GOP senator predicts Democrats will use rare voting procedure to try to pass health care bill

Talk of Senate voting maneuvers on health care

WASHINGTON — A Republican senator predicts Democrats will turn to a little-used voting procedure to try get around GOP opposition and pass health care legislation.

It takes 60 votes to shut down GOP opposition and move ahead to an up-or-down vote on a bill. But there is a way for the Democratic-run Senate to decide that only a majority is needed to pass a certain measure.

GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah says taking that approach on health care would be an abuse of the rules.

A Democratic senator, Chuck Schumer of New York, says such a maneuver could be used if Republicans don’t work to advance a bipartisan health bill.

Hatch and Schumer appeared Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”