House Passes Reconciliation Act

Members of the House have voted 220-211 to pass H.R. 4872, the Reconciliation Act of 2010.

If enacted, the bill would revise and extend H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act bill that was passed by the Senate Dec. 24, 2009, and approved 219-212 by the House moments ago.

H.R. 4872 still must pass in the Senate before it can take effect. Democrats have structured H.R. 4872 as a budget reconciliation bill, in the hope that they can take advantage of Senate procedural rules that permit reconciliation bills to pass with a 51-vote majority. Under normal Senate rules, bills need the support of a 60-vote majority to pass.