Medicare Part D Vote: Reconciliation? Cloture? Passage.

[jAZ]

So I was looking into Medicare Part D's vote in 2003 to see if the claims that they used Reconciliation to pass it were true. I didn't find anything that explicitly supported the claim, so my guess is that the process wasn't used. Honestly I couldn't tell.

But in the process I noticed this from Wiki.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicare_Prescription_Drug,_Improvement,_and_Modernization_Act

The Senate's consideration of the conference report was somewhat less heated, as cloture on it was invoked by a vote of 70-29.[15] ...

The bill itself was finally passed 54-44 on November 25, 2003, and was signed into law by the President on December 8.

That means that 15 Senators who didn't support the bill and explicitly voted against it... voted to let it go to a vote.

I've always wondered why this option (political cover, really) wasn't discussed more. Clearly it's not a big deal.

[KC Dan]

I believe that it was not used for the Part D passage but was used fby Repubs for the 2003 Bush Tax cuts. I would have to verify but no time here now...

[jAZ]

I believe that it was not used for the Part D passage but was used fby Repubs for the 2003 Bush Tax cuts. I would have to verify but no time here now...

It was definately used for the 2003 tax cuts.

That was just the reason I was looking into Part D though. I thought it was interesting that so many Senators supported passage of a bill they voted against.

Seems like a perfectly reasonable move politically that would enable passage of Health Reform with 51 votes while letting the blue dogs vote against it.

[KC Dan]

It was definately used for the 2003 tax cuts.

That was just the reason I was looking into Part D though. I thought it was interesting that so many Senators supported passage of a bill they voted against.

Seems like a perfectly reasonable move politically that would enable passage of Health Reform with 51 votes while letting the blue dogs vote against it.Probably, but allowing a vote to take place (that one knows will allow this abortion of a bill to be passed) is akin to actually voting for it. At least that is how it will be played up during their next re-election attempt.

[jAZ]

Probably, but allowing a vote to take place (that one knows will allow this abortion of a bill to be passed) is akin to actually voting for it. At least that is how it will be played up during their next re-election attempt.

That's my point.

That was just as true with Medicare Part D.