The president and the House of Representatives members requested changes to the bill signed yesterday. The Senate today had to make those changes today, changes in the bill proper.

Republicans introduced some changes in an effort to derail the bill. None were considered substantive. One proposed to deny Viagra to sexual offenders, for example.

In this process, amending the bill at this stage would mean starting over. Only Republicans have an interest in that at this point.

Reuters

“The day after President Barack Obama signed a sweeping overhaul of the $2.5 trillion healthcare system, the Senate raced to finish a companion package of changes sought by Obama and Democrats in the House of Representatives.

“”Republicans offered at least two dozen amendments designed to derail the package or force Democrats to take a difficult political stance before November’s congressional elections.

“Democrats easily killed the first eight amendments and promised to reject them all in an around-the-clock “vote-a-rama” that could last into early Thursday.

“The Senate’s approval of even one amendment would send the whole package back to the House for another vote, just days after the House passed the $940 billion overhaul in a close vote that capped a yearlong political struggle.”

Source: Reuters, March 24, 2010