RedState~Senator DeMint's Bold Objection Forces Health Care Resolution a do over

DeMint's Bold Objection Forces Pelosi, Reid and Obama to Scurry Behind Closed Doors on Health Care Reform (Again)

Posted by Rick Scott (Profile)

Thursday, January 7th at 12:58PM EST

Aside from a handful of mentions, not much has been made thus far of Republican Senator Jim DeMint's courageous objection to the appointment of conferees on the health care bill.

Most people know that the House passed one version of a health care bill at 11 pm on a Saturday, while the Senate passed a very different version at 7am on Christmas Eve. Before any bill can go to the President for signature, those differences are normally resolved in what is known as a conference report, negotiated by representatives, called "conferees," appointed by the House and the Senate.

But Senator DeMint led a behind-the-scenes effort by Senate Republicans to object to the appointment of conferees. The objection means the House will take up the Senate bill, and if any changes are made, the bill has to work its way back through the entire legislative process in the Senate again. And changing the bill means another tough vote for nervous House Democrats, and even more disconcerting for Senator Reid, the bill will have to go through the whole Senate procedure again, working to collect another 60 votes. Further, the process will potentially expose the bill to new amendments from those in Congress who saw the deal Senator Nelson negotiated in exchange for his support.

This is significant! Let's not forget how expensive it was for Reid to get 60 votes the first time. Pelosi and Reid must now huddle behind closed doors, unofficially, and try to hammer out yet another secret bill that is capable of winning the votes of 60 Senators.