Parliamentarian threatens deadly blow to GOP healthcare bill

[corbe]

Parliamentarian threatens deadly blow to GOP healthcare bill

 By Alexander Bolton - 06/08/17 06:30 PM EDT   


The Senate parliamentarian has warned Republicans that a key provision in their healthcare reform bill related to abortion is unlikely to be allowed, raising a serious threat to the legislation.

The parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, has flagged language that would bar people from using new refundable tax credits for private insurance plans that cover abortion, according to Senate sources. 

If Republicans are forced to strip the so-called Hyde language from the legislation, which essentially bars federal funds from being used to pay for abortions unless to save the life of a mother or in cases of rape and incest, it may doom the bill.

MacDonough declined to comment for this article.

Unless a workaround can be found, conservative senators and groups that advocate against abortion rights are likely to oppose the legislation.

Republicans control 52 seats in the Senate; they can afford only two defections and still pass the bill, assuming Democrats are united against it. Vice President would break a 50-50 tie.

Normally controversial legislation requires 60 votes to pass the Senate, but Republicans hope to pass the ObamaCare repeal-and-replace bill with a simple majority vote under a special budgetary process known as reconciliation.

The catch is that the legislation must pass a six-part test known as the Byrd Rule, and it’s up to the parliamentarian to advise whether legislative provisions meet its requirements.

The toughest requirement states that a provision cannot produce changes in government outlays or revenues that are merely incidental to the non-budgetary components of the provision.

In other words, a provision passed under reconciliation cannot be primarily oriented toward making policy change instead of impacting the budget. Arguably, attaching Hyde language to the refundable tax credits is designed more to shape abortion policy than affect how much money is spent to subsidize healthcare coverage.


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http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/337060-parliamentarian-threatens-deadly-blow-to-gop-healthcare-bill

[Mesaclone]

The key here is that the parliamentarian "recommends", but does not dictate to the Senate. Such decisions still ultimately rest with the President of the Senate and the majority leader. Don't confuse custom and practice with an explicit requirement.

[jmyrlefuller]

The key here is that the parliamentarian "recommends", but does not dictate to the Senate. Such decisions still ultimately rest with the President of the Senate and the majority leader. Don't confuse custom and practice with an explicit requirement.

Yes, the parliamentarian can easily be overruled under the Reid Precedent.

[corbe]

Yes, the parliamentarian can easily be overruled under the Reid Precedent.

   The Reid Precedent, is that the one where you get the crap beat out of you by your Brother and blame it on exercise equipment?

edited to add-Reid was a BOXER