Senate divided as health debate begins

Senate leaders on Tuesday are scheduled to take up the Democrats' health care reform bill in what's expected to be a raucous debate through at least the end of the year. The bill would establish a government-run insurance program, require nearly all Americans to obtain insurance, issue tax credits to help purchase coverage and fine some employers that don't provide it.

Nearly all Republicans are unequivocally opposed to the legislation, putting the burden of finding 60 votes on Democrats, who hope to pick up a handful of Republicans.

The public insurance plan is going to play a significant role in the debate, despite the fact that the Congressional Budget Office estimated that only about 6 million people would end up on the plan. It has become the most significant lightning rod - many Democrats deem it necessary to drive down costs, while Republicans say it would give government too large a role in health care. Other sticking points are likely to be the cost and the impact on the deficit; funding for abortion; and coverage of illegal immigrants.

In the Senate, where the bill can't pass without 60 votes, every lawmaker will matter. But here are the people to watch out for...

SOURCE: Washington Times

Back To Work

The Senate returns to work today after a week off for Thanksgiving, and the pending matter on the floor is the debate on health care legislation from Democrats. It will be a busy run to Christmas for Senators.

"What happens next is we legislate," said Jim Manley, the chief spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who interrupted his NFL viewing habits to take email questions from pesky reporters like your blog author.

"The bill will be fully amendable," said Manley, which - if I take him at his word - means Reid won't try to "fill the amendment tree" and hamstring any GOP efforts to amend the health bill.

But Manley also telegraphed some tough parliamentary moves in the weeks ahead.
"We need 60 votes at some point to end debate and will try to do that," Manley added.

Meanwhile, the lead paragraph of the latest health care story from the Associated Press laid bare the problems that Reid and other leading Democrats have right now on health care.

"The 60 votes aren't there any more."

They were ten days ago, on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. But Democrats face a lot of hurdles, on the public health insurance option, abortion funding restrictions and much, much more.

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

Senate Poised to Take Up Health Care Bill Next Week

The Senate's Thanksgiving break will end with a bang Monday when debate is scheduled to begin on sweeping legislation to remake the U.S. health care system, a showdown likely to last for weeks.

The debate on the Senate's version of the legislation will test the strength of a re-energized Republican insurgency and the loyalty of a fractured Democratic majority.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said Sunday that he doesn't think any members of the Democratic caucus, including the two independents, will vote against final legislation.

SOURCE: Fox News

Health overhaul: Understanding the pros and cons

"There's going to be a long period of great expectations and very modest deliveries," said economist Robert Reischauer, president of the Urban Institute public policy center. That's assuming Democrats prevail.

Some questions and answers on the House-passed bill and the version the Senate will begin debating in the week ahead; both measures were written by Democrats...

SOURCE: Associated Press

Not So Fast

While we have been talking about how the Senate will start the debate on health care reform after a break for Thanksgiving, it's not exactly going to be a fast start when Senators return.

When the Senate left town after the 60-39 vote on Saturday night that paved the way for debate, the schedule for November 30 and December 1 set out by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid doesn't exactly indicate much urgency.

On Monday, November 30, the Senate returns from Thanksgiving at 2pm.

At 3pm, the Senate resumes consideration of H.R. 3590, which is the legislative vehicle for the Democratic health reform plans.

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

A stream of WH health care visits

President Barack Obama's top aides met frequently with lobbyists and health care industry heavyweights as his administration pieced together a national health care overhaul, according to White House visitor records obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

The records disclose visits by a broad cross-section of the people most involved in the health care debate, weighted heavily toward those who want to overhaul the system.

The list includes George Halvorson, chairman and CEO of Kaiser Health Plans; Scott Serota, president and CEO of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association; Kenneth Kies, a Washington lobbyist who represents Blue Cross/Blue Shield, among other clients; Billy Tauzin, head of PhRMA, the drug industry lobby; Richard Umbdenstock, chief of the American Hospital Association, and numerous lobbyists.

SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News

The Young Turn Against Obamacare

With the funds you have donated, we ran television advertisments and an Internet campaign aimed at young people focused in Arkansas, North Dakota and Maine. The results are incredible! Now under-30 voters are the strongest opponents of the plan. In the table below, we show you the vote on the Obama plan broken down by age. (We aggregated all three states so we would have enough interviews to make the age subsets statistically meaningful.)

Support/Oppose Obama plan, combined data for Arkansas, North Dakota and Maine.

Age	Support/Oppose Obama Plan
Under 30	25-65
30-49	28-60
50-64	41-50
Over 65	32-555

The polling had predicted that the young would swing sharply and dramatically against the Obama program once they got the key information about it, but we are blown away by these results.

These data are from polls the League of American Voters commissioned John Zogby to conduct. Commenting on the results, John said, "These results among 18- to 29-year-olds are striking. It puts in jeopardy the whole theory of the new Democratic majority, because young people are essential to that base."

Boy, is he ever correct!

SOURCE: Dick Morris

Healthcare debate heads for Dec. clash with Copenhagen climate conference

Healthcare reform and climate change will conflict directly next month when lawmakers from around the world gather in Denmark for the United Nations climate change conference and the Senate debates a healthcare bill.

As many as 10 senators had planned on traveling to Copenhagen for the conference, which is scheduled from Dec. 7 to Dec. 18.

But it now appears they may have to stay in Washington to work on healthcare.

Democratic leaders sent out a notice Monday morning alerting senators that when the chamber returns to session after the Thanksgiving holiday, “roll call votes could occur at any time during the day and evening, with weekend sessions likely.”

SOURCE: The Hill

CBO Projections: Senate Health-Care Bill’s Costs

Jeffrey Anderson of the Pacific Research Institute, who has been writing scintillating criticisms of the Democrats’ proposed health care bills, has prepared a chart showing the true 10-year cost of the bill currently before the Senate.

As the chart makes clear, the costs of this legislation do not kick in in any significant way until 2014, and so the real 10-year cost—as opposed to the 10-year cost that the Congressional Budget Office, pursuant to its legislative charter, estimated—is $1.8 trillion for the 10-year period for 2014 to 2023. Let me spell that out: $1,800,000,000,000.



SOURCE: Pacific Research > Michael Barone

Lieberman Digs In on Public Option

Sen. Joseph Lieberman, speaking in that trademark sonorous baritone, utters a simple statement that translates into real trouble for Democratic leaders: "I'm going to be stubborn on this."

Stubborn, he means, in opposing any health-care overhaul that includes a "public option," or government-run health-insurance plan, as the current bill does. His opposition is strong enough that Mr. Lieberman says he won't vote to let a bill come to a final vote if a public option is included.

Probe for a catch or caveat in that opposition, and none is visible. Can he support a public option if states could opt out of the plan, as the current bill provides? "The answer is no," he says in an interview from his Senate office. "I feel very strongly about this." How about a trigger, a mechanism for including a public option along with a provision saying it won't be used unless private insurance plans aren't spreading coverage far and fast enough? No again.

So any version of a public option will compel Mr. Lieberman to vote against bringing a bill to a final vote? "Correct," he says.

SOURCE: Wall Street Journal

Schumer says failure not an option on health care

Both bills would require all Americans to carry health insurance, with government help to make premiums more affordable. They would ban insurance companies from denying coverage or charging more to people with health problems. They would set up new insurance markets for those who now have the hardest time finding and keeping coverage — self-employed people and small businesses. Americans insured through big employer plans would gain new consumer protections but wouldn't face major changes. Seniors would get better prescription coverage.

They differ on abortion, taxes and the public plan.

SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News

Health Bill Politics

There are 15 Democrats who are trying to extend their terms in office next year from the Senate, ranging from Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid to Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas to newly appointed Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado.

I mention those three because Reid is an obvious target, Lincoln's poll numbers have sagged, and Bennet is a political novice who was appointed to the seat, and will have to run in a difficult environment next year.

