|
|
|
Marketplace
|
|
Sections
|
|
Customer Service
|
|
 |
|
Health care: Dems say they have the votes
By Mary Madewell
Published March 21, 2010
Confident Democrats have the vote to pass the Senate health care bill on Sunday, U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall, R-Rockwall, vowed late Saturday to “take them on at every hedgerow for the rest of year.”
A constitutional challenge by Texas Atty. Gen. Greg Abbott along with about a dozen more of Abbott’s colleagues from other states, could provide one of those hedgerows.
“The Texas delegation had a conference call with Greg Abbott earlier today,” Hall said. “He’s going to take a Constitutional stand against the individual mandate to have insurance.”
The health care bill passed by the Senate in December calls for all Americans to have health care.
Hall said that mandate goes against the 10th Amendment, which states all powers not granted to the federal government be reserved for the states.
“I think we are on strong Constitutional grounds,” Hall said.
“It’s a hard deal,” Hall said about what seems to be an inevitable win for Democrats and President Barack Obama. “In all my years here, I’ve never seen anything like this where they don’t care what the people want.”
Telephone lines into the Capitol have been jammed by calls, Hall said, adding he believed most to be “against the bill.”
And protestors swarmed outside, Hall said.
“It looked like thousands of people protesting,” Hall said. “I spent about an hour and a half out there shaking hands and thanking people for coming up. In fact I stayed out there a little too long and I missed a vote on the floor. It wasn’t an important vote; but I don’t like missing votes.”
With victory within reach, the president rallied House Democrats on Saturday for a final health care push, and party leaders appeared confident they had overcome a flare-up over abortion funding restrictions in the legislation, according to Associated Press reports.
Building on Democrats’ momentum, House leaders decided on a straight up-or-down vote on Obama’s top priority and the defining issue of his first year in office, backing off a much-challenged plan to vote on the bill indirectly. With the vote scheduled for Sunday, the battle tilted in Obama’s direction as more Democrats disclosed how they would vote.
The president decided to make a final personal appeal with a Saturday afternoon visit to the Capitol. He spoke after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., reassured House rank and file that the Senate will complete the legislation. More than 50 Democratic senators have signed a pledge to do, Reid’s spokesman said.
“Is this the single most important step that we have taken on health care since Medicare?” Obama asked lawmakers. “Absolutely.”
The legislation, affecting virtually every American and more than a year in the making, would extend coverage to an estimated 32 million uninsured, bar insurers from denying coverage on the basis of existing medical conditions and cut federal deficits by an estimated $138 billion over a decade.
Congressional analysts estimate the cost of the two bills combined would be $940 billion over a decade.
Republicans, unanimous in opposition to the bill, complained anew about its cost and reach.
One option on abortion emerged Saturday — an executive order from Obama — that would reflect long-standing law barring federal aid for abortions except for cases of rape, incest or when the mother’s life is in danger. Party leaders saw that approach as crucial to winning the support of anti-abortion Democrats for the health care bill.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, asked if they were working on an executive order, said simply: “Ask the president.”
It was unclear whether the strategy would win support from conservative Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., leader of abortion foes who are opposing the health bill unless tight restrictions are included.
Democratic leaders and Obama focused last-minute lobbying efforts on two groups of Democrats: 37 who voted against an earlier bill in the House and 40 who voted for it only after first making sure it would include strict abortion limits that now have been modified.
Leaders worked into Friday night attempting to resolve the dispute over abortion, and Saturday morning they were increasingly confident it would not scuttle the bill.
The House Rules Committee worked through the day Saturday to set the terms for the vote. Democratic leaders dropped plans to “deem and pass” the bill with a vote simply on the rule, a procedure used by both parties but one that has been widely criticized for legislation as massive as health care overhaul.
Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said the House would vote on the fix-it companion bill and then the Senate bill. Hoyer said the latter would go to Obama for his signature while the companion bill heads to the Senate. The No. 2 House Democrat said he has seen a letter from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid indicating he has the necessary votes.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Share |
Save |
Mail |
Print |
Letter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
