House Democratic Leadership Tries To Temper ‘Medicare For All’ Enthusiasm By Focusing On Price Tag
Both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee head Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) spoke recently about concerns over the cost of "Medicare for All" legislation. Progressive Democrats, however, continue to push for a vote this year on the proposal, setting up a showdown between the two sides of the party. In other news from Capitol Hill: gun violence, disaster funding, and military housing.
The Hill:
Dem Leaders, Progressives Struggle Over Medicare For All
Democratic leaders in the House are offering warnings about the high cost of Medicare for all, underscoring concerns in the party about moving forward with the single-payer healthcare proposal. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in an interview with Rolling Stone published last week said moving to a single-payer health system was the simplest way to bring about universal healthcare, but then noted an estimated $30 trillion cost. (Sullivan, 3/8)
The Hill:
House Dems Renew Push For Funding Gun Violence Research At CDC
House Democrats are poised to approve new funding for gun violence research in the face of what they say is a “public health emergency” killing thousands of Americans every year. If successful, it would be the first time in nearly 20 years that Congress has funded gun violence research after an amendment passed in the 1990s discouraged federal agencies from studying the issue. (Hellmann, 3/7)
CQ:
Puerto Rico Aid Among Issues Complicating Disaster Bill Talks
The size and scope of a disaster aid package has become a flashpoint as Senate appropriators construct a supplemental spending bill they hope to move quickly. The fight appears to be between Democrats who want additional aid for Puerto Rico and states ravaged by 2017 storms, while Republicans are attempting to keep the bill contained to rebuilding from disasters that struck last year. (Mejdrich, 3/7)
Reuters:
Senator Blumenthal Seeks Criminal Investigation Of Shoddy Military Housing
U.S. senators demanded accountability for slum-like housing conditions on military bases across the country Thursday, with one calling for a criminal investigation of private landlords granted vast power over tenant housing. "There are clear indications of fraud," Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal said during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, drawing applause from the crowd. "I would recommend that these issues be referred to the United States Department of Justice." (Januta, Nelson and Pell, 3/7)
The Associated Press:
Military Leaders Apologize For Problems In Family Housing
Top leaders of the U.S. military services apologized to Congress on Thursday for allowing substandard living conditions in military family housing. They acknowledged failing to have fully understood the problem earlier and promised to fix it. At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, the civilian and uniformed leaders of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps laid blame largely on the private contractors who built the homes and are obliged to keep them in good repair. The officials vowed to renegotiate the long-term, multibillion-dollar contracts to ensure more accountability. (Burns, 3/7)