Otherwise, most of the Democrats up next year in the Senate are in safe seats, and would only be tossed out of office if there is a GOP wave.

But with double digit unemployment nationwide, GOP strategists believe some of those "safe" seats might well be in play, and that's a hunch which cannot be ignored right now.

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

Betting On Health Care Reform

Will a federal government run health insurance plan (a public option) be approved?

A federal government run health insurance plan to be approved before midnight ET 31 Dec 2009:


A federal government run health insurance plan to be approved before midnight ET 31 Mar 2010:


A federal government run health insurance plan to be approved before midnight ET 30 Jun 2010:


SOURCE: Intrade

NC Elected Officials on the Issues

On the Issues:

• Senator Kay Hagan
• Senator Richard Burr
• Heath Shuler

SOURCE: OnTheIssues.org

Fiorina: Obama might have to 'eat his words' on health reform

A day after the fragile Senate Democratic Caucus rallied to move the Democrats’ health care reform bill to the Senate floor for debate, the woman who wants to replace Sen. Barbara Boxer said Sunday that President Obama will have to “eat his words” on health care reform if the bill becomes law.

After telling CNN Chief National Correspondent John King that she does not support the health care reform bill crafted by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Republican Senate hopeful Carly Fiorina took on President Obama over his top domestic agenda item during the first year of his administration.

“If you listen to what the President Obama said about this health care proposal, even he agreed with me. He said he wouldn’t sign into law a bill that increased the deficit. He said he wouldn’t sign into law a bill that increased the cost of health care. If this bill goes through, President Obama will have to eat his words or break his promise.”



SOURCE: CNN Politics

Freshman Dem: Passing health care reform worth losing my seat

A freshman Democratic senator said Sunday that he will support his party’s efforts to pass health care reform legislation even if that means losing his seat in next year’s midterm elections.

“If you get to the final point and you are a critical vote for health care reform and every piece of evidence tells you if you support the bill you will lose your job, would you cast the vote and lose your job?” CNN’s John King asked Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado on Sunday’s State of the Union.

“Yes,” Bennet bluntly and simply replied.

SOURCE: CNN Politics

Support for Health Care Plan Falls to New Low

Just 38% of voters now favor the health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats. That’s the lowest level of support measured for the plan in nearly two dozen tracking polls conducted since June.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 56% now oppose the plan.

SOURCE: Rasmussen Polls

Presidental Tracking Poll

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Monday shows that 28% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-one percent (41%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -13 (see trends).



SOURCE: Rasmussen Polls

Nelson is a 'no' on health bill as written

Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.) and Republican Sen. Tom Coburn (Okla.) — two senators close to conservative elements of their opposing parties — on Sunday staked out opposing positions on Saturday's successful Senate healthcare reform bill, each arguing for their party's positions but on different platforms.

On ABC's "This Week," host George Stephanopolous immediately asked Nelson point-blank whether he would support the Democratic-written bill that passed on a procedural vote of 60-39 on Saturday night on a final vote as written. Nelson answered, "No."

[...] Nelson is key to a handful of centrist Democrats who control healthcare in the Senate debate. The Nebraska senator was among a very few Democrats who withheld their voting intentions until the last few days and hours of Saturday's vote, which must now be followed by weeks of debate, House-Senate conference talks, and a final congressional vote probably in January.

SOURCE: The Hill

Why was it so hard for Dems even to start health care debate?

The Democrats' problems in keeping their side together, in the face of united Republican opposition, are an indicator of how public opinion is beginning to dominate the health care debate. Dozens of polls show that Americans are deeply divided over the issue, with a slight plurality opposing the Democratic health care plans currently under consideration in Congress. Clear majorities of Americans don't believe their health care will improve under the plan, and do believe the plan will increase the deficit. Given that, Democrats are trying to pass the biggest piece of legislation in decades, one that will create an enormous and permanent new entitlement, with less than majority support among the public. And they're racing to do it with less than a year to go before mid-term elections that most observers believe will result in fewer Democrats in Congress. No wonder it's hard.

SOURCE: Washington Examiner

Healthcare bill passes first U.S. Senate test

In the first Senate test for President Barack Obama's top domestic priority, Democrats unanimously backed a procedural motion to open debate over the opposition of 39 Republicans. Republican George Voinovich did not vote.

Democrats needed 60 votes to approve the motion in the 100-member Senate and had no margin for error -- they control exactly 60 votes.

The Democratic victory was assured earlier in the day when the party's last two holdouts, Blanche Lincoln and Mary Landrieu, said they would support the motion but would not commit to backing the final bill without changes.

"I believe that it is more important that we begin this debate to improve our nation's healthcare system for all Americans rather than just simply drop the issue and walk away," Lincoln said in a speech hours before the vote.

The debate will begin on Nov. 30 and is expected to last at least three weeks. The House of Representatives has passed its own version, and differences in the two would have to be reconciled in January before Obama could sign a final measure.

SOURCE: Reuters

Health Care Bill Moves Forward

The action in the Senate comes two weeks after the House approved a health overhaul bill of its own on a 220-215 vote. After the vote Saturday night, senators will leave for a Thanksgiving recess. Upon their return, assuming Democrats prevail on the vote, they will launch into weeks or more of unpredictable debate on the health care bill, with numerous amendments expected from both sides of the aisle and more 60-vote hurdles along the way.

Senate leaders hope to pass their bill by the end of the year. If that happens, January would bring work to reconcile the House and Senate versions before a final package could land on Obama's desk.

[...] The Senate bill was written by Reid in private negotiations with White House officials, combining elements of two committee-passed bills and making additional changes with an eye to getting the necessary 60 votes.

Along the way, Reid sweetened the pot for individual senators, adding federal funds for Louisiana and agreeing to support an amendment written by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., that would expand eligibility for the purchasing exchanges.

SOURCE: Fox News

The $100 Million Health Care Vote

What does it take to get a wavering senator to vote for health care reform?

Here’s a case study.

On page 432 of the Reid bill, there is a section increasing federal Medicaid subsidies for “certain states recovering from a major disaster.”

The section spends two pages defining which “states” would qualify, saying, among other things, that it would be states that “during the preceding 7 fiscal years” have been declared a “major disaster area.”

I am told the section applies to exactly one state: Louisiana, the home of moderate Democrat Mary Landrieu, who has been playing hard to get on the health care bill.

SOURCE: ABC News

Historic health care bill clears Senate hurdle

Invoking the memory of Edward M. Kennedy, Democrats united Saturday night to push historic health care legislation past a key Senate hurdle over the opposition of Republicans eager to inflict a punishing defeat on President Barack Obama. There was not a vote to spare.

The 60-39 vote cleared the way for a bruising, full-scale debate beginning after Thanksgiving on the legislation, which is designed to extend coverage to roughly 31 million who lack it, crack down on insurance company practices that deny or dilute benefits and curtail the growth of spending on medical care nationally.

SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News

The Parliamentary Fight

As the Senate takes the first procedural vote Saturday on health care reform, I thought we should run down the procedural situation that Senators find themselves in.

It's not simple.

First, this vote is not like the vote two weeks ago in the House on health care reform.

That was on an entire bill.

This vote is basically whether debate should officially start on health care.
And to be 100% accurate about it, the Senate is not even voting to start work on a health care bill.

"Huh?" you say?

The Senate is voting on the Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 3590, the Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act of 2009.

That means, the Senate is voting to shut off debate on the motion to start debate on the underlying bill.

Instead of using the House-passed health care bill, Democrats are using a bill that was already approved by the House - which raises money - so it doesn't violate the Constitution's requirement that all money bills originate in the House of Representatives.

Once the Senate officially starts debate on H.R. 3590, then the real fun begins, as Democrats will offer the text of the changes put together by Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid as a substitute amendment to that bill.

That will start the real battle. Sen. Reid will probably file the first amendment to the substitute, and control amendments procedurally from there.

He might even "fill the amendment tree" - but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves.

