NEWS UPDATE 5/14: A TIGHTER SCHEDULE?

The target date for passage of health care reform just got a little clearer—and perhaps earlier.

After meeting with President Obama yesterday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced their intent to pass a reform bill in the House no later than July 31.

Senate Democrats are hoping for a similar schedule, but with October 15 as an absolute drop dead date, already written into the budget as a reconciliation process cut-off date. However, Senate Democratic leaders are still making optimistic sounds about producing a bill that will attract enough Republican votes to avoid the battle that reconciliation would involve.