FAA debate morphs into healthcare debate

The debate so far has been largely repetitive of past positions. Democrats such as Rockefeller, Charles Schumer (N.Y.) and Debbie Stabenow (Mich.) warned that repealing the law would raise the deficit and limit healthcare options. Republicans such as John Cornyn (R-Texas) took to the floor to say repeal is needed to limit government overreach and respect the demands of voters.

There is a possibility of a fight tomorrow over how to repeal the 1099 reporting requirements in last year’s healthcare law. Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) has introduced his own 1099 repeal language that would ask the Office of Management and Budget to rescind $39 billion in discretionary funds in order to make up for the cost of the proposal, an idea that most Democrats rejected.

The Democratic alternative was a bill from Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) to repeal the 1099 language without paying for it, but this too was rejected. Stabenow put forward her own amendment to repeal the 1099 requirement, but it has not yet been released.