This is step one. On what we refer to as "The Deuce" (C-SPAN2) it will read:

"Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 3590, the Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act of 2009."

Don't forget, the Democrats need 60 votes today. Anything less, and all hell breaks loose.

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

Not True Reform [video]

Republicans are using their weekly radio and Internet address to criticize health care legislation coming up for a test vote in the Senate. (Nov. 21)



SOURCE: Associated Press

1st Senate vote looms on health legislation

A crucial first Senate vote on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul in a rare Saturday night session looms as a test of Democratic unity and the president's prestige.

Democratic leaders are optimistic of success, but they need every Democrat and both independents to vote "yes," and two moderates remained uncommitted ahead of the roll call, which is expected around 8 p.m. The vote will determine whether debate can go forward on Majority Leader Harry Reid's 2,074-page bill to dramatically remake the U.S. health care system over the next decade.



SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News

Senate may take first health care vote Saturday

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday that the first crucial vote on an $848 billion health care overhaul package would probably happen Saturday.

That procedural vote will decide whether to bring that bill to the Senate floor and begin debate, and its approval relies on the votes of three wavering moderate Democrats. Republicans are expected to rally all 40 of their senators to block the legislation from advancing, requiring Reid, D-Nev., to keep all 60 members of his Democratic caucus in line.

Reid has refused to say whether he had commitments from them.

SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle

Sen. Reid’s Government-Run Health Plan Requires a Monthly Abortion Fee

Just like the original 2,032-page, government-run health care plan from Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) massive, 2,074-page bill would levy a new “abortion premium” fee on Americans in the government-run plan.

Beginning on line 7, p. 118, section 1303 under “Voluntary Choice of Coverage of Abortion Services” the Health and Human Services Secretary is given the authority to determine when abortion is allowed under the government-run health plan. Leader Reid’s plan also requires that at least one insurance plan offered in the Exchange covers abortions (line 13, p. 120).

What is even more alarming is that a monthly abortion premium will be charged of all enrollees in the government-run health plan. It’s right there beginning on line 11, page 122, section 1303, under “Actuarial Value of Optional Service Coverage.” The premium will be paid into a U.S. Treasury account – and these federal funds will be used to pay for the abortion services.

Section 1303(a)(2)(C) describes the process in which the Health Benefits Commissioner is to assess the monthly premiums that will be used to pay for elective abortions under the government-run health plan and for those who are given an affordability credit to purchase insurance coverage that includes abortion through the Exchange. The Commissioner must charge at a minimum $1 per enrollee per month.

SOURCE: Representative John Boehner

Senate health vote set for Saturday night

Senate Democrats have cleared the way for a Saturday night vote to begin the healthcare debate, a Democratic aide said.

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) has agreed to relent on his demand for Senate clerks to read aloud the 2,074-page bill and allow the chamber to take a critical test vote, said the aide. Reading the bill on the Senate floor was estimated to take as many as 30 hours or longer, raising the possibility of the Senate staying in session into next week.

The agreement to dispense with time-consuming procedural hurdles means that lawmakers will be able to catch flights back to their home states later in the evening on Saturday or early the next morning. This comes as welcome news for aides and other congressional workers who wrestled with the prospect of the Senate extending its session until Tuesday or Wednesday.

The Senate will vote at 8 pm Saturday to cut off debate on a motion to proceed to the healthcare reform bill. If 60 senators support the motion, the chamber would automatically adopt the motion to proceed to the bill and then depart. The Senate would begin amending the bill after the Thanksgiving recess.

SOURCE: The Hill

Obamacare or Re-Election

A Zogby Poll this week illustrates the stark choice facing Senate Democrats as they have to decide whether or not to vote for ObamaCare. The poll shows that Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln, high up on the list of vulnerable Senate Democrats seeking reelection in 2010, literally faces a choice between being reelected and voting for the bill.

The Zogby Poll shows Arkansans opposed to the Obama/Reid bill by 28-64, with 50 percent "strongly opposed" to the legislation. To swim in the face of such a current of public opinion is risky business for a U.S. senator.

Lincoln's most likely Republican opponent, state Sen. Gilbert Bennett, is hot on her heels in the poll, trailing by only 41-39. But asked who they would support if Lincoln votes for ObamaCare, Arkansas voters switch to Bennett, giving him a 49-36 victory. That Lincoln goes from two points ahead to 13 points behind over one Senate vote illustrates the potency of the opposition to healthcare changes.

SOURCE: Dick Morris

Republicans blast 'bait and switch' health bill

Digging in for a long struggle, Republican senators and governors assailed the Democrats' newly minted health care legislation Thursday as a collection of tax increases, Medicare cuts and heavy new burdens for deficit-ridden states.

Despite the criticism, there were growing indications Democrats would prevail on an initial Senate showdown set for Saturday night, and Majority Leader Harry Reid crisply rebutted the Republican charges. The bill "will save lives, save money and save Medicare," he said.

The legislation is designed to answer President Barack Obama's call to expand coverage, end industry practices such as denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions, and restrain the growth of health care spending.

Republicans saw little to like.

SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News

Comparing the House and the Senate Health Care Proposals

Senate Democrats unveiled sweeping legislation Wednesday to overhaul the nation’s health care system. Earlier this month the House passed its own version. The proposals are broadly similar but differ on some major issues, such as on a new government insurance plan, abortion and immigration.

Many provisions of the Senate bill, including the mandate for individuals to obtain insurance and the creation of insurance markets, would take effect in 2014, a year later than similar provisions of the House bill. A look at how the proposals compare on some key issues.

[See interactive comparison chart]

SOURCE: New York Times

Senate Health Care Debate Beginning its Final Phase

The battle to pass health care legislation has entered one of its final and most difficult phases.

Late Wednesday evening, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., unveiled the 2,074-page bill that will be debated in the Senate -- one of the biggest and most expensive bills to ever come to Congress. The health care bill, put together solely by Democrats, will cost $849 billion over 10 years and cover 31 million Americans who are currently uninsured.

The plan would cut the federal deficit by $127 billion in its first decade, more than any other bill, according to the CBO. It would cut the budget deficit by as much as $650 billion in the second decade.

Read the full CBO report.

SOURCE: ABC News

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Democratic leaders in the Senate on Wednesday unveiled their [2,074 page] proposal for overhauling the health care system, outlining legislation that they said would cover most of the uninsured while reducing the federal budget deficit.

Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader, said at an evening news conference that the legislation, embodying President Obama’s signature domestic initiative, would impose new regulations on insurers, extend coverage to 31 million people who currently do not have any and add new benefits to Medicare.



H.R. 3590, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:

• extends coverage to "31 million people who currently do not have any" insurance
• adds new benefits to Medicare
• will cost $849 billion over 10 years (an educated guess at this point, which does not include "the Doctor Fix")*
• reduces the projected budget deficits by $127 billion over a decade because the costs would be offset by new taxes and reductions in government spending, particularly on Medicare
• includes a government-run insurance plan, or public option
• includes state opt-out
• imposes new regulations on insurers
• increases the Medicare payroll tax on high-income people**
• imposes a new excise tax on high-cost "Cadillac" health plans offered by employers to their employees
• does not go as far as the House-passed bill in limiting insurance coverage for abortions: "...the bill seeks to extend current law by barring the use of federal money for abortions. But it would also require that at least one insurance plan that covers abortion and one that does not cover abortion be offered in every state."
• requires people to obtain health insurance, and imposes a complicated set of penalties for people who fail to meet the requirement.

*Historically, these cost estimates are wrong by a factor of 5 or more. Do you remember how much Medicare and Medicaid were supposed to cost?

**High income means couples earning more than $250K or individuals earning more than $200K.

SOURCE: New York Times

National Health Care Reform Survey

November 2009

Methodology:
Public Opinion Strategies conducted a national telephone survey of 700 registered voters November 9-11, 2009. The survey has a margin of error of +3.7%.

