Daily Whipline

November 19, 2009

Whipline

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Floor Schedule and Procedure

• H. Res. 908 - Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 2781 - To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Molalla River in Oregon, as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes  (Rep. Cardoza - Rules):  The closed rule provides for one hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources.  The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill except those arising under clause 9 or 10 of rule XXI.  The rule further provides that the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted and the bill, as amended, shall be considered as read.  The rule waives all points of order against the bill, as amended.  This waiver does not affect the point of order available under clause 9 of XXI (regarding earmark disclosure).  The ruleprovides one motion to recommit with or without instructions. 
  
  
  • One hour of debate on the rule.
  
  
  • Possible vote on a Democratic Motion ordering the previous question. Members are urged to vote yes.
  
  
  • Vote on adoption of the rule. Members are urged to vote yes.
  
  
  
• H.R. 2781 - To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Molalla River in Oregon, as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes  (Rep. Schrader - Natural Resources): Pursuant to H.Res. 908, general debate on the bill will be managed by Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rep. Nick Joe Rahall.  Debate on the bill will proceed as follows:
  
  • One hour of general debate on the bill.
  
  
  • Possible debate and vote on Republican motion to recommit the bill.
  
  
  • Vote on final passage of the bill. Members are urged to VOTE YES.
  
  



• H.R. 3961 - Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009 (Rep. Dingell - Energy and Commerce/Ways & Means): Pursuant to H.Res. 903 (adopted on November 7, 2009), general debate on the bill will be managed by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Henry Waxman.  Debate on the bill will proceed as follows:
  
  • One hour of general debate on the bill.
  
  
  • Possible debate and vote on Republican motion to recommit the bill. Members are urged to VOTE NO.
  
  
  • Vote on final passage of the bill.  Members are urged to VOTE YES.



•  Postponed Suspension

1. S. 1599 - A bill to amend title 36, United States Code, to include in the Federal charter of the Reserve Officers Association leadership positions newly added in its constitution and bylaws (Sen. Leahy - Judiciary)



2. H.R. 1834 - Native American Business Development Enhancement Act of 2009 (Rep. Kirkpatrick - Small Business)



3. H.Con.Res. 212 - Expressing the sense of Congress on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of historic events in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, and reaffirming the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the United States and the Slovak and Czech Republics (Rep. Mica - Foreign Affairs)

Bill Summary & Key Issues

Summary of H.R. 2781 - To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Molalla River in Oregon, as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes  

H.R. 2781 was introduced June 9, 2009, by Representative Kurt Schrader (D-OR). The bill would add 21.3 miles of the Molalla River in northwestern Oregon to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

The Molalla rises in the Cascade Range east of Salem, Oregon and flows through cedar, hemlock, old-growth Douglas fir forests, and basalt rock canyons until it meets the Willamette River near Canby, Oregon.  Both Canby and the city of Molalla draw drinking water from the river, and thousands visit the river corridor every year for recreation.   

The Molalla and its surrounds are home to rare birds and amphibians as well as providing critical spawning and rearing habitat for steelhead, salmon and native, wild cutthroat trout.  H.R. 2781 designates two segments of the Molalla: 15.1 miles on the main stem, and 6.2 miles on the Table Rock Fork, consistent with recommendations from the Bureau of Land Management.

The Administration testified in support of this legislation at an October 1, 2009 hearing.  On October 28, several technical amendments were adopted during mark-up in the Natural Resources Committee.  An amendment offered by the Minority purporting to deal with lost timber sales was not germane.  The Committee ordered the bill (as amended) favorably reported to the House of Representatives by a roll call vote of 23 to 18.

The 90^th Congress created the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System in 1968 to preserve rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing state.  The system currently includes more than 11,000 miles of 166 rivers in 38 states and Puerto Rico. 

Summary of H.R. 3961 - Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009

H.R. 3961 is companion legislation to the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

In the wake of passage of the Affordable Health Care for America Act, next week the House will take up legislation to permanently reform the way Medicare pays physicians.  The legislation will repeal a 21 percent fee reduction scheduled for January 2010 and replace it with a stable system that ends the cycle of threats of ever-larger fee cuts followed by short-term patches.  Permanent reform of physician payments in Medicare will guarantee that Medicare beneficiaries continue to enjoy the excellent access to care that they do today.  It will also follow the President's lead by ending a budget gimmick that artificially reduces the deficit by assuming physician payments will be cut by 40 percent over the next several years even though Congress has consistently intervened to prevent those cuts from occurring.

Permanent physician payment reform:

• Preserves seniors' access to their doctors with a guaranteed update in 2010.  Replaces the pending 21 percent fee cut with an update for 2010 based on the Medicare economic index while a new payment system is being put in place.
• Fairer growth targets to keep doctors' pay steady.  Wipes away accumulated deficits from current spending targets to provide for a fresh start, but still holds physicians accountable for spending growth.  Excludes items not paid under the Medicare physician fee schedule such as chemotherapy drugs and laboratory services from revised growth targets.
• Promotes primary care that can keep you healthier longer.  Provides an extra growth allowance for primary care services to promote access to primary care practitioners in Medicare and throughout the health care system.
• Encourages integrated care so your doctors communicate on your care.  Encourages the formation of Accountable Care Organizations which incentivize physicians to take responsibility for improving quality and reducing costs.  Accountable Care Organizations may "opt out" of the national spending targets and establish their own organization-specific targets.

Fiscal responsibility

Pursuant to H.Res. 903 (adopted by the House on November 7^th), the text of H.R. 2920, the Statutory PAYGO Act of 2009, (passed by the House on July 22^nd) will be added as new matter at the end of H.R. 3961 after passage and in the engrossment of H.R. 3961 before being sent to the Senate.  The "pay as you go" principle of budget discipline requires Congress to find a way to pay for any new spending, outside of an economic crisis.  The Statutory PAYGO Act would make that principle law.  A previous Congress established the policy for paying Medicare doctors, so the update for 2010 is not a new policy to be paid for.  The Statutory PAYGO Act would apply this principle to all new tax and spending policies, and would allow Congress to exclude the impact of continuing policies currently in place, including Medicare payments to physicians.  The Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act would not increase total payments to physicians above what they are today and therefore, would not be subject to the PAYGO requirement

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