Racing the calendar, Senate leaders are pushing toward congressional approval of a bipartisan compromise that reshapes how Medicare pays physicians as lawmakers return from a spring break tangled up in domestic and foreign policy disputes.
Republican and Democratic senators are trying to influence an emerging nuclear deal with Iran, and there’s a fight over abortion. Also, President Barack Obama is awaiting Senate action on his long-delayed nomination of federal prosecutor Loretta Lynch to become attorney general.
Democratic disarray
For Senate Democrats, the two-week break proved tumultuous as Minority Leader Harry Reid announced he would not run for re-election in 2016. Reid anointed Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to succeed him, creating uncertainty over the rest of the Democrats’ leadership posts. In addition, New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez was indicted on federal corruption charges.
Medicare issue
The Medicare doctors’ legislation presents Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, with his most pressing problem. The $214 billion package would permanently retool how Medicare reimburses physicians and it also would provide money for children’s health, community health centers, low-income patients and rural hospitals.
The normally divided House rallied behind the measure last month with a 392-37 vote. Eager to signal that Republicans now running the Senate can do so effectively, McConnell said the bill would be handled “very quickly” when lawmakers return and he envisioned passage “by a very large majority.”
The bill would prevent from taking effect an automatic 21 percent cut in Medicare reimbursements to doctors, set to take effect Wednesday. The Senate returns to work Monday, which gives leaders two days to finish the bill. But McConnell faces demands from senators from both parties to amend the legislation, which was the product of a rare compromise between House Speaker John Boehner and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.
Conservatives want offsetting cuts to cover the bill’s cost, while Democrats are seeking to expand its funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Leaders were hoping to avoid votes on any amendments, which would return the measure to the House.
Iran questions
On Tuesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee takes center stage, debating whether a push by lawmakers of both parties to influence a potential deal curbing Iran’s nuclear program will hamper negotiations among Tehran, the U.S. and other world powers. The committee plans to vote on legislation that for 60 days would block Obama from waiving Iran sanctions imposed by Congress. The White House wants lawmakers to hold off until the June 30 deadline for a nuclear deal passes.L
Lynch nomination
The Senate also is trying to settle a dispute over legislation cracking down on sex trafficking. Democrats are blocking action because they say the bill would toughen restrictions on abortions. Efforts to reach a compromise have fallen short for weeks.
Lynch’s nomination as attorney general is backed up behind the trafficking legislation. McConnell says the bill must be cleared before he will hold a confirmation vote.
Defense spending
The chairmen of the House and Senate Budget committees said formal negotiations to resolve disputes over defense spending and complete a compromise budget-balancing plan could start this week. A deal is crucial because it would let Republicans send filibuster-proof legislation repealing Obama’s 2010 health care law to his desk later this year.
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