Forget the Senate, here’s a story from me about what’s going on in the House on health care. House leaders have pulled back from their once-aggressive schedule. “I have no timetable” for passage of a bill, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters yesterday. While eschewing the idea that they would wait for the Senate to act, they are stuck waiting at least until Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus shows his hand.
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While the House is interested in the Senate’s public plan or lack thereof – as I write in the story that’s a whole other headache for them — they also want to see how Baucus offsets his $880 billion bill as they would have an easier time with Blue Dogs if they can show that any reforms would be fully paid for and could bring down spending in the long run. “I think there are a number of Members, including myself, who would like to know what the Senate is going to do,” Hoyer said with a half-groan, half-laugh. “You know, we’ve been talking about this for a long time now.”