Posted on 03/18/2010 3:27:32 AM PDT by Man50D
Under the standard procedures of the House of Representatives, Republicans will get only 30 minutes on the House floor to debate the special "rule" being prepared by House Rules Chairman Louise Slaughter (D.-N.Y.) that would deem the Senate health care bill passed in the House without an actual vote on the bill as required by Article I, Section VII of the Constitution.
Under Slaughter's plan, the House would pass a special rule governing debate on a budget reconciliation bill being crafted to make "fixes" in the Senate health care bill desired by House Democrats. Under this rule, the Senate health care bill itself would be "deemed" to have passed the House if the full House of Representatives subsequently passes the budget reconciliation bill.
A majority of the House would have to vote in favor of the Slaughter Rule and then in favor of the reconciliation bill for the Senate health care bill to be considered passed. But House members would never actually vote on the 2,074-page Senate health care bill itself or have their votes on that bill recorded in the official record of the chamber as required by the Constitution.
The Slaughter Rule is expected to be brought up on the House floor later this week. In order for the House to take up the reconciliation bill, it must first debate and approve the Slaugher Rule. During that debate, under the normal procedures of the House, Republican members will be allowed only 30 minutes to publicly air their views on the rule and to try to persuade their Democratic colleagues not to circumvent the constitutional requirements for passing a bill into law.
“It [the rule] would go to the floor and it would be debated for an hour--30 minutes each side,” Jo Maney, spokeswoman for ranking Rules Committee Republican David Dreier (Calif.), told CNSNews.com, then “there’d be a vote on the rule.”
After that vote, Maney explained, the House would debate and vote on the budget reconciliation package itself. The terms of that debate would be entirely defined by Slaughter’s special rule.
The rule cannot be amended by either the Demcorat or Republican members, unless it fails in a vote to close debate, called a “vote on the previous question.” If that vote to close debate fails, then a member of the opposition Republicans, usually the ranking minority member of the House Rules Committee, can offer amendments.
“At the conclusion of debate on the rule, the floor manager moves the previous question,” according to the House Rules Committee Web site . “If no objection is heard, the House proceeds to vote on the rule. If objection is heard, a vote occurs on the previous question. If the previous question is rejected, however, a Member who opposed the previous question (usually the Rules Committee minority floor manager) is recognized. That Member then controls one hour of debate time on the amendment. The Member controlling the time may offer an amendment to the rule and then move the previous question on the amendment and on the rule when debate has concluded.”
If, as is expected, the full House approves the special rule, the representatives will immediately move to debate and vote on the budget reconciliation package. During that debate, the minority (Republicans) may offer a motion to recommit, which would either send the reconciliation package back to the Budget Committee or stop it outright.
If a motion to recommit fails, then the full House would vote on the budget reconciliation bill. If it passes that bill, the Senate health care bill would be deemed passed--due to the previously adopted Slaughter Rule--and would be sent to President Barack Obama for his signature. The budget reconciliation bill would go to the Senate.
Republican Rules Committee Spokeswoman Maney told CNSNews.com that the Republicans now expect Democrats to try to adopt the Slaughter Solution and use it to avoid an actual up-or-down, yeas and nays, vote on the Senate health care bill.
She said: “The rule would state that, when the package of reconciliation bills passes the House, then the Senate bill would be considered adopted. It basically would say ‘hereby considered adopted.’”
“At that point, it would go straight to the President for his signature,” said Maney. “Just the Senate bill. The only guaranteed outcome of approving a rule like that and then approving the [reconciliation] package of fixes is that the Senate bill becomes law.”
Maney's boss, ranking Rules Committee Republican David Dreier, told CNSNews.com that he thought the Slaughter Rule was "outrageous" and that he would do everything he could to expost it and stop it.
“(I am) trying to do everything that I possibly can to expose the outrageous procedure that they are trying to use to take over control of one-sixth of our economy,” said Dreir.
