[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 32 (Monday, February 26, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2233-S2234]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. FEINGOLD (for himself and Mr. Graham):
  S. 685. A bill to establish an expedited procedure for congressional 
consideration of health care reform legislation; to the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, today I am pleased to be joined by the 
Senator from South Carolina, Mr. Graham, in introducing legislation 
that requires Congress to act on what may be the most pressing domestic 
policy issue of our time, namely health care reform.
  I believe we can find a way to make universal coverage work in this 
country. Universal coverage doesn't have to be defined by what's in 
place in other countries or by what's been attempted in the past. What 
universal coverage does mean is ending a system where more than 46 
million Americans are uninsured, and where too many of those who are 
insured are struggling to pay their premiums, struggling to pay for 
prescription drugs, and struggling to find long term care.
  Over the years I have heard many different proposals for how we 
should change the health care system in this country. Some propose 
using tax incentives as a way to expand access to health care. Others 
think the best approach is to expand public programs. Some feel a 
national single payer health care system is the only way to go.
  I favor an American-style health care reform, where we encourage 
creative solutions to the health care problems facing our country, 
without using a one-size-fits-all approach. I believe that States have 
a better idea about what the health care needs of their residents are, 
and that they understand what types of reform will work best for their 
State. So I am in favor of a State-based universal health care system, 
where States, with the Federal Government's help, come up with a plan 
to make sure that all of their residents have health care coverage, and 
I am working with Senator Graham to develop a bipartisan bill that will 
help States do just that. If we are finally going to fix our broken 
health care system, we need to be open to good, new ideas.
  And this brings us to the legislation Senator Graham and I are 
introducing today, because, the reason we haven't reformed our health 
care system isn't because of a lack of good ideas. The problem is that 
Congress and the White House refuse to take this issue up. Despite the 
outcry from businesses, from health care providers, and from the tens 
of millions who are uninsured or underinsured or struggling to pay 
their premiums, the Federal Government refuses to address the problem 
in a comprehensive way.
  That is why we are introducing this bill. Our legislation will force 
Congress to finally address this issue. It requires the Majority and 
Minority Leaders of the Senate, as well as the Chairs of the Health, 
Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and the Finance Committee, to 
each introduce a health care reform bill in the first 30 days of the 
session of Congress following enactment of the bill. This bill provides 
an expedited process for considering reform legislation. Similar 
procedures are established for House consideration.
  I want to emphasize that my bill does not prejudge what particular 
health care reform measure should be debated. There are many worthy 
proposals that would qualify for consideration, and this bill does not 
dictate which proposal, or combination of proposals, should be 
considered.
  But what my bill does do is require Congress to act.
  It has been over 10 years since the last serious debate over health 
care reform was killed by special interests. I am disappointed that 
Congress still has not acted to reform our health care system, and 
businesses and workers are crying out as never before for Congress to 
address the country's health care crisis.
  It has been over 10 years since we've had any debate on comprehensive 
health care reform. We cannot afford any further delay. The cost of 
inaction is too great. I urge my colleagues to support the Reform 
Health Care Now Act of 2007.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of this bill be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 685

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Reform health Care Now 
     Act''.

     SEC. 2. SENATE CONSIDERATION OF HEALTH CARE REFORM 
                   LEGISLATION.

       (a) Introduction.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 10 calendar days after the 
     commencement of the session of Congress that follows the date 
     of enactment of this Act, the chair of the Senate Committee 
     on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, the Chair of the 
     Senate Committee on Finance, the Majority Leader of the 
     Senate, and the Minority Leader of the Senate shall each 
     introduce a bill to provide a significant increase in access 
     to health care coverage for the people of the United States.
       (2) Minority party.--These bills may be introduced by 
     request and only 1 qualified bill may be introduced by each 
     individual referred to in paragraph (1) within a Congress. If 
     either committee chair fails to introduce

[[Page S2234]]

     the bill within the 30-day period, the ranking minority party 
     member of the respective committee may instead introduce a 
     bill that will qualify for the expedited procedure provided 
     in this section.
       (3) Qualified bill.--
       (A) In general.--In order to qualify as a qualified bill--
       (i) the title of the bill shall be ``To reform the health 
     care system of the United States and to provide insurance 
     coverage for Americans.'';
       (ii) the bill shall reach the goal of providing health care 
     coverage to 95 percent of Americans within 10 years; and
       (iii) the bill shall be deficit neutral.
       (B) Determination.--Whether or not a bill meets the 
     criteria in subparagraph (A) shall be determined by the Chair 
     of the Senate Budget Committee, relying on estimates of the 
     Congressional Budget Office, subject to the final approval of 
     the Senate.
       (b) Referral.--
       (1) Committee bills.--Upon introduction, the bill authored 
     by the Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance shall be 
     referred to that Committee and the bill introduced by the 
     Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
     and Pensions shall be referred to that committee. If either 
     committee has not reported the bill referred to it (or 
     another qualified bill) by the end of a 60-calendar-day 
     period beginning on the date of referral, the committee is, 
     as of that date, automatically discharged from further 
     consideration of the bill, and the bill is placed directly on 
     the chamber's legislative calendar. In calculating the 60-day 
     period, adjournments for more than 3 days are not counted.
       (2) Leader bills.--The bills introduced by the Senate 
     Majority Leader and the Senate Minority Leader shall, on 
     introduction, be placed directly on the Senate Calendar of 
     Business.
       (c) Motion to Proceed.--
       (1) In general.--On or after the third day following the 
     committee report or discharge or upon a bill being placed on 
     the calendar under subsection (b)(2), it shall be in order 
     for any Member, after consultation with the Majority Leader, 
     to move to proceed to the consideration of any qualified 
     bill. Notice shall first be given before proceeding. This 
     motion to proceed to the consideration of a bill can be 
     offered by a Member only on the day after the calendar day on 
     which the Member announces the Member's intention to offer 
     it.
       (2) Consideration.--The motion to proceed to a given 
     qualified bill can be made even if a motion to the same 
     effect has previously been rejected. No more than 3 such 
     motions may be made, however, in any 1 congressional session.
       (3) Privileged and nondebatable.--The motion to proceed is 
     privileged, and all points of order against the motion to 
     proceed to consideration and its consideration are waived. 
     The motion is not debatable, is not amendable, and is not 
     subject to a motion to postpone.
       (4) No other business or reconsideration.--The motion is 
     not subject to a motion to proceed to the consideration of 
     other business. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the 
     motion to proceed is agreed to or disagreed to is not in 
     order.
       (d) Consideration of Qualified Bill.--
       (1) In general.--If the motion to proceed is adopted, the 
     chamber shall immediately proceed to the consideration of a 
     qualified bill without intervening motion, order, or other 
     business, and the bill remains the unfinished business of the 
     Senate until disposed of. A motion to limit debate is in 
     order and is not debatable.
       (2) Only business.--The qualified bill is not subject to a 
     motion to postpone or a motion to proceed to the 
     consideration of other business before the bill is disposed 
     of.
       (3) Relevant amendments.--Only relevant amendments may be 
     offered to the bill.

