posted April 02, 2010 11:21 PM         

Quote:
(D) MEMBERS OF CONGRESS IN THE EXCHANGE.—
(i) REQUIREMENT.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, after the effective date of this subtitle, the only health plans that the Federal Government may make available to Members of Congress and congressional staff with respect to their service as a Member of Congress or congressional staff shall be health plans that are—
(I) created under this Act (or an amendment made by this Act); or
(II) offered through an Exchange established under this Act (or an amendment made by this Act).
(ii) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
(I) MEMBER OF CONGRESS.—The term ‘‘Member of Congress’’ means any member of the House of Representatives or the Senate.
(II) CONGRESSIONAL STAFF.—The term ‘‘congressional staff’’ means all full-time and part-time employees employed by the official office of a Member of Congress, whether in Washington, DC or outside of Washington, DC. http://forums.somd.com/politics/203774-random-info-about-what-s-actually-hr-3590-a.html

posted April 03, 2010 09:32 AM         

This was the process.

The House passed their version of O'BomberCare. Within the House version members of Congress were expressly exempted from complying with provisions of the legislation.

The Senate passed their version of O'BomberCare December 24, 2009...which contained different provisions...a different bill.

In normal circumstances there would have been a House/Senate conference committee to merge the different bills because there must be only one bill..worded exactly alike..voted on by both the House and Senate to present to the President for his signature.

Then, Scott Brown was elected Senator from Massachusetts and Harry Reid lost the super majority he needed to pass a merged bill from the conference committee.

At that point, the House bill was effectively dead. The only way to proceed with O'BomberCare was for the House to pass the Senate version of the bill verbatim..no changes...and enter "reconciliation" which requires only a simple majority to pass in the Senate.

However, the odious congressional exemption from the provisions of O'BomberCare were always in the HOUSE BILL which was dropped because it would have been DOA in the Senate.

As it is right now, there are congressional staffers who are exempt from the provisions of O'BomberCare and the bill is worded so vaguely that it's an open question whether or not the House and Senate leadership...Pee-Lousy and Reid are also exempt.

Most certainly, there is NO QUESTION O'Bomber, his aides, Cabinet members and White House staff ARE EXEMPT from the provisions of O'BomberCare; O'Bomber's signature legislation and he's exempt.

Health bill may exempt top Hill staff
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
By Erika Lovley and Patrick O'Connor, Politico

The health care reform bill signed into law by President Barack Obama Tuesday requires members of Congress and their office staffs to buy insurance through the state-run exchanges it creates -- but it may exempt staffers who work for congressional committees or for party leaders in the House and Senate....

"
"The American people will be appalled to learn the health care bill exempts leadership and committee staff. This special deal for unelected staff underscores everything the public detests about the arrogance of power in Washington," Coburn said. "I tried to fix this inequity along with senators Grassley, Burr and Vitter, but Majority Leader [Harry] Reid obstructed our effort.".....

"
"The new health care law creates two double standards. The congressional staff who wrote the new law exempted themselves from the new health care system, while other staff will be in it," Grassley said today in a statement. "And, President Obama himself will not live under Obama health care. The message to grassroots America is that it's good enough for you, but not for us."
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10083/1045112-473.stm