Capitolworks: Just the Facts...Final Vote or Just the Beginning?
As you probably know by now, on Tuesday afternoon, the Senate took up the “Motion to Proceed” to start debate on the health care bill. Technically the motion to proceed was on the House passed bill, which while unpopular was able to garner 50 votes allowing Vice President Pence to offer the 51st vote needed for the motion to succeed. If you thought the last few weeks of the health care debate were crazy, just wait. The real action has only just begun. Given that fact, we thou
Capitolworks: Just the Facts...Vote Time?
We are once again in a state of waiting for the Senate health care bill. Over the weekend, Senate Leader McConnell said he would delay the vote given Senator McCain’s surgery and therefore absence over the coming days. So what does this delay tell us about the state of this current iteration of the bill? A logical theory is that McConnell did not have the votes to move forward with a motion to proceed absent, McCain. The vote's delay may also suggest that negotiations are mov
Capitolworks: Just the Facts...In the Great Health Care Debate, Is It True that CHIP Will Keep Kids
Members of Congress have recently stated that the proposed reduction to the federal Medicaid program will not jeopardize the health and well-being of our nation’s children because the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) will “take care of them.” While there have been many statements made throughout the current health care debate, it is hard to imagine one more erroneous than this one. Therefore, we are offering a quick bird's eye view of what the CHIP program is and wh