Senate Democrats see 'major progress' on Biden agenda bill, hope for July vote

[videohead5]

Source: NBC News

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats are close to a deal to lower prescription drug costs as part of a larger party-line package to advance a number of President Joe Biden's economic priorities, three sources familiar with the negotiations said.

Democrats plan to submit a "finalized agreement" on allowing Medicare to negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies to a key Senate official "in the coming days" to see whether it complies with the chamber's strict budget rules, one of the sources said.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-democrats-see-major-progress-biden-agenda-bill-hope-july-vote-rcna36041?cid=sm_npd_nn_fb_ma&fbclid=IwAR04q_aWS3CboSTYA1mNP0YSREoECUN7T3G7UWUeCv9qvZpG0QHvnx3kzug

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I am cautiously optimistic that this package will live to see the light of day.

It would be great for seniors, and it would give Biden a boost before the midterms.

[mucifer]

2. which is why the repubs will block it

[BumRushDaShow]

4. They are looking at doing it by "reconciliation", so only Democrats & (D)-caucus Indies can "block"

if not unanimous, since it only requires a simple majority - 51 votes (with VP Harris' tie breaker).

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=2936834

[BumRushDaShow]

3. Here is the key to how this appears to be crafted to move forward

(snip)

The source, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., described the expected move as "major progress" that shows Democratic leadership wants to "move forward with a bill on the floor as early as next month."

There's no final deal on the broader bill, however, as the other major parts of the "reconciliation" package — energy and climate policy provisions and tax changes to raise revenue — are still being negotiated between Schumer and Manchin. Unless an agreement can be reached quickly, it would be difficult to pass the bill before a scheduled monthlong August recess.

Manchin’s office said Wednesday there are consensus and a path forward on drug pricing.

“Senator Manchin has long advocated for proposals that would lower prescription drug costs for seniors, and his support for this proposal has never been in question,” Manchin spokeswoman Sam Runyon said. “He’s glad that all 50 Democrats agree.”

(snip)

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-democrats-see-major-progress-biden-agenda-bill-hope-july-vote-rcna36041

(emphasis mine)

I.e., they are looking at doing this via reconciliation like was done with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. Reconciliation only requires a simple majority (no 60-vote threshold involved in the Senate) although it has its own restrictions as to subject matter ( "Byrd Rule" ) and must be "deficit neutral" (or reduces it).

There are 3 categories of reconciliation associated with the budget - "spending", "taxes", "debt ceiling". The process can only be done once a fiscal year with each type (since it is tied to a specific FY's budget and provides instructions on how to implement that budget), and the types can be standalone (each can be done separately once a fiscal year) or in combination (again the combo of 2 or all 3 types, is restricted to once a FY tied to that FY's budget).

When the BIB was passed for this current FY2022, it was done using the "spending" option and that left the other types - tax & debt ceiling, as remaining options that were available to use this FY. If they want this in effect for the rest of FY, they could use the tax one, although we are about to go into the 4th quarter of the FY and it wouldn't make sense do have it effective now.

But if they plan to do this effective for FY2023 (which would start October 1st, 2020), then they have the option for all 3 types again (and it would be in effect BEFORE the election IF they don't get hung up with the CR dance for funding the government, since the FY normally ends September 30 every year).

As an example of use of the "tax" one, the tax cuts for the millionaires had been passed by the GOP in 2017 using the "tax" reconciliation type.

[Icanthinkformyself]

5. A celebration

that any legislation other than naming buildings after Reagan to placate idiot Republicans can get done. We need a 'forty days of rain' type of flood of legislation to save America and we get a dripping faucet.