Does Speaker Pelosi Still Trust the Senate?

Does Speaker Pelosi Still Trust the Senate?

Will skeptical House Democrats follow her lead?

MARCH 18, 2010

Will skeptical House Democrats follow her lead?

On Monday, Speaker Pelosi said she was "willing to trust the Senate:"

"‘There has to be complete agreement on what the package is...I have asked [the Senate] to show me what it is they can show me that I would be able to convince my members to go forward,' Pelosi said. ‘We're...willing to trust the Senate that they are able to pass the reconciliation package.'" (TMPDC, "Pelosi: ‘I Have No Intention of Not Passing This Bill,'" 3/15/2010)


But on Thursday, a senior Senate Democrat said the Senate might move in a different direction:

"Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) said Thursday that it is unlikely the Senate will be able to pass a health care reconciliation bill unchanged from what the House passes... ‘Although we've spent many, many hours with the Parliamentarian, some things he has not yet rendered a conclusion' on, Conrad said. ‘He wants to hear from both sides before he does.' Conrad continued: "Do I expect there will be some additional Byrd rule challenges that will be upheld? Yeah. I do."

"Conrad said House leaders were fully aware that some Byrd rule challenges might be successful, even though House Members have insisted that the Senate pass the measure unamended and unchanged." (Roll Call, "Conrad Predicts Senate Changes to Reconciliation Bill," 3/18/2010)