Constitutional scholars have alsos questioned the rule, citing the Article I, Section VII of the Constitution, which requires a recorded yes-or-no vote of all members of both houses of Congress before a bill can become law. Article I, Section 7 of the U.S. Constitution states:
"Every Bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a Law, be presented to the President of the United States; If he approve he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it, with his Objections to that House in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the Objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If after such Reconsideration two thirds of that House shall agree to pass the Bill, it shall be sent, together with the Objections, to the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that House, it shall become a Law. But in all such Cases the Votes of both Houses shall be determined by Yeas and Nays, and the Names of the Persons voting for and against the Bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House respectively.”
Don’t even debate it, just file the lawsuits.
Well, if they’re going with the Slaughter Rule, that must mean the Speaker couldn’t scrape together enough yes votes.
I wonder - will they get enough votes to pass the rule? Everyone knows what the Dems are up to now, and that it isn’t Constitutional.
Tnis thing has been talked about enough. It’s time to vote. If “Sweet Deem Baby” Nancy Pelosi has the votes to pass a non-vote on a (whatever lie they are telling themselves), then it’s time for the Democrats to destroy America and install a Soviet health control mechanism.
I read somewhere yesterday that the House Republicans are bringing a resolution to the floor that would prohibit the use of the Slaughter Solution for HCR and force an up or down vote, when one occurs, on the Senate bill. The vote on it is supposed to be today.
I’m trying to find the source for this info. I was looking everywhere for new developments and read so many things that I lost track for what info came from where. I’ll repost when I find it.
At any rate the resolution is supposedly being brought the floor by Parker Griffith (R-AL).
The Repubs should filibuster. Oh, I know filibustering is not allowed under House rules — but, then, neither are a lot of the other actions the Pelosi Gang is taking. It’s time to force a physical showdown for all of the world to see. The future of the democracy is at stake, and the Repubs should pull out all the stops — even if it means being physically removed from the House floor.
Speaking on the U.S. House floor is as meaningless today as it would have been to address the Politburo in the heyday of Josef Stalin. It’s the New Stalinists the American people have voted in — probably to the surprise of Stalin.
“I read somewhere yesterday that the House Republicans are bringing a resolution to the floor that would prohibit the use of the Slaughter Solution for HCR and force an up or down vote, when one occurs, on the Senate bill. The vote on it is supposed to be today. I’m trying to find the source for this info. ....” ~ dajeeps
I think this is it. bttt:
Republicans Will Force Vote on Slaughter Rule
HumanEvents.com ^ | 3/17/2010 | Connie Hair
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2473506/posts
Rep. Parker Griffith, M.D. (R-Ala.) switched parties recently to escape the far-left policies of the House Democratic leadership. The newly-minted Republican is set to lead efforts to force an up-or-down vote on a resolution requiring an up-or-down vote on the Senate health care bill.
This is hand-to-hand fisticuffs, parliamentary-style, as minority Republicans battle the 76-seat Democrat majority on procedure while Democrats battle the American people on substance.
If passed by the House, the resolution would prohibit Speaker Pelosi from implementing the “Slaughter Solution” scheme by which House Democrats seek to “deem” the Senate health care bill as passed without an actual vote on it in the House.
Republicans cannot force a vote on the actual resolution but they can force a vote on having a vote. Given the toxic political climate on Capitol Hill right now — and people nationwide paying more attention than ever to parliamentary process through the internet, cable news and talk radio — the vote on whether or not to vote on the resolution could have political consequences for Democrats.
Proposed text:
RESOLUTION
Ensuring an up or down vote on certain health care legislation.
Resolved, That the Committee on Rules may not report a rule or order that provides for disposition of the Senate amendments to H.R. 3590, an Act entitled The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, unless such rule or order provides for
(1) at least one hour of debate, equally divided and controlled by the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader, or their designees; and
(2) a requirement that the Speaker put the question on disposition of the Senate amendments and that the yeas and nays be considered as ordered thereon.
Whipping the Whip Counts
If there’s one thing that’s certain on Capitol Hill this week it’s uncertainty. Intensive whip count is taking place by leadership, media and constituents alike. The Drudge Report headlines are enough to confuse everyone.
BLOOMBERG: Pelosi Says Dems to Have Votes for Health Bill...
THE HILL: Hoyer Shoots Down Larson’s Vote Count, Clyburn’s Timeline...
