Status of Health Care Reform in the U.S. House of Representatives:
There are three House committees that have jurisdiction over Health Care reform:  the Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means and Education and Labor Committees.  All three Committees came together to create and release a discussion draft in early June.  Each of the three committees immediately held independent hearings on the draft (ANA testified before two of the three –Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means).  Following these hearings, formal Legislation, “America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009” (H.R. 3200) was introduced on July 14^th. 

In July, each of the three committees considered portions of H.R. 3200 that fell within their jurisdiction, made amendments (aka “marked-up”), and successfully voted, largely along party lines, to move the bill out of committee.  Over the course of several months, the pieces of the bill that each committee considered and amended were reintegrated back into one comprehensive piece of legislation.  The bill was given a new number (H.R.3692) and was released on October 29^th.

On November 7^th, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3692 by a vote of 220-215.  The bill passed with 39 Democrats voting in opposition and one Republican, Rep. Anh “Joseph” Cao of Louisiana, voting in favor.  Click here to see how your Member voted.   

What’s next: See “Final Steps.”

Status of Health Care Reform in the Senate:
There are two Senate committees that have jurisdiction over health care reform: the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and the Finance Committee.  The HELP Committee released language for its draft, the “Affordable Health Choices Act” (S. 1679) on June 9^th, and considered amendments to the bill over the course of 11 days in June.  After approving 36 Democratic amendments and 161 Republican amendments, the bill was approved by the committee with a party-line vote on July 15^th.  

The Finance Committee released its health care reform proposal “America’s Healthy Future Act” (S.1796) on September 16, and began consideration of 564 amendments on September 22^nd.  The committee completed consideration of amendments on October 2^nd, and the bill was approved with the support of all committee Democrats and one Republican – Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine—on October 13^th.

On November 18^th, Senate Majority Leader Reid released the combined version of the Senate bills – H.R. 3590, the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.”  On November 20^th, the Senate voted on a party line (with the two Independents voting in favor) to proceed with debate on the health care reform bill. 

On December 24^th after months of negotiations, debate and filibuster threats the Senate passed H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on a party line vote of 60-39 (Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) did not vote). 

What’s Next: See “Final Steps.”

Final Steps: While House and Senate leadership, along with guidance from the President, set out to reconcile the two bills in informal conference committee meetings, the recent special election victory by Republican Scott Brown (R-MA) to fill the late Senator Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat has put the future of health care reform in doubt. The Democrats filibuster proof 60 vote majority in the Senate will now be broken, putting meaningful reform in jeopardy. As of now there are still many options available but no clear way forward. In the coming weeks the President, along with the House and Senate leadership, will continue to try to find a way to move forward on this important issue.

Tags: America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, H.R. 3590, health care reform, January 2010, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

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