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
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
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
"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
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
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
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
SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News
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