Momentum Builds for Health Care Law Change

A Senate proposal to eliminate an unpopular tax-reporting requirement in the health care law has amassed 60 co-sponsors, giving the bill enough support to pass and marking a rare moment of bipartisan agreement.

The filibuster-proof majority includes 45 Republicans and 15 Democrats.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Mike Johanns, R-Neb., would strike a provision in the law requiring businesses to file a 1099 tax form with the IRS for every vendor with which they have over $600 in transactions.

Critics on both sides of the aisle say that the rule places an onerous burden on small business.

President Obama told a Washington, DC health care conference Friday that he agrees with that sentiment, "There are going to be times where we say, you know what, this needs a tweak," he said, "I've even suggested we begin by correcting what was a legitimate concern, a flaw, in the legislation that placed unnecessary bookkeeping burdens on small businesses."

A similar measure introduced by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., currently has 18 co-sponsors. It's identical to a bill in the House authored by Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Calif. The House proposal already has enough co-sponsors to pass, but has not been scheduled for a vote.