House Passes Second Version of Fixes to Health Care Bill

Yesterday, Nancy Pelosi signed the companion bill that fixed what many Congressional Democrats saw as problems with the first health care bill. President Obama plans to sign the companion bill into law this coming Tuesday. But the health care saga is far from over as Congress breaks for a two-week recess and lawmakers go back to their districts to justify their support, or lack thereof, for the largest piece of health care legislation in decades. For more, see today's New York Times here.

Rethinking the Health Care Reform Bill

The New York Times has an interesting story on the efforts of congressional Democrats to salvage health care reform after Tuesday's election in Massachusetts, which led to the loss of their filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. One approach being considered is to pass a less comprehensive bill that would include the elements of reform that have the broadest appeal, but at the cost of providing coverage to fewer people.

For a story that highlights the internal divisions and difficulties that the Democrats face, see this item from TalkingPointsMemo, which has been doing extensive reporting on this issue.

Many health care experts are urging Congress to push ahead and pass a comprehensive health care reform bill now. But a new poll suggests that most Americans believe that Congress should "drop health care reform and focus on more immediate ways to improve the economy and create jobs."