Merkley amendment dropped from health bill

By: Justin Carinci//March 18, 2010//

Merkley amendment dropped from health bill

Justin Carinci//March 18, 2010//

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vbdfvb — Sen. Jeff Merkley's amendment to the federal health care reform bill has been dropped.(Photo from Facebook)

An amendment to the federal health care bill that was geared toward contractors won’t end up in the final bill, a representative from Sen. Jeff Merkley‘s office said today.

Merkley, D-Ore., successfully added an amendment to the bill before it passed the Senate in December. The amendment would require construction companies with five or more employees, and at least $250,000 in annual payroll expenses, to provide health benefits to their workers.

For other industries, the limit is 50 or more employees.

With the House of Representatives working to reconcile the Senate version, the amendment will drop out, said Merkley spokeswoman Julie Edwards.

The amendment could reemerge as a standalone bill or attached to another bill, Edwards said. Right now, there’s no timeline for that to happen.

“It’s really too soon to say,” Edwards said.

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