Key Findings:
In one of the first national surveys completed after the House vote on health care reform…things do not look good for President Obama and Democrats in Congress.

>> Complete PDF Report (1 pg.)

SOURCE: Public Opinion Strategies

Senate health care reform faces tough issues on short leash

Last week in a speech to the Senate Democratic Caucus luncheon, former President Bill Clinton told his party colleagues not to let the perfect be the enemy of the good. “This is an economic issue,” Clinton said of health care reform. “The second thing is that on the policy there is no perfect bill because there’s always going to be consequences. So there will be amendments to this effort, whatever they pass. … It’s not important to be perfect, but it’s important to move, to get the ball rolling.”

Echoing Clinton’s sentiments, Obama administration aides are pushing hard for Senate passage of a health care reform measure by Christmas, with a conference report early next year.

Meanwhile, opponents of health care reform are already testing their arguments in court, and expect to begin litigation over health care reform mandates as soon as the legislation is signed into law. The Fund for Personal Liberty already filed a lawsuit challenging mandatory Medicare enrollment, as a test of the argument against requirements in health reform legislation forcing individuals to buy health insurance. The government’s motion to dismiss that case in the U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia was denied a couple months ago.

In the Senate legislative debate, peripheral issues including who and what will be covered by reformed health insurance now overshadow the policy issues of cost control and wellness efforts. Lobbyists arguing about abortion coverage and benefits for illegal immigrants far outnumber those concerned about how the legislation will affect medical care delivery.

SOURCE: Charlotte Examiner

Reid’s Secret Bill to be Unveiled Soon

The health care reform debate in the Senate may start this week – at least procedurally. Today or tomorrow, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is expected to move to proceed to either the House passed Pelosicare bill or another tax bill (either an AIG Bonus tax bill or the Uniform Services Tax Bill) in order to start the procedure for a full Senate debate on Obamacare. Although the procedural process will start this week, the full debate on Reid’s bill will not commence until after the Senate’s Thanksgiving Day recess.

SOURCE: Heritage Foundation

Stupak: Health Care Bill Will Stall if White House Strips Abortion Restrictions

The author of a controversial amendment restricting federal funding for abortion coverage on Tuesday predicted that health care reform legislation would stall if the White House tries to step in and strip it out.

Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., dismissed a claim by White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod that President Obama would intervene to change the language, saying Axelrod is clueless on the issue and that such an intervention would imperil the bill.

"They're not going to take it out. If they do, health care will not move forward," Stupak told Fox News. "We won fair and square. ... That's why Mr. Axelrod's not a legislator. He doesn't really know what he's talking about."

SOURCE: Fox News

Baucus Health Care Legislation Advances

One study was conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) for the America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) trade association, the other by Oliver Wyman Inc. for the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA). Together they show Sen. Max Baucus’s (D-MT) health reform legislation could result in higher prices and less flexibility for the insured.

Higher Premiums Expected

“The PWC report correctly notes that the Baucus bill would impose tremendous financial hardships on many middle-class Americans by forcing them to purchase expensive state-mandated insurance on terms set by the politicians,” said Paul M. Hsieh, M.D., cofounder of Freedom and Individual Rights in Medicine in Denver, Colorado.

The BCBSA report concludes premiums would rise as much as 50 percent for individuals and 19 percent for small group plans under current reform proposals, which include weakened forms of the individual mandate.

“Requiring insurers to guarantee they will issue coverage regardless of preexisting conditions—without an effective mandate—means that people can wait to purchase coverage until they need it, causing premiums to increase for most new purchasers,” the BCBSA study said.

At Table, But on Menu

One Capitol Hill insider, a senior health policy staffer on the Senate side who requested to remain anonymous, offered his explanation for why the health care industry is suddenly realizing the potential harm in the reform package.

“Through a combination of backslapping and arm-twisting, the White House cobbled together a fragile coalition of industry and insurers to support ‘health reform,’” the staffer said. “Industry and insurers convinced themselves being at the table meant they would not be on the menu. But as the rhetoric evolved to policy reality, supporters of ‘reform’ are now scrambling.”

Hsieh believes insurers ultimately will regret not fighting the reform package by arguing for market freedom.

“Earlier this spring the insurance industry could have taken a principled stand in favor of genuine free-market reforms, such as repealing laws banning sales across state lines as well as laws mandating guaranteed issue and community rating,” Hsieh said.

“Such reforms could have greatly reduced insurance costs for millions of Americans currently priced out of the market,” Hsieh continued. “Instead, they chose to make a deal with the devil and accept new regulations requiring them to cover everyone regardless of preexisting conditions, in exchange for a Massachusetts-like individual mandate.”

SOURCE: Heartland Institute

Health Care Spending

Over the weekend, both parties battled it out over the latest report on health care plans from Democrats, written by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a non-partisan arm of the Department of Health and Human Services.

The report said the House passed health bill would increase spending on health care by $289 billion over ten years, which goes against what Democrats have been arguing about the bill's overall impact.

"With the exception of the proposed reductions in Medicare payment updates for institutional providers, the provisions of H.R. 3962 would not have a significant impact on future health care cost growth rates," said a final bullet point on page 17.

You can download the report and read it for yourself at http://is.gd/4VQQ2

Then, Chief Actuary Richard Foster delivered a real gut kick to the Democratic plans, saying "the longer-term viability of the Medicare update reductions is doubtful."
That means plans in the bill to cut costs in Medicare probably won't occur, because certain groups will complain and the Congress will then go back on the proposed cuts, just like we have seen in the reductions in Medicare payments for Doctors, the so-called "Doc Fix".

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

Momentum is a challenge for Senate

Going into the Veterans Day recess, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) signaled that they intend to pass the Senate bill in the final weeks of 2009, with a final vote on the conference bill by about mid-January.

This schedule is intended to show the bill is moving forward, avoiding a repeat of the August recess, when the healthcare reform movement stalled amid boisterous town hall forums.

[...] Democrats in the lower chamber will be holding many town halls this week — the first recess for the House since the August break.

SOURCE: The Hill

Defeat Obamacare

Support for the bill will drop week after week during November and December.

By the time Congress reconvenes in January to wrestle with the two competing versions, support for the bill will have dwindled to a perilous point. This reduced level of support will just serve to make senators and congressmen more intransigent in the negotiations. Since the bill will need 60 votes in the Senate after the conference report, Lieberman, Maine’s Snowe and Collins and a handful of other moderates will each have a veto. And, collectively, the liberals in each chamber will have one as well.

Weeks and months of wrangling will ensue. The result could be the defeat of the bill or its amendment in positive ways (for those opposed to it).

Our task is to reduce public support for the bill by publicizing its provisions.

SOURCE: Dick Morris

More in U.S. Say Health Coverage Is Not Gov’t. Responsibility

More Americans now say it is not the federal government's responsibility to make sure all Americans have healthcare coverage (50%) than say it is (47%). This is a first since Gallup began tracking this question, and a significant shift from as recently as three years ago, when two-thirds said ensuring healthcare coverage was the government's responsibility.



SOURCE: Gallup

Waiting On CBO

This year's battles over health care reforms have produced something we really haven't seen before in the Congress, as lawmakers have been forced to delay their work while congressional budget analysts review the proposals of both parties.

[...] It was back on October 26 that Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid announced at a news conference that he was going with a public health insurance option, and submitting other choices to the CBO for review, before putting together a final bill.

Well, it is now November 13, two and a half weeks later, and the CBO hasn't produced figures as yet. Democrats are hoping to get those figures today, so they can finalize their bill for debate on the Senate floor.

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

Pelosi: Jail time “very fair"

Pelosi: Americans Will Get Government Health Care For Christmas

Pelosicare? Harrycare? Which?

This week, Reid began a Rule 14 process on the House health care bill. What that means is the bill is available on the legislative calendar by Tuesday, November 17. It does not mean the Senate will actually proceed to health care.

