The Republican House caucus is so unruly that Speaker John Boehner needs votes from Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi in order to pass a trillion dollar budget deal. That's a good thing, because Pelosi has
managed to block an amendment by conservative Republicans that would have created a loophole for corporations on contraception coverage under Obamacare. From Politico:
Pelosi tapped Democratic negotiators to draw “a firm line” against any changes that focused on the so-called ‘conscience clause’, a senior Democratic source said. There were no direct conversations about contraceptives between Pelosi and Speaker John Boehner or House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
The budget bill is expected to pass this week, which would avert a government shutdown.
But Democratic representatives sent a letter to Speaker Boehner calling on him to keep contentious policy issues out of the budget bill.
We urge you in the strongest possible terms to keep any appropriations legislation considered before the close of the 113th Congress free from ideological policy riders,” Reps. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) and Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) wrote in a letter to Boehner earlier this week.
