US Health Bill Sent
Back For New House Vote
There
are indications that the landmark US healthcare reform bill must
be sent back to the House of Representatives for approval after
two issues were raised by Republicans.
The Irregularity
An aide to the Senate majority leader, said during an all-night
voting session, two points relating to student loans were found
to violate Senate procedure and they were described as
relatively minor provisions.
They will have to be deleted, approved by the Senate and then
sent back to the House for approval.
That package returned to the Senate for a vote, under a process
known as budget reconciliation where amendments have to relate
to budgetary rather than policy issues.
The Bill
The bill, which was passed in the House of Representatives by
219 votes to 212 on Sunday, with no Republican backing, extends
coverage to thirty-two million more Americans, and marks the
biggest change to the US healthcare system in decades.
BBC/Williams/Qasim