Because a tax bill cannot originate in the Senate, Reid needed a shell to use to proceed to his health care bill. He is using the House-passed version as a shell to move on the Senate’s health care bill. Rule 14 was the easiest way to place the House bill on the calendar -- the shell that will ultimately be fully substituted by the Harrycare bill.

The Senate must still complete Military Construction Appropriations and a cloture motion has been filed on the nomination of David Hamilton to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. In order to immediately begin consideration of the health care bill, Reid must have a unanimous consent agreement, which is unlikely.

Without unanimous consent, Reid is forced to file for cloture on Tuesday. The vote on the Motion to Proceed to the health care bill could not occur until Thursday morning at the earliest.

There are also 30 hours of post-cloture debate that, if used, would delay any adoption of a Motion to Proceed until Friday afternoon which would then be the earliest Reid could offer the actual Senate bill as a substitute amendment. This would be the Friday before the week-long Thanksgiving recess.

SOURCE: Human Events

A Parliamentary Blizzard

As is customary, that was objected to by Reid himself. Next week, he will ask for a second reading, object to that, and the bill will be placed on the Senate Calendar.
Once that happens, Reid can file a Motion to Proceed to the bill, which is subject to debate and filibuster.

That will be the first hurdle for Democrats, getting 60 votes on the Motion to Proceed to the bill.

[...] We might battle over the Motion to Proceed as early as next week.

And when we finally get on the bill, then things could get really fun if the Majority Leader decides to "fill the tree".

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

Poll: American optimism wanes

The euphoria of 2008 is over: America is in a funk.

Elected last November on a wave of optimism, President Barack Obama now finds himself governing an increasingly pessimistic country.

The latest Associated Press-GfK poll shows that Americans grew slightly more dispirited on a range of matters over the past month, continuing slippage that has occurred since Obama took office.

Now, Obama's approval rating stands at 54 percent, roughly the same as in October but very different from what it was in January just before he took office, 74 percent. And 56 percent of people say the country is heading in the wrong direction, an uptick from 51 percent last month and 49 percent in Obama's first month as president.

SOURCE: Denver Post

Dems brace for another recess

On Thursday and Friday, MoveOn members will hold events in more than 60 congressional districts to thank members who supported the bill. The group is also planning to run a print ad thanking progressive lawmakers who successfully pushed to include a public health insurance option.

“This weekend, representatives had a critical choice to make. They either stood up and took a historic vote to fix the health care crisis, or they stood with the vast majority of Republicans and the insurance industry to vote for the status quo,” said MoveOn Executive Director Justin Ruben. “MoveOn members will make sure that representatives who did the right thing know they can count on the support of their base and those who stuck with the insurance companies face real political consequences.”

The labor-backed Americans United for Change is part of a coalition of progressive groups — including SEIU, HCAN and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees — that has targeted 81 House members and 22 senators with constituent calls. This week, the group will thank lawmakers who voted yes and continue to pressure their Senate colleagues to support reform, said spokesman Jeremy Funk.

SOURCE: Politico

GOP tries to recapture town hall anger

Republicans are looking to resurrect the angry town halls of August in the last few weeks of November.

Senate Republican Conference Chairman Lamar Alexander said Republicans are “quietly” planning some 50 in-person and telephone town hall gatherings over the next three weeks to drum up opposition to Democratic health care bills. Republicans believe this effort will pick up new urgency once Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) releases his long-awaited bill — possibly next week.

There may be more town hall events in December, but they would become harder to schedule if the Senate stays in session six days a week to try to finish the bill by year’s end.

“If every American has a chance to read the bill, understand what it costs and how it affects them, it wouldn’t have a chance in the world of passing,” Alexander said Tuesday. “We’re taking the bill to our constituents.”

SOURCE: Politico

Senate Health Update

Senate Democrats still don't have any Congressional Budget Office estimates for their bill, which hasn't even been finished as yet, making talk of starting the debate on health care legislation next week seem a bit premature.

That wasn't lost on Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), who has made clear he does not want to be rushed on full Senate consideration of a health bill.

"Until I see the bill and know what the bill is, I can't make any decision on cloture on the Motion to Proceed," Nelson told me on Tuesday.

In other words, Nelson won't guarantee that he will vote to allow the health bill - whatever it is - to come up for debate.

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

Reid puts House healthcare bill on Senate calendar

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) late Tuesday laid the groundwork for the Senate's healthcare reform debate to start next Tuesday.

Reid filed a motion to introduce the bill on Monday, Nov. 16. Anticipating a Republican objection, the bill would be pushed onto the Senate calendar.

"A motion to proceed to the bill would be in order the next legislative day," said Reid spokesman Jim Manley.

In doing so, Reid heeded the advice of former President Bill Clinton, who visited Senate Democrats Tuesday at their weekly caucus lunch and urged them to move quickly to pass health reform. Clinton imparted lessons from his own attempt during his presidency, in 1993, and said Democrats should be prepared to compromise but should act with speed.

Currently, the Senate's healthcare bill is awaiting a cost analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, which senior Democratic aides expect by the end of this week.

SOURCE: The Hill

Lawmakers Feud Over Church's Role in Health Care Debate

The inclusion of a restrictive abortion clause in the House health care bill, and the Catholic Church's involvement in its passage, has legislators and others debating the extent to which religious organizations can appropriately delve into politics.

Anti-abortion rights lawmakers successfully added an amendment from Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) into the health care bill Saturday that would restrict some health insurance plans from offering coverage for abortion. The amendment came up for a vote after Democrats faced pressure from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the official leadership body for the Roman Catholic Church in the United States.

[...] "The role the bishops played in the pushing the Stupak amendment, which unfairly restricts access for low-income women to insurance coverage for abortions, was more than mere advocacy," Woolsey wrote. "They seemed to dictate the finer points of the amendment, and managed to bully members of Congress to vote for added restrictions on a perfectly legal surgical procedure."

SOURCE: CBS News

Bill Clinton Urges Fast Action by Senate Democrats

Former President Bill Clinton joined Senate Democrats for their weekly luncheon on Tuesday and urged them to band together and quickly pass health care legislation.

[...] Here is what the former president had to say:

I basically said that I think it’s an economic imperative. We’re in an economic crisis, we’re trying to bring America back, and I have always been concerned that, you know, 16 percent of our people don’t have health insurance and 30 percent are without it at any given time during the year...

SOURCE: New York Times

Rasmussen on Health Care

Over the weekend, Democratic leaders spoke of an historic moment as health care reform legislation passed the House of Representatives. But that legislative victory failed to significantly move public opinion.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 45% now favor the health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats. Most (52%) remain opposed.

Only 25% Strongly Support the plan while 42% are Strongly Opposed.

SOURCE: Rasmussen

Anti-abortion amendment put health reform in a bind

WASHINGTON — Health care reform's fragile chances took a turn for the worse Monday as pro-abortion-rights lawmakers led by Rep. Diana DeGette vowed to kill the bill if an anti-abortion amendment isn't stripped from the final version.

The drama played out for most of the day on cable television as pro- abortion-rights Democrats who were outmaneuvered over the weekend suddenly went on the offensive.

DeGette, D-Colo., vowed to send a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi this week with at least 40 signatures of lawmakers promising to vote against the bill — enough to kill the bill once it emerges from conference — if the language restricting federally subsidized insurance policies from covering abortion remained intact.

But anti-abortion Democrats showed Saturday that they can muster at least the same number of votes, as 64 Democrats, including Rep. John Salazar, D-Manassa, voted in favor of the amendment. And reformers now face the prospect that one of the most emotional policy issues of the last quarter-century could kill the biggest domestic initiative of Barack Obama's presidency.

SOURCE: Denver Post

Betting Against Obama Health Care Increases as Time Grows Short

Nov. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Insurers such as WellPoint Inc. and Blue Cross Blue Shield and drugmakers are redoubling their efforts to fight proposals to overhaul the U.S health-care system, adding another obstacle as legislative hurdles mount.

