PAYGO Passed And Antitrust Legislation Is Next, Says Pelosi

By Benny Martinez - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Thursday that PAYGO will soon be at President Barack Obama's desk.

"Today we [passed] on the floor of the House Pay-As-You-Go," Pelosi said. "Remember this: this is a very important day and judge Congress by its adherence to this important legislation. We owe it to our children and our grandchildren."

Under PAYGO, the government will be required to offset spending by making cuts elsewhere.

Pelosi said that a jobs bill remains a high priority. The House's version was passed in December of 2009 and is currently awaiting Senate approval.

Next on the agenda is legislation to deny antitrust exclusions for insurance companies. In an effort to disrupt collusion and price fixing, Pelosi said that legislation should be passed next week while efforts with a larger health care reform bill stall.

"When signed into law [antitrust legislation] will increase competition, give consumers more choices and, we believe, lower costs for health care in our country," Pelosi said.