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Morning Briefing...
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
9:30 AM

Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) yesterday released an 18-page framework on health care reform legislation that falls under his committee's jurisdiction (tax, Medicare, and Medicaid policy). The Senate HELP Committee's piece of the health care bill covers issues ranging from preventative health services to a prohibition on excluding preexisting conditions. Although Baucus' outline is silent on the controversial "public option," he has green-lighted the establishment of a "Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan" program that would create nonprofit, member-run health insurance companies to compete with private sector providers.

"This is not a final product, should not be construed as a Chairman’s Mark and does not include everything that might be in a Mark," states the Baucus proposal. "Members may suggest individual modifications or offer whole or partial counters to specific provisions."

The full House has not yet taken up its health care overhaul legislation, called the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act (H.R. 3200). The House bill does propose a public option in its current form.

The Senate yesterday continued its debate on the Travel Promotion Act (S.1023), legislation that would establish a non-profit entity -- called the Corporation for Travel Promotion -- tasked with promoting international tourism in the United States. The corporation would be funded by fees collected from private travel industry firms as well as new fees imposed on the visa waiver program. A final vote on S. 1023 is expected today.

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Appropriations Scorecard

The House today is scheduled to take up the following bills:

Wind Energy Research and Development Act (H.R. 3165) - Authorizes $1 billion over five years for a Department of Energy research and development program to improve wind energy technologies.
Heavy Duty Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act (H.R. 445) - Directs the secretary of energy to establish a program that provides up to seven grants to carry out projects to advance research and development and to demonstrate technologies for advanced heavy duty hybrid vehicles, including plug-in hybrid technology.
Promoting Transparency in Financial Reporting Act (H.R. 2664) - Requires the chairs (or designees) of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to testify annually before the House Financial Services Committee on their efforts to reduce the complexity in financial reporting.
Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act (H.R. 2571) - Aims to streamline the regulation of nonadmitted insurance and reinsurance by authorizing states to establish procedures to allocate among themselves the premium taxes paid to an insured's home state, among other provisions.