from the health care legislation. The reconciliation bill already rolls back some, but not all, of the so-called "special deals" in President Obama's new law.

Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana -- herself the target of scrutiny for securing a so-called "sweetheart deal" for her state -- blasted McCain's amendment as purely political, the Hill reports. She reportedly called the amendment "for television or the Internet... not for any serious debate."

"It is beneath the senator from Arizona, who at one time was a candidate for president of this country," Landrieu said. "Normally the only time I see the word 'sweetheart' is when my husband sends me a dozen roses on Valentine's Day... To actually draft an amendment like this that uses the words 'sweetheart deal' is really an insult to the people of our country, and I would expect more from him."

A number of pro-reform groups, including Health Care for American Now, Families USA and the labor federation AFL-CIO, are urging Democrats to vote against all amendments -- even proposals they would normally support -- so that the reconciliation bill can pass swiftly. If any amendments are passed, the reconciliation bill will be sent back to the House for yet another vote.

Meanwhile, as the reconciliation debate began yesterday, three different Senate committees were about to hold hearings: one on a national broadband plan, a hearing on federal financial management and an environmental hearing. All of those were abruptly canceled, however, because of GOP obstruction.

There is an obscure Senate rule that says the Senate cannot conduct hearings after 2 p.m. without unanimous consent, so Republicans opted to withhold their consent, the Hill reports.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid released a statement excoriating Republicans for "throwing a temper tantrum and grinding important Senate business to a halt."

Washington Unplugged: Stupak Says "It Was Worth It"

Photos: Obama's Road to Health Care Reform

CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

As the reconciliation debate continues today, Mr. Obama will quietly sign an executive order extending already-existing restrictions on taxpayer funding of abortion to the health care legislation. While yesterday's bill signing was a high profile event, today's signing will be closed to the press. Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), who led the push for stringent abortion coverage restrictions in the health care bill, will attend the signing along with about a dozen other anti-abortion rights legislators.

Mr. Obama's success in passing the health care bill may have already boosted public support for the measure. A CBS News poll conducted just before the House approved the legislation on Sunday showed that nearly half of all Americans disapproved of the health care bill. However, a new CBS News poll released this morning showed a bump in support, from 37 percent to 42 percent. But more (46 percent) still disapproved of the new law.

A USA Today/ Gallup poll conducted the day after the bill was passed showed even more of a boost for Mr. Obama and Democrats, with 49 percent of Americans calling the bill a "good thing."

UPDATE: Republicans for the second day blocked some Senate committee hearings to protest the reconciliation bill, the Hill reports. While some hearings, including one in the Homeland Security Committee, proceeded today, the GOP blocked hearings in the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Judiciary Committee.

Meanwhile, Reid today dismissed the amendments Republicans are offering as merely "roadblocks," Politico reports.

"They're only concern is putting roadblocks and doing everything they can do to keep us from improving health care for Americans. It sounds harsh, but that's what they're doing," Reid reportedly said. "How serious could the be, offering an amendment dealing with Viagra for rapists?"

Left-wing bloggers are also ridiculing the GOP amendments put up, such as Sen. David Vitter (R-La.)'s amendment to repeal "Obamacare" and Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah)'s amendment to force Washington, D.C. to allow a ballot measure on same-sex marriage.

UPDATE, 5:25 p.m.: The Senate concluded debate on the reconciliation bill just after 5 p.m. today, beginning the phase of voting on amendments known as "vote-a-rama," CBS News Capitol Hill Producer John Nolen reports. The Senate will vote on a series of 23 amendments, and each vote is expected to take 15 to 20 minutes.

After the Senate concludes voting on those 23 amendments -- which is expected to take until around midnight -- the Senate will proceed to vote on another series of amendments. It's unclear for how long the Senate will work tonight.

Details of the Bill:

Summary of What's in the Bill
Uninsured? What the New Bill Means for You
Already Insured? Get Ready to Pay More
Feds Eye Big Savings from Health Reform
How Health Reform Affects Small Businesses
Provisions Which Take Effect in Short-Term
Read the Text (PDF): Complete Senate Bill | Reconciliation Measure

More Coverage of Health Care Reform:

GOP Amendments Aim to Box-In Senate Dems
Health Care Bill Signed by Obama
Poll: Most Say Health Care Fight About Politics, Not Policy
GOP Looks to Courts, Polls to Repeal Health Care Bill
Obama Has Work Cut Out for Him to Sell Health Care Bill
Marc Ambinder: Nine Events That Led to Passage of Health Care Reform
The Historic Health Care Push: A Look Back
CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

[jasarack1]

The Republicans continue to oppose the interests of ordinary people, from social security to Medicare, to equal rights, to health care and many others. Ironically, they are silent when the interests of the wealthy are advanced, e.g. tax breaks to the wealthy under the Bush administration. Hopefully, most people will understand that the Republicans represent corporations and the wealthy under the banner of "freedom from the government."

