Post by Tim Collins on Nov 6, 2009 17:04:50 GMT -7
Looks like if the Health Care Bill dies, it will do so on a sword held by Democrats who are concerned with Right To Life Voters and not those evil Republicans.
online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20091106-717148.html
Democrats Still Seeking Votes For House Health Bill
ADDS lawmakers' comments and status of negotiations.)
By Patrick Yoest and Martin Vaughan
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--House Democratic leaders worked Friday to gather sufficient votes to pass major health-care legislation this weekend, despite lingering concerns among Democrats on abortion provisions in the bill. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D., Md.) said they "very close" to securing the 218 votes needed to pass the bill.
In a conference call with reporters, he said he expected that the House would finish debate on the bill by 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. EST on Saturday evening and proceed to a vote, but cautioned that debate could stretch into next week.
"Sunday afternoon we will have available to us, and I've also indicated to members that Monday and Tuesday are a possibility," Hoyer said. "My expectation is that we will not need it and we'll be done tomorrow night."
Democrats expressed optimism that they would pass the bill this weekend, even though they do not appear to have reached their target of 218 votes yet.
The White House and Democratic leaders made individual appeals Friday to undecided lawmakers. Rep. Jason Altmire, (D, Pa.), who has not decided whether to support the bill, said he spoken by phone Friday with President Barack Obama, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
Altmire said that the officials stressed that the bill could be improved after its passage in the House, but that rejecting the bill would mean killing it.
"The pitch is the significance of the issue - this is a historic issue," Altmire said. "You don't want to end up with nothing. That's the worst-case scenario."
President Obama is scheduled to meet Saturday, ahead of the vote, with House Democrats on Capitol Hill.
The House Rules Committee began a meeting Friday to approve final changes to the legislation before it is debated on the House floor. House Democrats have wrestled with intra-party differences language in the bill intended to block federal funding of abortion.
Pro-choice Democrats have said they will not oppose a key procedural vote on the bill, if House leaders as expected add language from Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D., Ind.) aimed at appeasing some anti-abortion members of the Democratic Caucus.
But the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Right-To-Life Committee have complained that the Ellsworth language, which is aimed at keeping federal funds from being steered toward abortion services, would do little to address their concerns. Some pro-life Democrats, pointing to concerns from pro-life advocacy groups, have sought language that places more stringent restrictions barring the use of federal funds for abortions in the bill.
Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman, (D., Calif.), said some are pushing to keep abortion coverage out of a proposed public health insurance plan in the bill. He said that would be "difficult, if not possible" for pro-choice lawmakers to accept.
Signaling the unease of some freshman Democrats in swing districts, Rep. John Adler of New Jersey said Friday he will vote against the bill. Adler, who won his first term in 2008 with 52% of the vote, said the House bill "does not do enough to contain costs."
New Jersey was the scene of a big Republican victory on Tuesday, when Chris Christie defeated Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine in the state's gubernatorial race.
Rep. Frank Kratovil of Maryland, another freshman Democrat, also announced that he would vote against the bill, citing concerns over costs.
-By Patrick Yoest, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-3554; patrick.yoest@dowjones.com; and Martin Vaughan, martin.vaughan@dowjones.com
online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20091106-717148.html
Democrats Still Seeking Votes For House Health Bill
ADDS lawmakers' comments and status of negotiations.)
By Patrick Yoest and Martin Vaughan
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--House Democratic leaders worked Friday to gather sufficient votes to pass major health-care legislation this weekend, despite lingering concerns among Democrats on abortion provisions in the bill. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D., Md.) said they "very close" to securing the 218 votes needed to pass the bill.
In a conference call with reporters, he said he expected that the House would finish debate on the bill by 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. EST on Saturday evening and proceed to a vote, but cautioned that debate could stretch into next week.
"Sunday afternoon we will have available to us, and I've also indicated to members that Monday and Tuesday are a possibility," Hoyer said. "My expectation is that we will not need it and we'll be done tomorrow night."
Democrats expressed optimism that they would pass the bill this weekend, even though they do not appear to have reached their target of 218 votes yet.
The White House and Democratic leaders made individual appeals Friday to undecided lawmakers. Rep. Jason Altmire, (D, Pa.), who has not decided whether to support the bill, said he spoken by phone Friday with President Barack Obama, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
Altmire said that the officials stressed that the bill could be improved after its passage in the House, but that rejecting the bill would mean killing it.
"The pitch is the significance of the issue - this is a historic issue," Altmire said. "You don't want to end up with nothing. That's the worst-case scenario."
President Obama is scheduled to meet Saturday, ahead of the vote, with House Democrats on Capitol Hill.
The House Rules Committee began a meeting Friday to approve final changes to the legislation before it is debated on the House floor. House Democrats have wrestled with intra-party differences language in the bill intended to block federal funding of abortion.
Pro-choice Democrats have said they will not oppose a key procedural vote on the bill, if House leaders as expected add language from Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D., Ind.) aimed at appeasing some anti-abortion members of the Democratic Caucus.
But the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Right-To-Life Committee have complained that the Ellsworth language, which is aimed at keeping federal funds from being steered toward abortion services, would do little to address their concerns. Some pro-life Democrats, pointing to concerns from pro-life advocacy groups, have sought language that places more stringent restrictions barring the use of federal funds for abortions in the bill.
Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman, (D., Calif.), said some are pushing to keep abortion coverage out of a proposed public health insurance plan in the bill. He said that would be "difficult, if not possible" for pro-choice lawmakers to accept.
Signaling the unease of some freshman Democrats in swing districts, Rep. John Adler of New Jersey said Friday he will vote against the bill. Adler, who won his first term in 2008 with 52% of the vote, said the House bill "does not do enough to contain costs."
New Jersey was the scene of a big Republican victory on Tuesday, when Chris Christie defeated Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine in the state's gubernatorial race.
Rep. Frank Kratovil of Maryland, another freshman Democrat, also announced that he would vote against the bill, citing concerns over costs.
-By Patrick Yoest, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-3554; patrick.yoest@dowjones.com; and Martin Vaughan, martin.vaughan@dowjones.com