08-04-2001

CONGRESS: Hot Bills

Here is the status of major legislation on the congressional front
burner.


Faith-Based Initiative


House: Approved H.R. 7 on July 19, 233-198.


Senate: S. 592 introduced on March 21.


Outlook: Senate sponsor Rick Santorum, R-Pa., said on August 1 he'll drop
controversial House-passed provisions that make it easier for religious
charities to avoid anti-discrimination laws. But Senate Democrats still
have other problems with Bush's plan to expand federal aid to
church-related social services and tax deductions for charitable
contributions.


Education Reform


House: Approved Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization
bill (H.R. 1) on May 23, 384-45.


Senate: Approved ESEA bill (S. 1) on June 14, 91-8.


Outlook: At an August 1 meeting, House-Senate conferees made a little
progress negotiating a final bill. That leaves a long list of differences
to be resolved in the fall, including how big a price tag to put on the
legislation and how to measure schools' progress in improving student
achievement.


Patients' Rights


House: Debating a broad bipartisan bill (H.R. 526) and several amendments,
including one by Rep. Charlie Norwood, R-Ga., at press time on August
2.


Senate: Approved S. 1052 on June 29, 59-36.


Outlook: Bush's August 1 announcement of a deal with Norwood set up a
House floor showdown and angered House-Senate backers of broad bipartisan
patients' rights legislation. They called the Bush-Norwood plan
unacceptable.


Campaign Finance Reform


House: Rejected GOP leaders' procedural rules for the Shays-Meehan bill
(H.R. 2356) on July 12, 228-203, canceling debate on that bill and a more
limited substitute (H.R. 2360).


Senate: Approved McCain-Feingold bill (S. 27) on April 2, 59-41.


Outlook: Backers of the Shays-Meehan bill this week said they have at
least 190 of the 218 signatures needed for a discharge petition that would
force the House Republican leadership to schedule floor votes. They hope
to finish the job in early September.


Bankruptcy Reform


House: Approved H.R. 333 on March 1, 306-108.


Senate: Approved S. 420 on March 15, 83-15, and an amended H.R. 333 on
July 17, 82-16.


Outlook: The House named its conferees on July 31, opening the way for
staff negotiations over the recess. Backers of the bill, which would make
it harder for people to hide behind bankruptcy laws to avoid debts, are
hopeful conference talks will get off to a quick start in
September.


Medicare Package


House: No pending action.


Senate: Referred a bipartisan prescription drug bill (S. 358) and a
broader Democratic bill (S. 1135) to the Finance Committee.


Outlook: The Finance Committee will wait until September to take up
legislation bolstering Medicare solvency and creating a prescription drug
benefit. Committee leaders are having trouble crafting a bipartisan bill
that doesn't force seniors to pay high monthly premiums for drug
coverage.




National Journal