[snoozersgramz]

OK, I have an idea that maybe the Republicans will like - instead of forcing everyone to have health insurance those that choose to have NO insurance will no longer be able to walk into ANY EMERGENCY room within the US without having the cash to pay for the care immediately, or posting a $10,000 bond. We all know how much emergency room visits cost, and we cannot plan for every emergency or accident - thus insurance - but maybe "they" are right and we shouldn't force people to have insurance. Quite frankly I am tired of working hard, barely making it, paying my insurance premiums only to have the person next to me in the ER, without ANY INSURANCE (including being eligible for Medi-Cal), and getting the same level of care that I receive, or I have to wait while they assess that person.....sorry folks you can't have it both ways.

[RobAla]

I certainly hope the nation does not slide into a violent revolt (or a violent support of this bill), but the extremism of this bill has encouraged a revolt of some sort. Hopefully, the actions of taking this bill before courts will settle the matter. When people feel that they have no voice and that they are being pushed into a corner, some become violent. Every poll indicates that the wishes of the majority of the American people were ignored with the vote on the health care bill. I hope this can be settled without violence. Saying that, we must come to gripes with the direction in which the country is moving.

An article today stated that there is now zero dollars left in Social Security, and that those receiving checks would now have to be paid out of the general fund. Both parties of our government have irresponsibly been robbing that program for many years, and now it is flat broke. What makes anyone think the federal government will not screw up this social program, as well? Washington continues to spend money that the nation does not have at an alarming rate, and it is out of control. Track records mean something. I have NO confidence that the federal government will suddenly behave in a responsible manner with this particular program. Have we ever seen a federal program run efficiently and effectively? Ever? There is no evidence to support that idea.

With this bill, which was crafted in secret behind closed doors and filled with corrupt political favors, we have jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire. This is bad.... really bad. We all should honestly weigh the evidence for ourselves, and not just imagine what could be... but understand what really is. I love my country, but we are handing our health care over to a corrupt and irresponsible institution.... a government which has grown so large that the people no longer control it. If we don't reverse this trend, and reduce this federal government down to a manageable size...and do it very soon...we are in really big trouble. It is time to stop imagining what we would like to see, and realize what we really have on our hands. We have to re-establish responsibility and accountability from our government, before we gve it more to handle. Just because a politician states that he/she is for responsible government, does not make it so. We had better stop and have the people take back control of the government, before we hand it the car keys.

[noloyalisti]

Maybe the Republikkklans should just restart the Civil War. They and their minions are racist, homophobic, religious freaks who hate minorities and anyone other than fat, pasty, ignorant, middle aged white men.

[Deb_B1]

You don't know your history very well. KKK was a democrat thing. Senator Byrd (D) was the Big Guy in his chapter of the KKK. Republicans are the ones who brought you Civil Rights. MLK was a Republican. You are being used.

[Deb_B1]

Also in case you didn't know Byrd Byrd has been President pro tempore of the United States Senate since 2007,He is third in the line of presidential succession, behind Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Check out some of his racist quotes.

[Empire-George-]

by RobAla March 24, 2010 9:59 PM EDT

As an independent who is sickened by what Democrats did with this bill, I say "Roll, baby, Roll!"
_________

Who are you directing your comment to ? The Republicans or Democrats ?

Roll, in what way....about what

[erb0087]

Some in the lunatic right wing fringe have a perverted notion of what "liberty" means -- that it's dog-eat-dog, the law of the jungle, every man for himself.

They forget that taking care of one's neighbor was a tradition among the early pioneers. When your barn burned down, all the neighbors came together and helped you rebuild it. They didn't just say, well, he should have been more careful.

Holocaust survivor. the late Dr. Viktor Frankl, author of "Man's Search for Meaning," felt that the Statue of Liberty was incomplete. There should be a Statue of Responsibility to complement it.

The prototype of this proposed Statue of Responsibility, sculpted by project artist Gary Lee Price, consists of a pair of clasped hands oriented vertically, symbolizing the responsibility that comes with liberty.

http://www.sorfoundation.org/

[Deb_B1]

Google this:

Arthur C. Brooks, a professor at Syracuse University, published "Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism." The surprise is that liberals are markedly less charitable than conservatives.