The insurers oppose competition from a new government-run program that’s included in both the House and Senate plans. The trade group representing drugmakers such as Pfizer Inc. says a House provision to allow the government to negotiate drug prices for Medicare would cost tens of thousands of jobs.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi won passage of her version of the legislation on Nov. 7 only after forcing her party’s liberal wing to make concessions and can’t count on those votes for a final version. In the Senate, time is running out to get a bill passed this year, leaving the effort vulnerable to a loss of momentum and a new backlash from Republicans in 2010.

[...] “Because of the degree of difficulty, it wouldn’t surprise me to see it roll over into the first quarter of 2010,” said William Frenzel, a Brookings Institution scholar in Washington who was a Republican member of Congress for 20 years.

SOURCE: Bloomberg

Abortion could roil Senate health care debate

Abortion opponents in the Senate are seeking tough restrictions in the health care overhaul bill, a move that could roil a shaky Democratic effort to pass President Barack Obama's signature issue by year's end.

Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., said Monday he could not support a bill unless it clearly prohibits federal dollars from going to pay for abortions. Nelson is weighing options, including offering an amendment similar to the one passed by the House this weekend.

"I want to make sure something comparable ... is in there," Nelson said.

SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News

Pro-Life Win

If there was one single reason why the Democrats got a majority for health care legislation in the House this past weekend, it was a deal cut with pro-life Democrats.

I have been saying for months - sooner or later - Democrats would be faced with a situation where they would have to make a major concession in order to keep the health bill on track, and that is what happened with abortion.

This compromise involved what is basically an effort to ban any money involved in a new government health care system from paying for abortion services.

Earlier this month, Speaker Nancy Pelosi frustrated liberals in her party by backtracking a bit on the public health insurance option, when it became clear the plan wouldn't draw enough votes to pass.

By late last week, Pelosi and her lieutenants had realized a group of anti-abortion Democrats could scuttle the entire health bill over the abortion issue.

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

Hatch: House Health Bill Won't Pass Senate [video]

SOURCE: Fox Business

Obama and health care: Miles to go

For one thing, few people expect the health care bill passed by the House to survive in the U.S. Senate.

All the Senate Republicans and some Senate Democrats are balking at the idea of a publicly funded health insurance option, a main feature of the House bill. These critics can use the Senate filibuster rule to block a vote on health care legislation.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is championing a plan that features differences on costs, new taxes, and abortion requirements. USA TODAY describes these differences in this package.

If the Democratic-led Senate does pass a bill, it is all but certain that differences with the House will need to be worked out in a conference committee, with a compromise bill to be sent back to both chambers for a vote.

SOURCE: USA Today

Despite House approval, health care reform faces tough battle

Turning the bill into law remains uncertain. The Senate must now pass its own version of a health care bill, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada last week signaled uncertainty over whether that will happen this year.

Once both chambers have passed a bill, a congressional conference committee will merge the two proposals into a consensus version that would require final approval from each chamber and Obama's signature.

[...] Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, reiterated that he would join a Republican filibuster against a health care bill if it contains a government-run public health insurance option after the chamber's amendment process.

SOURCE: CNN Politics

Shuler votes against health care reform

Rep. Heath Shuler bucked the leadership of the Democratic Party on Saturday night and voted against a landmark health care overhaul bill.

Shuler was among a handful of Democrats who opposed the bill which passed Saturday night.

“This legislation costs $1.055 trillion and fails to include sufficient cost-containment and deficit reduction measures,” Shuler said in a written statement. “This bill will not reduce the federal government's spending on health care over the long term. Any reform that does not control long-term costs will be shortsighted and unwise.”

Shuler said the legislation does not do enough to root out waste, fraud and abuse in existing federal health programs. He said reform should reward healthy lifestyles and prevent excessive medical procedures.

SOURCE: Asheville Citizen-Times

Landmark health bill passes House on close vote

WASHINGTON – The Democratic-controlled House has narrowly passed landmark health care reform legislation, handing President Barack Obama a hard won victory on his signature domestic priority.

Republicans were nearly unanimous in opposing the plan that would expand coverage to tens of millions of Americans who lack it and place tough new restrictions on the insurance industry.

The 220-215 vote late Saturday cleared the way for the Senate to begin a long-delayed debate on the issue that has come to overshadow all others in Congress.

Roll Call Vote: http://www.opencongress.org/vote/2009/h/887

SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News

AMA's Endorsement of House Health Care Bill Sparks Internal Uprising

The American Medical Association's much-touted endorsement of the House health care reform bill has triggered a revolt among some members who want the endorsement withdrawn.

Some members are outraged that the group's trustees made the endorsement without the formal approval of the organization's House of Delegates.

On Monday, delegates will vote on a resolution offered by some members that, if approved, will withdraw the AMA’s endorsement of the bill.

SOURCE: Fox News

Moderate Democrats 'Anguished' Over Unpopular Votes as House Weighs Health Bill

"Those who have just lost their jobs or who feel they're in danger are going to look to Washington and go, 'What are they doing?'" said Rep. Shelly Capito, R- W.Va.

It's an argument that could resonate with the public as the government reports a 10.2 percent unemployment rate, the highest since 1983, and an all-time high $1.42 trillion dollar budget deficit.

Moderate Democrats say historically they're the people who pay for their party's tough votes.

"The people that lost seats were people representing swing districts that tended to be more moderate legislators reflecting the views of those districts," said Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D.

SOURCE: Fox News

Rules for Debate

House special rules for floor debate on the health care reform bill H.R. 903:
http://snipr.com/t4bsi

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Democratic Nays

My colleagues and I spent a lot of time on Friday trying to figure out where all the Democrats are on health care reform. As of Friday night, there are 23 confirmed "no" votes according to our count, with dozens more on the fence.

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

House opens debate on health care overhaul bill

Democratic leaders hoped to hold the vote Saturday evening, but Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland said it could be delayed.

Democrats hold 258 seats in the House and can afford 40 defections and still wind up with 218, a majority if all lawmakers vote. But all 177 Republicans were expected to vote "no," and Democratic leaders faced a series of complications trying to win the needed votes for their complex and controversial legislation that would affect one-sixth of the economy and touch the lives of countless Americans.

SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News

Vulnerable Democratic freshman abandon the health care bill

Some of the most vulnerable Democrats in the House are starting to flake off the health care bill.

There are a dozen first-term Democrats representing districts that Republican presidential nominee John McCain won last year. So far, six have announced that they will vote against their party's health care bill.

Update, 5:43 p.m. ET: Now there are seven. The New York Daily News has just published a statement from hometown Rep. Michael McMahon, D-N.Y. He's in the no column. "I believe the net negatives of this bill outweight the positive effects," McMahon says.

SOURCE: USA Today

Whip Count

As the bill comes to the House floor, how many Democrats will stand up and vote against a health care bill that raises taxes, cuts benefits to seniors, and spends money that families and small businesses across America cannot afford?

Eric Cantor's office shows these members to be undecided:

61. Heath Shuler (D-NC)

SOURCE: Smart Girl Politics

Health bill reaches moment of truth

The House healthcare bill has taken more twists and turns and has zig-zagged its way through more Democratic districts than the Mississippi River.

And after a month’s worth of legislative wrangling and deal-making, the bill is approaching its final destination: a vote on final passage, expected sometime before the sun rises on Sunday. Pressing toward dawn on Saturday, the Rules committee passed a rule after nearly 12 hours that would set up a vote on the healthcare bill at 6 p.m. [Saturday night].

SOURCE: The Hill

Dems Balk on Details of Final House Health Care Bill

A vote on House health care legislation may face a delay as Democratic leaders admitted Friday they don't have the support of 218 Caucus members, but any changes in the legislation to appease wavering members could force Speaker Nancy Pelosi to break a pledge to post the final bill online for 72 hours before lawmakers vote.

