After laying the groundwork for a decisive vote this week on the Senate's health-care bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested Monday that she might attempt to pass the measure without having members vote on it.

Instead, Pelosi (D-Calif.) would rely on a procedural sleight of hand: The House would vote on a more popular package of fixes to the Senate bill; under the House rule for that vote, passage would signify that lawmakers "deem" the health-care bill to be passed.

The tactic is called "deem and pass," and it is a little known House manoeuvre, although frequently used for smaller items, which Pelosi thinks will allow the majority to give their members political cover in the November elections.  It's just one of three ways the House leadership can use to move the health bill forward.

Read the entire Washington Post article here.