By Laura Litvan and Kristin Jensen March 11 (Bloomberg) — Republicans said the Senate parliamentarian threw up a hurdle to congressional Democrats’ plans to pass changes to U.S. health-care legislation through a process called reconciliation. Republicans said guidance they received from the parliamentarian means that President Barack Obama has to sign a Senate health-care bill into law before the House and Senate can approve changes to it. “The Senate Parliamentarian’s office has informed Senate Republicans that reconciliation instructions require the measure to make changes in law,” said Don Stewart , a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. U.S. stocks rose on the news, reversing earlier losses. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index advanced 0.2 percent to 1,147.36 at 3:27 p.m. in New York. It fell as much as 0.6 percent earlier after inflation in China accelerated more than economists estimated, spurring speculation the nation will boost interest rates. Obama is asking House Democrats to approve a Senate bill passed in December and pass another measure to make changes to it under reconciliation. The procedure would allow the Democratic-controlled Senate to approve the agreed-upon changes with a simple majority instead of the 60 votes that are generally needed to push through legislation. Because House Democrats object to some provisions in the Senate bill, they are seeking assurance that the changes become law. Lawmakers in the chamber originally sought to have the Senate act first on reconciliation; then they wanted Obama to hold off signing the Senate bill until reconciliation passed. Jim Manley , a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, declined to comment. To contact the reporters on this story: Laura Litvan in Washington at llitvan@bloomberg.net ; Kristin Jensen in Washington at kjensen@bloomberg.net
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Health-Care Bill Faces New Hurdle After Ruling Hinders Quick Passage Plan
