How does "Reconciliation" Work, and do we have the votes to do it?

[Mike 03]

I have read two definitions of Reconciliation, and listened to a definition of it on CNN, and I still have only a vague clue how this works, how long it takes, and whether or not we have the votes to do it.

It seems to have something to do with attaching Health Care Reform to a sister bill having to do with the budget--something urgent--and somehow pushing it through on this basis.

It has been used over 20 times to push through Repuke bills--including tax cuts to the wealthiest--so we should not be ashamed to use this.

But I am embarrassed to say, I don't understand the logistics.

The bottom line questions: Can we do this? Do we have the votes?

I am all for it. Cram it down their throats.

[spanone]

1. this might help

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconciliation_(United_States_Congress)

[Mike 03]

5. That was the first place I went, and I am sorry to confess I don't get it. NT

[AlinPA]

2. We have less than 30 signed on to do reconciliation. The rest are afraid to sign up. nt

[ThomWV]

4. Yes. but remember, the letter is meaningless other than it is persuasive.

Its not like when some number signs on it will happen or that the number of signatures on it is in some way indicative of how many votes it might receive. This is only people suggesting to Harry to do it that way.

[ThomWV]

3. Basically it gets tossed back to Committee with instructions to make it happen

A Committee will be tasked with taking an existing bill - or two - and goobering with it and the other things covered in a budget bill to make the thing that is desired to happen but requiring that it be budget neutral, and I think maybe with a life of 10 years or less - some thing like that. So the Committee comes up with a reconstructed bill, and its budget because the way to fund it has to be found in other previously passed legislation. So that comes out and then it gets an up or down vote.

[Mike 03]

6. Thank you. That is the clearest understandable explanation I have received.

Thank you very much.

I am printing out this thread for the info.

[ThomWV]

7. Thats as close as I can understand it and maybe this is even simpler.

They just hand a to-do list to the appropriate committee and tell them to scrounge around in existing appropriations for the money to make it happen. So they come up with the new bill with the added stuff and "reconciled" with existing budgeted items to make it budget neutral. Then the Congress gets to say OK or Not-OK, but they don't get to debate it.

[elocs]

8. From last summer: "What is reconciliation?"

http://keithhennessey.com/2009/08/05/what-is-reconciliation

"How reconciliation might be used for heath care reform":

http://keithhennessey.com/2009/08/05/reconciliation-part-2

"Doing health care through reconciliation is even harder than I thought":

http://keithhennessey.com/2009/08/06/even-harder

Remember, these are all from last August, but why it took them 6 months to attempt to use it is a very good question.