Obama To Sign Health Care Bill Today
The big event today will be President Obama signing the health care bill, after its passage in the House on Sunday night. The next step afterward will be for the Senate to take up the budget reconciliation package, with its set of fixes for the bill, a process that could begin as early as today, after the main bill is signed into law.
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET, and the economic daily briefing at 10 a.m. ET. Obama will meet at 10:30 a.m. ET with senior advisers. At 11:15 a.m. ET, Obama will deliver remarks and sign the health insurance reform bill into law. He will deliver further remarks on the health insurance reform bill at 12:05 p.m. ET. He will meet at 3 p.m. ET with Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN). He will meet at 5:30 p.m. ET with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will attend President Obama’s morning briefings at 9:30 a.m. ET and 10 a.m. ET. Biden will attend President Obama’s signing o the health care bill at 11:15 a.m. ET, and his remarks at 12:05 p.m. ET. Biden will meet at 4 p.m. ET with Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI).
Parliamentarian Rules Against GOP Challenge To Reconciliation
Senate Parliamentarian Alan Frumin ruled against a Republican effort to stop the reconciliation package late on Monday. While the package itself still has reconciliation status, individual provisions could still be vulnerable to GOP challenges. “One down, many more to go,” a GOP aide told Roll Call.
Reid’s Goal: Wrap Up Health Care By Saturday
The Hill reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) goal is to pass the final reconciliation changes to the health care bill by this Saturday. The package itself could be brought to the floor as soon as today, but first make it past parliamentary objections from Republicans, who will argue that sections of the package do not legitimately qualify to be brought up under the reconciliation process.
Van Hollen: ‘Don’t Get Intimidated And Don’t Get Discouraged’
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told the New York Times that Democrats should learn to be strong from the health care debate. “I think the lesson, especially in the aftermath of the Massachusetts Senate race — it sounds corny — was, ‘Don’t get intimidated and don’t get discouraged,’ ” said Van Hollen. “There were a lot of people who wanted to beat a retreat, or take small baby steps to address what is a very big problem.”
Netanyahu: ‘Jerusalem Is Not A Settlement’
Speaking at AIPAC on Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood by the expansion of settlements in East Jerusalem. “The Jewish people were building Jerusalem 3,000 years ago and the Jewish people are building Jerusalem today,” said Netanyahu. “Jerusalem is not a settlement. It’s our capital.”
Clinton Heads To Mexico For Talks On Drug War
Secretary of STate Hillary Clinton is visiting Mexico, to discuss ways to help Mexico with its law enforcement and judicial systems. Clinton will lead a team for the visit, accompanied by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen.
Ed. note: This post has been corrected.
