Copyright 2000 The National Journal, Inc.
The National Journal
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May 6, 2000
SECTION: CONGRESS; Pg. 1452; Vol. 32, No. 19
LENGTH: 570 words
HEADLINE:
The Sausage Factory: House-Senate Committee Action, May 1-4
BYLINE: National Journal News Service
BODY:
Hot Bills
Here is the status of
major legislation on the congressional
front burner:
PATIENTS' RIGHTS
House: Approved a bipartisan patients' rights bill (H.R. 2723) on
Oct.
7, 1999, 275-151, and then merged it with an insurance
access bill (H.R.
2990).
Senate: Approved S. 1344 with narrower
reforms favored by
health insurers on July 15, 1999, 53-47.
Outlook: The bill is in critical but stable condition.
Talks
have yielded an agreement allowing independent reviews of
denials of care to
patients in employer-sponsored health plans,
but disputes about the bill's
scope and other issues hurt its
prognosis.
MARRIAGE PENALTY TAX RELIEF
House: Approved H.R. 6 on Feb. 10, 268-158.
Senate: Effort to end debate
on S. 2346 failed on April 27.
Outlook: Differences in the Senate seem
irreconcilable, with
angry Democrats blocking passage because they've been
unable to
offer either a scaled-back alternative or amendments to add a
Medicare drug benefit and pay down the federal debt.
DIGITAL SIGNATURES
House: Approved H.R. 1714 on Nov. 9, 1999, 356-66.
Senate: Approved S.
761 on Nov. 19, 1999, by unanimous consent.
Outlook: Under White House and
industry pressure, House GOP
leaders now aim for mid-May to complete a final
bill, which would
set a legal standard for e-commerce and online contracts.
This
deadline makes it harder for House negotiators to continue
resisting Senate proposals that would limit legal challenges to
electronic transactions and add stronger consumer protections.
AFRICA
TRADE ENHANCEMENTS
House: Approved H.R. 434 on July 16, 1999, 234-163.
Senate: Approved an amended H.R. 434 on Nov. 3, 1999, 76-19.
Outlook:
With the explosive China trade debate due later this
month, top House GOP
leaders stepped in to resolve lingering
disputes with the Senate over Africa
trade. They won agreement on
a final bill that also includes a Caribbean
trade initiative, and
then quickly set a May 4 House vote to get this matter
off their
crowded agenda.
EDUCATION
House: Floor action pending on
last of four parts of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
reauthorization (H.R.
4141).
Senate: Began debate on an omnibus ESEA
bill (S. 2) on May 1.
Outlook: A fierce Senate debate is under way over who
controls
how federal aid to schools is spent. Democrats want to
incorporate President Clinton's school spending priorities-and
possibly
gun control provisions. A small bipartisan group is
exploring compromises,
but the odds are against success.
BANKRUPTCY REFORM
House: Approved H.R.
833 on May 5, 1999, 313-108.
Senate: Approved amended version of H.R. 833 on
Feb. 2, 83-14.
Outlook: Senate GOP leaders are ready to let the bill die if
a
deal can't be reached with pro-consumer Democrats, who are
blocking
their attempts to accommodate the House by untangling
the Senate bill from
an amendment that raises the minimum wage.
With opposition mounting from
unions and consumers, prospects of
breaking a Senate filibuster are fading.
House and Senate authorizing committees went into
battle
with the Clinton Administration over defense policy, but made
peace with military retirees by offering them new prescription
drug
benefits. Meanwhile, as the appropriators began their annual
spend-and-cut
ritual, House members felt the first nick
themselves.
LOAD-DATE: May 9, 2000 