THE HILL: Clyburn Says Health Vote Could Push Past Easter Holiday...
POLITICO: Larson Says Dems Have the Votes...
One of the most credible people to emerge in this whole debate is Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), top Republican on the House Budget Committee. Ryan told Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren last night, Democrats are still about 10 votes short.
“We still think they’re 10 down,” Ryan said. “There’s a common strategy being employed especially these days called the inevitability strategy. Make your team think you’re winning and if you’re going to vote against the team then it’s your fault for bringing the team down. Get the opposition on defense. Get the American people who are upset about this demoralized so that they don’t pick up the phone and call their Congressman. … The inevitability strategy is to try to win through bluffing. They are bluffing. They don’t have the votes. And they’ve got [until Sunday] to muscle this thing through until the President gets on a plane to Indonesia.”
Buying the Blue Dog Democrats?
Most interesting rumor from the Hill yesterday: Rep. Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.) who announced his retirement from Congress has been promised the job of NASA administrator in exchange for his vote, and Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn.), another retiring Democrat, has been promised an appointment as U.S. Ambassador to NATO in exchange for his vote.
It will be interesting to note any job announcements from this Tennessee duo post-House retirement. Both voted against passage of the House bill back in November.
Meanwhile, there’s trouble in CBO-ville. Congressional Quarterly reported late yesterday that preliminary cost estimates (“scoring”) of the changes the House wants the Senate to make using reconciliation have failed to meet the targets. From the report:
House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller, D-Calif., was asked by reporters about speculation among lobbyists that preliminary CBO scores showed that the reconciliation bill does not save $2 billion over five years as required and that the costs of the total bill topped $1 trillion. “I don’t know that yet,” he replied. “We’re waiting to hear back from CBO. When I left the meeting last night, we were sending it back to CBO.”
…
Rank-and-file Democrats did not talk about the details, but said that the CBO scores had come up short. “They were less than expected” in terms of deficit reduction, said Rep. Gene Green, D-Texas, who plans to vote for the bill.
Not only does the CBO score have to “score” as controlling costs (which it doesn’t), it must also meet the strict reconciliation restrictions articulated in this year’s budget. That’s a large order of smoke and mirrors.
One miss and reconciliation falls apart in the Senate going back to the House for yet another vote on the changes. The Senate bill will already have been passed and signed into law, a vote House Democrats will not be able to shed.
Of special note, per the House Rules Committee Staff Director Hugh Nathanial Halpern, of the 22 times reconciliation has been used since 1980, the Senate has amended the House reconciliation bill 21 times.
Tea Party Patriots take Capitol Hill
The congressional phone and fax infrastructure was groaning at the seams under extreme duress yesterday as Tea Party patriots travelled to the Hill to lobby their members in person and thousands more nationwide assaulted phone, fax and email service to make their voices heard: Kill the Bill.
Busy phone signals and jammed faxes lines nearly crashed the system. At one point members and staff were warned that faxes were not going through across the entirety of Capitol Hill — not just in targeted members’ offices. The entire system was completely overloaded.
The best line of the day at the Tea Party rally on Capitol Hill came from Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas). Gohmert carried the 2,700-page bill with him to the rally. HUMAN EVENTS intern Matt Hadro asked him why he was carrying the bill (and captured it on videotape here).
Gohmert responded, “This is the Senate bill (shows the bill) that you don’t find on the White House website. This is the Senate bill, and this is what they’re talking about deeming to be passed without passing it. I think the only way this’d be passed is if somebody eats it; then they’ll pass it. Otherwise it should not be passed.”
Schoolhouse Rock: “I’m Just a Bill Sitting on Capitol Hill”
For those who remember the terrific Schoolhouse Rock series that was so very effective in teaching kids about grammar and civics — and even more specifically for those who don’t remember it — House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (Ind.) has posted a link on his Facebook page: How a Bill Becomes a Law — Schoolhouse Rock.
The remark accompanying the post? “A video we are trying to get Democrat leaders in Congress to watch.”
Thank you. That is far more detailed than what I read yesterday.
