This was a procedural vote ordering the previous question (which, if passed, effectively ends debate and brings the pending legislation to an immediate vote) on a resolution setting a time limit for debate and determining which amendments could be offered to legislation extending unemployment insurance and health benefits for laid-off workers through November 30, 2010. The bill also blocked a 21% cut in Medicare payments to physicians scheduled to take effect on June 1. In addition,  the bill  extended through 2012 a bonds program that offers state and local governments to invest in infrastructure.

Following this vote (which was on ordering the previous question), however, the House was scheduled to consider an amendment by Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) that stripped the health insurance extension from the bill, and then divided the bill into two different sections, each to be voted on separately. One section contained the Medicare physician payment provision, and the other section contained the rest of the bill. (This strategy allowed members to vote in favor of extending unemployment insurance, and against blocking cuts in physician payments, or vice versa.) Democrats eliminated the extension of health benefits in order to attract support from conservative Democrats who were balking at the cost of the bill.

Slaughter praised the legislation: “It's the product of many hours of hard work. It's also an effort to strike a balance between extending important life-saving assistance to laid-off workers and investing in smart spending that will help our economy.”

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) criticized the Democratic majority for introducing last minute changes to H.R. 4213 through Slaughter’s amendment to the resolution: “…It is my understanding that the Democrats are planning to amend the rule [resolution] to change the text of the underlying legislation that we are discussing here right now….What's in the amendment… Are they gutting the State Medicare funding portion? Are they eliminating the COBRA [health benefits for laid-off workers] extension? Will doctors see a 21 percent cut in reimbursement next week? I don't know, nor does anybody who is going to vote on this bill.”

The House agreed to the motion ordering the previous question by a vote of 235-182. 235 Democrats voted “yea.” All 169 Republicans present and 13 Democrats voted “nay.” As a result, the House proceeded to a vote on Slaughter’s amendment, and then a final vote on the resolution setting a time limit for debate and determining which amendments could be offered to legislation extending unemployment insurance for laid-off workers through November 30, 2010, and blocking a 21% cut in Medicare payments to physicians scheduled to take effect on June 1.