US Hill Faces Chaotic Day W/Flood of Health, Spending Amend

--As Senate Works on Health Care, House On Spending Package, GOP Leaders Seek

Tax Bill Talking Points

--House To Vote on 54 Spending Bill Amendments, Senate Could Confront A Hundred

Health Amendments

By John Shaw

     WASHINGTON (MNI) - If you like order, precision or even the absence of

total chaos, it would probably make sense to avoid Capitol Hill Thursday.

     The Senate will continue to debate legislation to "repeal and replace" the

Affordable Care Act and is expected to begin considering scores of amendments to

the underlying Republican bill.

     The Senate has already rejected the Senate Republican health plan to

"repeal and replace" the ACA and has also rejected a plan to just repeal the

ACA.

     The Senate GOP leadership is preparing a more modest bill which they hope

to pass the Senate by the end of the week so the Senate can enter into official

talks with the House on a final health overhaul package

     The House passed its health care bill in early May.

     Republicans have a 52 to 48 majority in the Senate and will need at least

50 votes to pass any bill in the upper chamber. 

     Meanwhile, the House will resume its consideration Thursday of a four-bill

spending package for the 2018 fiscal year that is composed of the Defense,

Energy-Water, Legislative Branch, and the Military Construction-VA spending

bills.

     The House GOP leadership is seeking to add to this package $1.6 billion to

fund President Donald Trump's request to build a border wall between the U.S.

and Mexico.

     The House will consider more than 50 amendments Thursday related to the

underlying FY 2018 four-bill spending package.

     Finally, Republican leaders and Congress are trying to craft a "statement

of principles" on tax reform that GOP lawmakers can tout during the August

recess.

     These principles are expected to be very broad such as endorsing a sharp

reduction in the corporate tax rate, substantial middle income tax cuts, and

removing many loopholes in the tax code.

--MNI Washington Bureau; tel: +1 202-371-2121; email: john.shaw@marketnews.com

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