Dems want a new vote on so-called Deficit Reduction Act
The Hill reported Friday:
House Democratic leadership is adamant thatanother vote be held to clear the budget-reconciliation bill that is inlimbo because of clerical errors.
Although President Bush signed the bill on Wednesday, a discrepancybetween the House-passed and Senate-passed version appears to indicatethat the $39 billion deficit-reduction measure has not been enactedinto law.
“Something this serious ought to be debated and voted on in the House,” said a Democratic leadership aide.
The Senate Democratic leadership has elected not to resistfinalizing action on the bill. Asked whether Senate Democrats wereweighing their options to stall the measure, a spokesman for MinorityLeader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) maintained that the fate of the bill lies inthe hands of the House.
No Democrats in either chamber voted for the budget reconciliationconference agreement. The chief points of contention were spendingreductions in healthcare, education and other programs.
Senate clerks erroneously altered the conference agreement after thechamber passed the measure in December. The House was not aware of thechange and voted on the bill last week. Subsequently, Senate clerksreverted the language to its original form before sending the bill tothe White House.
In order for any bill to become law, both the House and Senate must approve it in identical form.