The House was expected to vote on the bill as early as Saturday, but Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland said Friday morning that the vote could slip to Sunday or early next week because Democratic leaders haven't secured the 218 votes needed for passage. Republicans are unanimously opposed to the sweeping legislation..

SOURCE: Fox News

Schedule for Health Vote in House Could Slip

The House majority leader, Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, said on Friday that he expected the House to pass sweeping health care legislation on Saturday evening. But he acknowledged that Democrats were still trying to corral the necessary 218 votes, and that what he called Republican delaying tactics could push the vote back to Sunday or early next week.

[...] The House could finish its work on the bill, a $1.1 trillion, 10-year overhaul of the health insurance system that many Democrats have sought for years, sometime around 7 or 8 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday, Mr. Hoyer said. But he added, “Delaying tactics could be employed that would take longer,” and he said the House “could make additional time if needed” on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday.

SOURCE: New York Times

Democrat Hoyer: very close to health bill votes

U.S. House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer said on Friday "we're very close" to securing the 218 votes needed for passing a broad healthcare reform bill but Democrats still needed to win over some reluctant members.

One day before a scheduled debate on the health bill, President Barack Obama's top domestic priority, Hoyer said he expected a vote on the measure by Saturday night but the debate could drag on to Sunday or later.

SOURCE: Reuters

Health Care Vote

As Democrats get ready to vote on health care reform in the House this weekend, I thought I would give you a little viewing guide on what to expect from this debate.

Today (Friday) the action will be in the House Rules Committee, which will meet to set up the parameters of the debate - how many amendments, how much time, etc.

At this point, no amendments are expected to be made in order on the floor of the House, other than the Republican alternative, which we detailed in one of Thursday's blogs.

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

Pelosi Breaks Pledge to Put Final Health Care Bill Online for 72 Hours Before Vote

Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office tells THE WEEKLY STANDARD that the speaker will not allow the final language of the health care to be posted online for 72 hours before bringing the bill to a vote on the House floor, despite her September 24 statement that she was "absolutely" committed to doing so.

SOURCE: Weekly Standard

Health Care Protesters Run Up Against Wall of Momentum as Bill Nears Vote

Egged on by House Republicans, thousands of protesters railed against Democrats' health care reform plan in Washington Thursday and flooded the offices of their representatives to urge them to oppose the plan.

But while GOP lawmakers and demonstrators proclaimed their intention to "kill the bill," the White House and House Democrats remained confident. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is driving the bill toward a Saturday vote, and her top deputy said Thursday that Democrats will have the 218 votes needed to pass the sweeping, $1.2 trillion package.

SOURCE: Fox News

Tea Party in Washington

Tea Partiers, House Republicans Rally Against Health Care Bill

Health-care protest at Capitol draws thousands

GOP holds town hall-style health care rally today

Anger Fuels Anti-Health Care Rally

'Kill the bill' protesters target health care

Interview with Michele Bachmann on Fox News 11/05/2009 [video]

Mark Levin's speech on Capitol Hill [video]

Tea Party on Health Care in Washington DC 110509
Video (Erika Franzi)

Tea Party on Health Care in Asheville 110509
Photos (Tim Peck)

.

Election result: Red-state Dems worried, rethink agenda

Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team have struggled to get moderates on board for that vote, and Tuesday's results won't make the task any easier.

“People who had weak knees before are going to have weaker knees now,” said Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), a relatively liberal congressman who seemed safe in 2010 but now thinks a Republican challenger might feel emboldened by Tuesday’s election results.

[...] And that’s certainly where things seemed to be headed Wednesday. As Pelosi’s office ordered members to stay in town for a possible Saturday night House vote on health care, other Democrats were suggesting that it's time to take the foot off the gas.

SOURCE: Politico

House Prepares Health Vote, Undaunted by Elections

House Democratic leaders, undeterred by delays in the Senate or this week’s Republican electoral triumphs, plan to call a vote Saturday on the most sweeping overhaul of U.S. health-care policy in four decades.

The House will move on the $1.05 trillion legislation that would cover 36 million uninsured people and create a government plan to compete with private insurers even after the election of Republican governors in New Jersey and Virginia. President Barack Obama will go to Capitol Hill tomorrow to meet with House Democrats, as they seek the 218 votes they need to pass the bill, a Democratic leadership aide said.

SOURCE: Bloomberg

Close to zero GOPers will vote for House health bill

Republicans will overwhelmingly reject the Democrats' healthcare reform measure when it is reaches the House floor, according to a key lawmaker.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (Calif.), who serves as deputy GOP whip, told The Hill that the number of Republicans supporting the sweeping legislation will be “very, very close to zero.”

[...] House Democrats may amend the abortion-related provisions before the floor vote in an effort to attract more Democrats to support the bill.

SOURCE: The Hill

House Democrats in final push as vote on health overhaul bill comes within days

WASHINGTON - The House is steaming toward a historic vote on President Barack Obama's remake of the U.S. health care system, with Democratic leaders increasingly confident and the powerful seniors' lobby AARP about to get on board.

A debate and vote are expected Saturday on the 10-year, $1.2 trillion bill that would extend coverage to 96 percent of Americans, require employers to insure their employees and bar such insurance company practices as dropping coverage for sick people.

SOURCE: Associated Press > Minneapolis Star Tribune

A Clarifying Moment

The aide who helped turn Rep. Michele Bachmann into a controversial mainstay of cable news has informed colleagues that she’s quitting — just as the firebrand Republican congresswoman prepares for her biggest media moment yet.

[...] A conservative Republican House member, speaking on the condition of anonymity, suggested that Bachmann’s views — and her willingness to state them — make it hard for her to keep staff.

“When your captain’s crazy, it’s time to find a new ship,” the lawmaker said.

[...] “She looks like the type of person who you would invite in to have a cup of coffee at your table,” Marston said at the time. “There are a lot of people who are good, smart, well-meaning, well-intentioned members of Congress, but they speak to the people like they are members of Congress. Rep. Bachmann talks to people like they are people.”

But when Bachmann infuriated liberals with the suggestion that then-Sen. Barack Obama and other Democrats in Congress held “anti-American” views, Marston acknowledged that her boss wasn’t for everyone.

“You either love Michele Bachmann or you don’t love Michele Bachmann at all,” Marston said in an interview with POLITICO last fall.

SOURCE: Politico

Make a House Call on November 5th

President Obama, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Majority Leader Harry Reid think you and I are tired and losing interest. The New York Times and other media outlets are writing that the grassroots fire burned out in August and September.

Talking to many of you in recent weeks, I know that's not true. But with the health care battle at a decisive juncture, We need to take a crucial step.

Americans for Prosperity is asking you to make a "Congressional House Call" at noon on November 5 to tell your Senator or Congressman to vote NO on the Obama/Pelosi/Reid health care takeover.

As I travel the country on our Patients First bus tour and other events, folks ask me, "Tim, I've emailed and called my representatives, but what more can I do to get their attention?" This is a big way for you to get their attention. Join fellow freedom fighters in standing up one more time by going to their in-state offices on November 5 with a simple message -- "Keep your hands off my health care. Vote NO."

SOURCE: Americans for Prosperity

Death Blow to Obamacare

In the coming weeks, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will be asking their troops to cast potentially career-ending votes for health-care changes, Medicare cuts, higher taxes and fines on the uninsured. Whether they take that risk depends on their faith in Obama's drawing power.

SOURCE: Dick Morris

Call your Congressman November 5

Clearly, as more people read this bill and understand the harsh consequences on their health care choices, criticism grows and internal pressure to pass this bill quickly increases. Accordingly, Speaker Pelosi has planned a vote later this week to ram this through the House before more of the bill is dissected. So we need your help this Thursday, November 5 on our House Call Day to let your Congressman know that placing a bureaucrat between you and your doctor is not an option. Join millions of your fellow Americans in telling Congress to keep their Hands Off Your Health Care!