You’re welcome. bttt
The Republican effort will fail without a doubt. But its value is forcing each and every RAT to vote for tossing the Constitution in favor of a dictatorship.
It will be useful in November, if the GOP has the gumption to use it.
There's no way the courts will even entertain a suit preemptively. That'd have to wait until the deed was already done. In the meantime, fighting it every step of the way and exposing the outrageous tactics for what they are to the public is the best option -- both Constitutionally and politically.
You know, I think this is a most excellent idea. They should disrupt proceeding until either the Sargent at Arms forcibly removes them or they withdraw the amendment. It sure will make the Democrats nervous about the press coverage.
Folks need to read up on the "used in the past" argument to see that it hasn't been used in the manner Pelosi intends.
I think Democrats are starting to run away from the Slaughter Rule as fast as their legs can take them
This is from a 2007 contact list of congressional aides. Some might not be there any longer, but worth a try. The ones on the one post are senate aides, a few have bounced back, it’s worth the effort to clog up their email system along with the phones, and 1/3rd of these senators are up for re-election.
Contact congressional aides.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1857768/posts
U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121
U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121
White House comments: (202) 456-1111
Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep
Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Toll free to the US Senate:
1-800-882-2005. (Spanish number)
1-800-417-7666. (English number)
Courtesy of a pro-amnesty group, no less!!
Defeat Obamacare call list: List now contains the new MAYBES culled from FR posts. Be sure to call KNOWN RINOS too.THEY ARE ANSWERING THEIR LOCAL NUMBERS
Here is one of the ones Rush gave out on the radio that I’m calling. So far it’s been busy but I’m going to burn it up till I get to tell my congress critter to vote NO!
Join me?..... 1-877-762-8762
Good idea from the bloggers at Hillbuzz:
http://hillbuzz.org/2010/03/17/action-items-march-17th-2010/
They offer specifics and links on how to put pressure on Dem DONORS, who have private numbers for legislators who may have taken their phones off the hook.
Congress may not want to hear from us, but they’ll listen to the money men.
KEEP THE CALLS UP! DC OFFICE LOCAL OFFICE
CODE RED Contact list http://www.nrcc.org/CodeRed/targets/
Remember they are all being offered BRIBES for their votes. Ask them how much their bribe price is.
The National Republican Congressional Committee has published a target list on health care. In addition to continuing to contact the five Tennessee Democrat Congressmen, you can go http://www.votervoice.net/link/clickthrough/ext/94697.aspx to contact some of these targets. Much of the talk following Obama’s announcement has focused on how to defeat this second bill through reconciliation, but that is misleading because the first step to defeating Obamacare is not by concentrating on defeating the “fixer” bill but by defeating the Senate bill in the House when it goes to the floor for an up-or-down vote on Thursday, March 18th.
New FLIPPERS
Dennis Kucinish, Lakewood 216)228-8850, Fax (216)228-6465,
Parma. 440)845-2707, Fax (440)845-2743, DC (202)225-5871
Dennis Cardoza DC (202) 225-6131, Fax: 225-0819, 800-356-6424, Merced, (209) 383-4455 Fax: 726-1065 Modesto 209) 527-1914 Fax: 527-5748 Modesto, (209) 527-1914
Fax: 527-5748
Jim Costa Fresno 559-495-1620, Fax:559-495-1027, Bakersfeld, 661-869-1620 Fax: 661-869-1027 DC Phone:202-225-3341 Fax: 202-225-9308
Fax (202)225-5745
James Oberstar (202) 225-6211, Duluth (218) 727-7474,
Chisholm (218) 254-5761, Brainerd (218) 828-4400, North Branch, (651) 277-1234
Gabrielle Giffords (202) 225-2542 (520) 881-3588 AZ 8th District
Rep. Lincoln Davis 202-225-6831 Columbia office: 931-490-8699
Rep. Jim Cooper 202-225-4311 Nashville office: 615-736-5295
Rep. Bart Gordon 202-225-4231 Murfreesboro office: 615-896-1986
John Tanner (202) 225-4714, Union City, (731) 885-7070, Jackson Phone: (731) 423-4848, Millington (901) 873-5690 TN (MAYBE)
Rep. Steve Cohen 202-225-3265 Memphis office: 901-544-4131
Harry Mitchell (202) 225-2190 (480) 946-2411 AZ 5th District
Ann Kirkpatrick (202) 225-2315 (928) 226-6914 AZ 1st District
Jerry McNerney (202) 225-1947 925-833-0643 CA 11th District
John Salazar 202-225-4761 970-245-7107 CO 3rd District
Jim Himes (202) 225-5541 (866) 453-0028 CT 4th District
Alan Grayson (202) 225-2176 (407) 841-1757 FL 8th District
Bill Foster (202) 225-2976 630-406-1114 IL 14th District
Baron Hill 202 225 5315 812 288 3999 IN 9th District
Mark Schauer (202) 225-6276 (517) 780-9075 MI 7th District
Gary Peters (202) 225-5802 (248) 273-4227 MI 9th District
Dina Titus (202) 225-3252 702-256-DINA (3462) NV 3rd District
Carol Shea-Porter (202) 225-5456 (603) 743-4813 NH 1st District
Tim Bishop (202) 225-3826 (631) 696-6500 NY 1st District
John Hall (202) 225-5441 (845) 225-3641 x49371 NY 19th District
Bill Owens (202) 225-4611 (315) 782-3150 NY 23rd District
James Matheson Toll-Free Number 1 (877) 677-9743 (202) 225-3011Mike Arcuri (202)225-3665 (315)793-8146 NY 24th District
Dan Maffei (202) 225-3701 (315) 423-5657 NY 25th District
Earl Pomeroy (202) 225-2611 (701) 224-0355 ND At-Large District
Steven Driehaus (202) 225-2216 (513) 684-2723 OH 1st District
Mary Jo Kilroy (202) 225-2015 (614) 294-2196 OH 15th District
Zach Space (202) 225-6265 (330) 364-4300 OH 18th District
Kathy Dahlkemper (202) 225-5406 (814) 456-2038 PA 3rd District
Patrick Murphy (202) 225-4276 (215) 826-1963 PA 8th District
Christopher Carney (202) 225-3731 (570) 585-9988 PA 10th District
Paul Kanjorski (202) 225-6511 (570) 825-2200 PA 11th District
John Spratt (202) 225-5501 (803)327-1114 SC 5th District
Tom Perriello (202) 225-4711 (276) 656-2291 VA 5th District
Alan Mollohan (202) 225-4172 (304) 623-4422 WVA 1st District
Nick Rahall (202) 225-3452 (304) 252-5000 WVA 3rd District
Steve Kagen (202) 225-5665 (920) 437-1954 WI 8th District
Bart Stupak (202) 225 4735 MI (MAYBE)
Brian Baird (202) 225-3536, Vancouver, (360) 695-6292. Olympia, (360) 352-9768, (MAYBE)
senator mark begich (202) 224-3004 toll free. (877) 501 - 6275 just became a MAYBE
Jason Altmire 202-225-2565, Aliquippa, 724-378-0928,
Natrona Heights, 724-226-1304 (MAYBE)
On the Bubble (Major developments from the “yes” and “no” columns in the House)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2467046/posts
Congressional Dems on Twitter
http://www.arrghpaine.com/congressional-dems-on-twitter
And here are toll-free numbers we can use to call any Senators or Reps.
At the first number below you must wait through a tape recording urging you to tell your Rep or Senator to vote “yes” for the health care bill. Just hang on and when the recording is over, you will get the Capitol operator. Just ask for your Rep or Senator’s office. Then you will either talk to an aid or have the chance to leave a message for him/her to vote NO on the health care bill.
When you use the second number and the Capitol operator comes on, just ask for your Rep or Senator’s office. Every time I use this number I get the Rep or Senator’s answer machine, so it may be set up that way all the time...to go to their answer machine. Either way you can leave a message to vote NO on the health care bill!
We need to use these toll free numbers that have been set up for the health care/ BO supporters and illegals to use! After all they are FREE!
1-866-220-0044, 1-866-338-1015, 877-851-6437, 877-210-5351
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