Legislative Debate

House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier (R-Calif.) has just gaveled to order a committee hearing on a bill and resolution aimed at replacing last year's healthcare law.

In a statement just released to the press, Dreier reiterated that Republicans aim to repeal the law, and said Republicans will be able to increase healthcare access "without hurting our economy."

His full statement as released follows:

“Repealing and replacing the job-killing healthcare law will be critical to our economic recovery, which is why it is one of our first major orders of business. House Republicans believe we can work to provide access to affordable healthcare coverage for working Americans and small businesses, and that we can do it without hurting our economy. We need to wipe the slate clean and move quickly into an open and transparent process to produce real solutions to the healthcare challenges we face. We welcome the ideas of both Republicans and Democrats as this process moves forward. Repealing and replacing the flawed healthcare law is a pledge we made to the American people, and we are already getting to work.”

The House Rules Committee will take up a healthcare repeal bill and related resolution Thursday morning at 10 a.m. A House vote on the resolution is expected Friday, and a vote on the repeal bill sometime next week.

The repeal bill is H.R. 2, the Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act. The resolution, H.Res. 9, instructs certain committees to report legislation replacing the healthcare law (formally, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act).

Note that the links to the two measures above include co-sponsor details. H.R. 2 has 151 co-sponsors.

The House adjourned earlier this evening, and has released the following schedule for Jan. 6:

On Thursday, the House will meet at 10:00 a.m. for legislative business. Members are advised that there will be a recorded quorum call at approximately 10:30 a.m. Last votes expected: 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

One Minute Speeches (10 per side)

Reading of the Constitution of the United States by Members of the House of Representatives (The reading will begin at approximately 11:00 a.m.) (Managed by Rep. Bob Goodlatte)

H.Res. (no number yet) - A resolution to Cut Congress's Budget (Suspension, Two Hours of Debate) (Sponsored by Rep. Greg Walden/House Administration Committee)

Special Order Speeches

Just as the House was about to hold its final vote on the rules package for the 112th Congress (H.Res.5), Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) offered a motion to recommit the package to a select committee, and that language be added that would require members to reveal whether they will participate in the new healthcare program.

As expected, Republicans opposed this, and successfully killed the idea in a 191-240 roll-call vote. Final passage of the rules package is now being voted on.

—Updated 5:20 p.m.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) used his first opportunity to address the Senate of the 112th Congress to argue that some of the body’s rules that favor the minority party ought to be weakened. Reid's comments mark the start of what is expected to be a heated debate over whether the Senate's filibuster rules should be changed.

"Republicans have gratuitously abused the system and the filibuster especially," said Reid. "We need to make sure the Senate can operate in a way that allows the legislature to legislate."

With Wednesday’s swearing-in ceremony complete, Democrats now posses a downsized majority of 53-47 in the Senate, including two independents who caucus with Democrats.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) replied to Reid in his first speech, and wasted no time in accusing Senate Democrats of attempting to bend the rules to favor their "vision that disregards the public in favor of the opinion of an elite few."

"One party should not be allowed to force its will on anyone else," said McConnell. "Thanks to the Senate, it rarely has."

Following the leader’s opening speeches, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) proposed a resolution that would allow the Senate to determine new rules at the beginning of each session of the Senate. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) quickly objected, and the Senate moved on to a general debate about the filibuster. Senate Democrats have made a series of proposals on how to change the filibuster — our colleague Alexander Bolton has a description here.

We also provide here the text of the Democrats' proposal.

Reid and McConnell also used their initial floor speeches to lay out their priorities for this year. Reid named jobs, energy, education and immigration, and McConnell mentioned the reduction of spending and debt, the shrinking of government, and job creation.

The Hill's Russell Berman has a great wrap-up on the opening House ceremonies, which includes more detail about the Speaker votes.

These issue-specific links are another way to search the Floor Action Blog. Watch this space in the future for updates.