Blue Dogs Win Concessions

Blue Dog Democrats in the House won a few big concessions on Tuesday: “Moderate House Democrats and a key committee chairman emerged from a three-hour meeting at the White House on Tuesday with a tentative agreement to give an outside panel—rather than Congress—the power to make cuts to government-financed health-care programs,” according to Politico. Democratic leadership hopes that the concession is enough to bring the seven crucial Blue Dogs on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce into the fold. OMB Director Peter Orszag called it “probably the most important piece that can be added [to the bill.]” Nancy Pelosi, meanwhile, told the rank and file that they were still on schedule to approve the bill before going on August recess at the end of next week.