GOP senator predicts Democrats will use rare voting procedure to try to pass health care bill

September 23rd, 2009 Health care issues: Using parliamentary maneuversA look at key issues in the health care debate: THE ISSUE: If Senate Republicans continue to oppose Democratic plans to overhaul the nation's health care system, should majority Democrats employ a process called "reconciliation" to pass parts of it without Republican support? THE POLITICS: Reconciliation is a procedure used to protect bills from being filibustered to death. It effectively lowers the threshold for Senate passage from 60 votes to a simple majority of 51.

September 22nd, 2009 Kennedy successor bill makes key advance in Mass.BOSTON — The Massachusetts Senate has approved a bill allowing the governor to name an interim replacement for the late Sen. Edward Kennedy.

September 16th, 2009 Baucus calls health care bill commonsense measureWASHINGTON — A prominent Democratic senator is calling his 10-year, $856 billion health care bill a common sense measure that can win broad support. Sen. Max Baucus, chairman of the Finance Committee, unveiled his much-awaited legislation Wednesday after months of bipartisan negotiations that failed to win visible Republican support.

September 14th, 2009 Harkin: 'Silent majority' back health care reformINDIANOLA, Iowa — Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin predicts Congress will approve a health care reform bill this fall that includes a public option, saying a "silent majority" of Americans favor such an overhaul.

August 30th, 2009 Kerry: Kennedy would compromise if necessaryWASHINGTON — A leading Democratic senator says the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy would have been ready to compromise on overhauling health care, but negotiations had not yet reached that point.

August 29th, 2009 Up to 1,000 rally in NYC for health care billNEW YORK — About a thousand people rallied in Manhattan on Saturday in support of federal health care reform legislation. The event near Times Square began shortly after the funeral for U.S.

August 23rd, 2009 Senator: Single health care bill a better approachWASHINGTON — A key Democrat in the health care debate says separating out the various issues and putting them in different bills isn't likely to work. Some lawmakers have suggested that a separate bill with changes that are supported by Republicans and Democrats would be one route toward progress on the health care overhaul.

August 19th, 2009 Bipartisan health talks to continue by phoneWASHINGTON — A key Democratic committee chairman involved in talks on a compromise health care plan said Wednesday they are on track to reach agreement. A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he'd prefer a bipartisan deal but "patience is not unlimited." Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said his group of three Democrats and three Republicans "is on track to reach a bipartisan agreement on comprehensive health care reform" that can pass a divided Senate.

August 14th, 2009 Lawmaker predicts no health overhaul this yearWASHINGTON — A Pennsylvania lawmaker who is a close ally of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says it's looking unlikely that Congress will pass health care overhaul legislation this year. Democratic Rep.

August 4th, 2009 Reid: Democratic senators united on health careWASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says his party's caucus has "absolute unity" on the need to pass health care reform this year. The Nevadan, joined by other lawmakers, spoke to reporters Tuesday afternoon on a White House driveway after Senate Democrats met over lunch with President Barack Obama.

August 3rd, 2009 Dems vow health bill with or without RepublicansWASHINGTON — Frustrated with the pace of bipartisan talks, Democratic leaders on Monday promised to push a sweeping health care bill through the Senate whether they get Republican support or not. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the third-ranking Senate Democrat, raised the prospect of the leadership crafting a bill to Democratic specifications and using a rare legislative procedure to expedite legislation fulfilling President Barack Obama's top domestic priority.

July 30th, 2009 GOP senator says health care bill not readyWASHINGTON — A key Republican senator involved in bipartisan talks on health care says there's no way a breakthrough will happen before lawmakers' August recess. Wyoming Sen.

July 21st, 2009 Senior Democrat says no consensus on health billWASHINGTON — House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says House Democrats are struggling to reach consensus on overhauling health care, a divide that could delay House approval of a plan beyond lawmakers' scheduled vacation in August. House leaders have said they wanted to pass a plan before they leave on a monthlong break.

July 16th, 2009 Republicans vow to fight health care tax increasesWASHINGTON — House Democrats shouldn't expect votes from Republicans in passing a bill that increases taxes on the rich to pay for health care reform. Republicans opened a committee meeting Thursday morning vowing to fight a Democratic plan to impose a surcharge on families making more than $350,000.

July 16th, 2009 GOP fails to strip public option from health billWASHINGTON — Republicans have failed to strip a government-run benefits plan from the House bill overhauling health care. The House Ways and Means Committee voted 25-15 on Thursday to keep the government-run option in the bill, rejecting an amendment by Wisconsin Republican Rep.