Finance Committee Markup to Continue Next Week
September 21, 2009
The Senate Finance Committee began its mark-up session on Tuesday, September 22 with Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) hoping to have the mark-up completed by Friday, September 25. However, due to the large number of amendments filed, the mark-up will continue this week.
The committee sorted through a number of the 564 amendments to the chairman’s mark that were filed. A controversial amendment is expected to be debated next week when Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) will offer an amendment to replace the bill’s nonprofit health insurance cooperatives with a public insurance option. Baucus’ health care package currently includes the cooperatives as a way to garner support from moderate Democrats. Liberal Democrats favor a public option. At this time it appears that the proposal does not have the votes to pass.
The Finance Committee will merge its final bill with the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee bill prior to a full Senate floor vote.