If many conservatives are liberals who have been mugged by reality, Brooks, a registered independent, is, as a reviewer of his book said, a social scientist who has been mugged by data. They include these findings:

-- Although liberal families' incomes average 6 percent higher than those of conservative families, conservative-headed households give, on average, 30 percent more to charity than the average liberal-headed household ($1,600 per year vs. $1,227).

-- Conservatives also donate more time and give more blood.

-- Residents of the states that voted for John Kerry in 2004 gave smaller percentages of their incomes to charity than did residents of states that voted for George Bush.

-- Bush carried 24 of the 25 states where charitable giving was above average.

-- In the 10 reddest states, in which Bush got more than 60 percent majorities, the average percentage of personal income donated to charity was 3.5. Residents of the bluest states, which gave Bush less than 40 percent, donated just 1.9 percent.

-- People who reject the idea that "government has a responsibility to reduce income inequality" give an average of four times more than people who accept that proposition.

[mountainstates1]

I really don't get what purpose Republicans could possibly have for denying middle America better health coverage? Conservatives have developed into the "Opposition" party just for the sake that they can. Their negative actions also impact their own family and friends not just those that are trying to better life for the average working American. Shame on Republicans.

[Deb_B1]

They don't want to deny anyone anything. Did you just not hear that SS is totally broke? That money was supposed to never be touched. Ask your self where it went and who managed it?

There are ways to do Health Care reform, which despite what the MSM tell you, EVERYONE, Republicans included wants. Republicans just do not want the government running it or managing the money. You would do good to actually research for yourself the bills the republicans have brought forth that were tabled or stuck in committee, never to see the light of day.

[Lea818]

They can go through with all their tactics in the debate on the bill if they want, but to obstruct these very important hearings from taking place is utterly reprehensible! Some of the hearings they scuttled were about training police in Afghanistan and dealing with North Korea. Very very important stuff - sacrificed for nothing more than political gamesmanship. It's sickening. SHAME on you Republican senators for putting your Country Last!

[jxknowles]

No sooner had the bill passed than Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa puts out a press release stating the virtues of the bill provisions that he co-authored. LOL! Take a bow Senator Grassley, take a bow (to sounds of thunderous applause)!

For those interested, the provision relates to tax-exempt Hospital accountability. Chuck states "Congress, the IRS, and the public will now have additional tools and information to ensure that charitable hospitals act charitably.?

Anyway, Senator Chuck doesn't mention that he voted 'NO', against his own provisions. Oh boy. Hypocrisy, along with the good Senator from Iowa, know no bounds.

[upintheair]

To result to name calling, is child like and ridiculous! To make threats against another person, is wrong. Hitler, his ideals, his beliefs, his master race, German superiority, was a true masterful feat of speech. History proved he was wrong, and we are all equal, no mater what limitations or beliefs we have. The world united against his oppression and won, although millions lost their lives to his demented ideals. I do not see the comparison to this sociopath or for anyone to make such a statement. The fundamental problem, that I see who will pay for this. What will we do borrow from Paul to give to Peter, borrow from Peter to give to....This is why social security is broke. Wait I will write and IOU... Credit card anyone!
It is ludicrous to believe that this new healthcare bill will not affect individuals who make less then 250k. When has government ever stayed within its projected budget. I cannot find one case that it has. Freedom of choice, is what our fore fathers founded this country on. That freedom is being limited. Compare mandatory insurance on drivers for all. Ever get involved in an accident with mandatory insurance driver, I did. It was their fault, and guess who payed for the damages, my insurance, because I have to carry underinsured motorist, because what he had carried did not cover squat. So who carries the burden the tax payer.

[jxknowles]

I believe it is likely the mandates will never come to fruition. This is coming from someone who staunchly supported and worked hard to pass this bill. The mandates affect a very small number of people and businesses. It should not be a major focus of the bill or the attempts to repeal. The mandates don't come into play for several years.

This bill is the first attempt to take down the only business monoploy in the U.S. free market other than major league baseball. It was to
insurance companies under the McCarran Ferguson act of 1945 and excludes them from anti-trust laws. Congress has the power to repeal this act, and this bill goes a long way in doing so.

If you do support free markets, and you don't support price-fixing and price gouging, then you should be behind the efforts of this Congress to change the Healthcare Industry playing field, to make it more affordable and more available to all U.S. citizens.