Copyright 2000 The National Journal, Inc.
The National Journal
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May 13, 2000
SECTION: CONGRESS; Pg. 1520; Vol. 32, No. 20
LENGTH: 527 words
HEADLINE:
The Sausage Factory: House-Senate Committee Action, May 8-11
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, 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: Democrats say talks on a final bill
are going
nowhere, and Republicans fear that President Clinton's latest
attempts to prod negotiators into a settlement are meant to
"politicize
the process," which lawmakers agree could collapse in
a heartbeat.
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 moves to untangle the Senate bill
from an amendment
raising the minimum wage. Prospects of breaking a Senate
filibuster are fading, and bill supporters may try to attach
bankruptcy
provisions to another measure.
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
Republican leaders want to wrap up talks soon on a final bill,
which would set a legal standard for e-commerce and online
contracts-and
give Republicans something to show Silicon Valley.
AFRICA TRADE ENHANCEMENTS
House: Approved conference report on H.R.
434 on May 4, 309-110.
Senate: Approved conference
report on May 11, 77-19.
Outlook: With the explosive
China trade vote drawing
nearer, House GOP leaders stepped in to resolve
lingering
disputes with the Senate to produce a final Africa trade bill,
which includes a Caribbean Basin trade initiative. The bill
overcame
last-minute protests from textile-state Senators, and
Clinton is expected to
sign it into law.
EDUCATION
House: Floor action
pending on the 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: As a fiery Senate floor debate continues over
the control of
federal aid to schools, Democrats say they will
try to defeat the bill if
they can't amend it to include
President Clinton's school spending
priorities-and to possibly
include gun-control provisions.
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: Partisan
differences over the size and scope of
the Senate Republican bill seem
irreconcilable, so Senate
Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., has a new
tactic: He wants
to attach the bill to a budget enforcement measure that the
Senate expects to take up in June. Senate rules bar filibusters
and
nongermane amendments to such a measure.
LOAD-DATE: May
15, 2000 