     SEC. 3. HOUSE CONSIDERATION OF HEALTH CARE REFORM 
                   LEGISLATION.

       (a) Introduction.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 30 calendar days after the 
     commencement of the session of Congress that follows the date 
     of enactment of this Act, the chair of the House Committee on 
     Energy and Commerce, the chair of the House Committee on Ways 
     and Means, the Majority Leader of the House, and the Minority 
     Leader of the House shall each introduce a bill to provide a 
     significant increase in access to health care coverage for 
     the people of the United States.
       (2) Minority party.--These bills may be introduced by 
     request and only 1 qualified bill may be introduced by each 
     individual referred to in paragraph (1) within a Congress. If 
     either committee chair fails to introduce the bill within the 
     30-day period, the ranking minority party member of the 
     respective committee may, within the following 30 days, 
     instead introduce a bill that will qualify for the expedited 
     procedure provided in this section.
       (3) Qualified bill.--
       (A) In general.--To qualify for the expedited procedure 
     under this section as a qualified bill, the bill shall--
       (i) reach the goal of providing healthcare coverage to 95 
     percent of Americans within 10 years; and
       (ii) be deficit neutral.
       (B) Determination.--Whether or not a bill meets the 
     criteria in subparagraph (A) shall be determined by the 
     Speaker's ruling on a point of order based on a Congressional 
     Budget Office estimate of the bill.
       (b) Referral.--
       (1) Committee bills.--Upon introduction, the bill authored 
     by the Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce 
     shall be referred to that committee and the bill introduced 
     by the Chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means shall 
     be referred to that committee. If either committee has not 
     reported the bill referred to it (or another qualified bill) 
     by the end of 60-days of consideration beginning on the date 
     of referral, the committee shall be automatically discharged 
     from further consideration of the bill, and the bill shall be 
     placed directly on the Calendar of the Whole House on the 
     State of the Union. In calculating the 60-day period, 
     adjournments for more than 3 days are not counted.
       (2) Leader bills.--The bills introduced by the House 
     Majority Leader and House Minority Leader will, on 
     introduction, be placed directly on the Calendar of the Whole 
     House on the State of the Union.
       (c) Motion To Proceed.--
       (1) In general.--On or after the third day following the 
     committee report or discharge or upon a bill being placed on 
     the calendar under subsection (b)(2), it shall be in order 
     for any Member, after consultation with the Majority Leader, 
     to move to proceed to the consideration of any qualified 
     bill. Notice must first be given before proceeding. This 
     motion to proceed to the consideration of a bill can be 
     offered by a Member only on the day after the calendar day on 
     which the Member announces the Member's intention to offer 
     it.
       (2) Consideration.--The motion to proceed to a given 
     qualified bill can be made even if a motion to the same 
     effect has previously been rejected. No more than 3 such 
     motions may be made, however, in any 1 congressional session.
       (3) Privileged and nondebatable.--The motion to proceed is 
     privileged, and all points of order against the motion to 
     proceed to consideration and its consideration are waived. 
     The motion is not debatable, is not amendable, and is not 
     subject to a motion to postpone.
       (4) No other business or reconsideration.--The motion is 
     not subject to a motion to proceed to the consideration of 
     other business. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the 
     motion to proceed is agreed to or disagreed to is not in 
     order.
       (d) Consideration of a Qualified Bill.--
       (1) In general.--If the motion to proceed is adopted, the 
     chamber will immediately proceed to the consideration of a 
     qualified bill without intervening motion, order, or other 
     business, and the bill remains the unfinished business of the 
     House until disposed of.
       (2) Committee of the whole.--The bill will be considered in 
     the Committee of the Whole under the 5-minute rule, and the 
     bill shall be considered as read and open for amendment at 
     any time.
       (3) Limit debate.--A motion to further limit debate is in 
     order and is not debatable.
       (4) Relevant amendments.--Only relevant amendments may be 
     offered to the bill.
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