It's no "okay" for either house of Congress to be able to ignore the work of the other.
This is why we need to reform the Constitution so antics like what Reid and Boehner are pulling can be outlawed. Currently, the Constitution is silent on the rules of the Houses of Congress. I've looked and I cannot find where it requires 50.1% voting "yea" to pass a bill; can you? I stand to be corrected but I asked earlier and others couldn't find it on this forum either. We need to give a voice to the Constitution where it is silent on this matter.
The bill sent to the House by the Senate or the bill sent to the Senate by the House must be voted on within, lets say 60 days...20 days...whatever. In it's current form, no add-ons. Then the members either vote to work on their House's version of the bill or not. After that, it is written that conferees are appointed. At this point, politics will take over and the selector of conferees will decide what will happen in conference committee. Politicians are political creatures of course and there is no way to completely divorce the acts from the actors.
The goal isn't to be able to ram bills through and the goal isn't to make bill signage easier or more common. The goal isn't even to break the stalemate--that is the job of the voters. The goal of adding a voice to the Constitution where it is currently silent is to force a vote--a consideration--of one House's work by the other; so one person--be it Tip O'Neil, Newt Gingrich, Nancy Pelosi, John Boehner, Tom Foley, Harry Reid or Mitch McConnell can't stop the vote. This will allow you to know how your elected representative voted. Congress, legislatively, speaks with one voice. It always has. No bill has ever been sent to the President to sign with input from only one house of Congress.
Right now, Congress isn't talking...Obama doesn't have a bill to sign. It is the equivalent to having a burned out light bulb in your kitchen. Congress isn't working.