TPMDC’s update on the biggest initiatives on Capitol Hill.
- Health Care: Negotiations continue behind closed doors in both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Senate Finance Committee–though the sense of urgency must be dissipating. Harry Reid announced today that there would not be a vote on legislation before the Senate adjourned and President Obama has come to terms with it. Republicans are already rejoicing. The House could still vote on its bill next week–but the Senate will have to come a long way before then. And given the pace in the upper chamber to this point…
- Gun Control: Yesterday, Democrats filibustered a Republican amendment to the 2010 Defense Authorization Act that would’ve allowed gun-owners with concealed weapons permits to bring carry their concealed weapons across state lines and into regions with prohibitions on carrying concealed weapons.
- Defense Spending: The day before yesterday, the Senate adopted, as an amendment to the same defense bill, a measure to strike $1.75 billion in procurement funding for the F-22–a major victory for defense spending reformers. Of course, if it had been filibustered, it would’ve failed.