So on this election day when millions of Americans are able to give power to their voice, remember that politicians in Washington are doing their best to take away your control over what doctor and insurance options you will have. It’s more important than ever that your Senator and Congressman hear from you.

SOURCE: Patient Power

Health Care 2010?

The signs are getting more and more clear everyday as Congress chugs its way into the monh of November. And that's why it isn't too crazy to say that a health care bill probably won't make it to the White House in 2009.

In fact, I don't think it's too outrageous to suggest that the Senate won't vote on health reform until next year.

As we sat and waited for developments Tuesday on health care reform, there were rumblings that Senate Democrats won't even get cost estimates from the Congressional Budget Office until next week, which is supposed to be a short work week anyway.
Then those rumblings became reality soon after.

"That's correct. No CBO scores this week," said Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) to a group of reporters just off the Senate floor.

"We're just doing our best to encourage CBO to move as quickly as possible," Baucus added.

That means the earliest a debate could begin would be the week before Thanksgiving in the Senate.

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

42 More Pages

42 pages of changes, clarifications and additions to the House Health Reform bill were released late on Tuesday night, as Democrats try to inch their way into position for a vote on a sweeping health care reform bill.

As of early Wednesday morning, no time or date had been set for a vote in the Congress, as Democrats are still trying to cobble together the votes for a majority in the House.
Meanwhile, the release of those extra 42 pages also coincided with the release of a House Republican health reform alternative that is 219 pages long.

You can find the GOP plan at http://is.gd/4Mvgj - I will do a full blog on what's in it for tomorrow.

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

Reid indicates timetable for health care may slip

WASHINGTON – In a blow to the White House, the Senate's top Democrat signaled Tuesday that Congress may fail to meet a year-end deadline for passing health care legislation, leaving the measure's fate to the uncertainties of the 2010 election season.

Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., spoke as Democratic officials said it could be December before Senate debate begins in earnest on the issue atop President Barack Obama's domestic agenda, months after senior lawmakers and the White House had hoped. The drive to pass legislation has been plagued for months by divisions within the party's rank and file.

SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News

2 tough health care issues remain in the House

WASHINGTON (AP) - Just a few unsolved problems - and one final sales job - stand between House Democratic leaders and a landmark vote on President Barack Obama's promised remake of the nation's health care system.

Unfortunately for the Democrats, the unresolved issues are among the most vexing out there: abortion and immigration.

And although they're confident they'll succeed, Democratic leaders have yet to nail down the votes they'll need to pass their sweeping bill. They're aiming for floor action to begin as early as Friday and finish before Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

Or, as Majority Leader Steny Hoyer put it when asked when the House would take up the health care bill, "Friday or Saturday or Monday or Tuesday."

"We want to make sure it's correct," Hoyer, D-Md., told reporters Monday.

SOURCE: Associated Press > My Way News

Top Dems: Obama Won't Get Health Care Bill in 2009

Senior Congressional Democrats told ABC News today it is highly unlikely that a health care reform bill will be completed this year, just a week after President Barack Obama declared he was "absolutely confident" he'll be able to sign one by then.

"Getting this done by the by the end of the year is a no-go," a senior Democratic leadership aide told ABC News. Two other key Congressional Democrats also told ABC News the same thing.

This may come as an unwelcome surprise for the White House, where officials from the president on down have repeatedly said the health care bill would be signed into law by the end of the year.

SOURCE: ABC News

Democrats whipping on abortion compromise to save health bill

Democratic House leaders have developed a compromise they hope will resolve an intra-caucus dispute about whether the health bill allows tax dollars to subsidize abortions, and they’re surveying abortion-rights opponents in the caucus to gauge support.

The language is not yet publicly available, but lawmakers familiar with it say it strengthens an existing provision intended to prevent abortion from getting any federal dollars.

“It makes it clear that no federal dollars can be used for abortion procedures. Those words are in there,” Rep. Baron Hill (D-Ind.) said Monday night. He had been given a copy of the language, but hadn't fully reviewed it and hadn't decided if it was sufficient.

SOURCE: The Hill

Hoyer Expects House to Vote on Health Care By End of Week

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Tuesday the House is headed for a historic debate and vote on the 1,990-page health care reform bill by "either Friday or Saturday."

The Maryland Democrat said that it was his intention to "have that bill on the floor later this week." He also signaled that he would give Republicans a chance to offer their alternative health care reform bill as an amendment to the measure.

The House Democratic leadership team is now drilling down on what's called a "manager's amendment," which contains the final tweaks and alterations to legislation before it hits the House floor.

Hoyer said he was "hopeful" the manager's amendment would be ready by the end of Tuesday. The release of the manager's amendment would then trigger a clock that would count down to the earliest time Democrats could put the health care bill on the floor.

SOURCE: Fox News

Health Care Chatter

Monday came and went with no big change in the health care reform landscape. In fact, around 80 members in the House didn't even show up for the few votes that were held on Monday evening.

You can see if your member was there at for the third and final vote of the night at clerk.house.gov/evs/2009/roll834.xml

As for progress, Democrats met behind closed doors Monday evening, still trying to gauge the changes needed in the bill in order to get 218 votes for the plan in the House.

We'll see if we get that "manager's amendment" today or not. Every hour that goes by without it, means that we are closer and closer to having debate over the weekend.

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

House health bill totals $1.2 trillion

WASHINGTON – The health care bill headed for a vote in the House this week costs $1.2 trillion or more over a decade, according to numerous Democratic officials and figures contained in an analysis by congressional budget experts, far higher than the $900 billion cited by President Barack Obama as a price tag for his reform plan.

SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News

Pelosi preps for healthcare plunge

Ready or not, House Democratic leaders say they are pushing for a healthcare vote this week.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is poised to send a bill to the floor Monday in its final form, setting up a vote as early as Thursday.

The three-day delay is not for amendments and not even for debate; Thursday is the earliest Pelosi could hold a vote and keep her pledge to allow members and the public three days to study the final legislation.

But it’s possible Pelosi won’t have the votes by Thursday, and leaders have already warned their caucus that they could be working all weekend and into next week to win a vote on President Barack Obama’s top domestic priority.

SOURCE: The Hill

Barton wants hearing with Sebelius, CBO before health vote

A top-ranking GOP lawmaker is calling on Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Henry Waxman to convene a public hearing with key administration officials on Wednesday before the House votes on the healthcare bill.

Ranking member Joe Barton (R-Texas) wrote, in a letter to his counterpart, that it was imperative that lawmakers question Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Congressional Budget Office Director Doug Elmendorf as to the implications of the bill.

“The new legislation, H.R. 3962, creates a government-run health plan where the Secretary of HHS would be permitted to negotiate rates with providers. However, it seems clear from the legislative language of H.R. 3962 that doctors could, and most likely would, be paid a base rate at Medicare levels and the HHS Secretary would be authorized to pay providers less than the Medicare rate,” Barton wrote in the letter to Waxman.

SOURCE: The Hill

More Health Changes

If Democrats are ready to hold a vote on health care reform sometime in the next week in the House, then it makes sense to expect a couple hundred more pages of legislative text changes will suddenly drop from the sky at some point.

Those would be courtesy of what's known as the "manager's amendment", which often arrives at the last minute, like 300-plus pages of text that appeared the night before a House vote on climate change legislation back in June.

[...] "Details on meetings times will be announced later," the site says, but there has been talk a manager's amendment could be released as early as Tuesday.

Remember the web address http://rules.house.gov - because that is going to be your best bet in coming days to find new language related to the health care issue and any last minute amendments.

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

House Vote Nears

This could be the week that the U.S. House of Representatives votes on health care reform, as Democrats put the issue on the schedule for members, and raised the possibility of working through this coming weekend to achieve that goal.
As of today, Democrats certainly don't have 218 votes locked up on health care reform in the House.

But I would bet that vote counters feel like they are heading in the right direction.

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree