Jon Ward reports from the Hill that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is in a grumpy mood today:
The Senate is currently getting close to the end of debate on the health care reconciliation bill, and Republicans are expected to try to pull some last-minute tricks at some point in the next day or two.
Republicans are being very tight-lipped about what they might challenge in the bill on what is known as a “point of order.” The challenge would be based on the assertion that the provision at issue is not related to budgetary matters — anything in the reconciliation bill must be budget-related.
If Senate Republicans are able to find anything in reconciliation legislation that does not adhere to the Byrd rule (which set out the budget-related requirement), then the entire reconciliation bill would be sent back to the House and would require a full House vote to approve it again.
Republicans are offering amendments to the reconciliation bill. So far, 13 amendments and one motion to commit the bill to a committee have been lodged with the Senate clerk. But those are different than points of order, which will be ruled on by the Senate parliamentarian.
So when I ran into Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in the halls outside the Senate chamber a few minutes ago, I was anxious to ask him what the Republican strategy was. I walked with him for several strides, asking him what points of order the GOP would be making to challenge the bill.
At no point did McConnell turn his head toward me as I talked. When I finished my question, he remained looking straight ahead. We were standing next to one another, and by this time were in the hallway which houses the elevators.
I paused a second, unsure if the Kentucky Republican had somehow managed to not hear my question or had just not known I was there.
“Sir?” I said, prompting him.
“I’m busy right now,” he said, still looking straight ahead.
An elevator opened behind him and he entered it with several aides.