Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee could go to unprecedented lengths this week to protest Republicans’ efforts to cut energy, climate and health care programs in their party-line bill.
When the committee gavels in at 2 p.m. Tuesday to mark up its portion of the GOP’s tax, energy and national security legislation, lawmakers will embark on what could be a record-setting debate over provisions targeting clean energy grants, environmental programs and especially Medicaid.
Republicans will likely reject all of the Democrats’ proposed changes, but lawmakers and aides on both sides of the aisle say the minority is intent on trying to make the markup as painful as possible.
Democrats could offer enough amendments to keep the markup going for more than 27 consecutive hours — the committee record set during 2017 debate over the Affordable Care Act.
