That's the bill that never could pass out of committee during the years the Republicans controlled the House. They had some wacko guy who chaired the House committee, I think his name was Scumbo, or something like that, who kept blocking it.
His own district tossed him out, the same year the control of the House went to the Democrats. I think he's a mining or logging lobbyist now.
They Washington delgation has been trying to move it through ever since, and now the committee hurdles are done. It should pass easily once its placed on the House and Senate calendars. The holdup now is the calendars are all filled with the healthcare debate and little else is being done until that's settled.
The bill was always co=sponsored by Murray and Dave Reichert, a rare instance of people from both parties trying to get the same thing done.
