House leaders plan separate health vote, rejecting 'deem and pass'

Democrats edged closer to finding 216 lawmakers to back a landmark health-care bill Saturday, as party leaders and White House officials were working on an executive order that they hope will win over a substantial number of antiabortion Democrats.

The House Rules Committee continued its session on the third floor of the Capitol, where the panel is tasked with setting the terms of Sunday's floor debate. House leaders have decided to take a separate vote on the Senate version of the health care bill, rejecting an earlier, much-criticized strategy that would have permitted them to "deem" the measure passed without an explicit vote.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said the House will take three votes on Sunday: first, on a resolution that will set the terms of debate; second, on a package of amendments to the Senate bill that have been demanded by House members; and third, on the Senate bill itself...

SOURCE: Washington Post

Projections from the House's "deem to pass" roll call

The House voted this afternoon by a 222-203 margin to pass the “Slaughter solution” rule authorizing a single vote on the Senate health care bill which the House leadership wants to send to the president for signature plus the reconciliation health measure the House leadership wants to send to the Senate.

This victory for the Democratic leadership makes it appear that they are on the verge of rounding up the required 216 vote-majority (of the current 431 House members, 253 Democrats and 178 Republicans). But the House leadership, of either party, almost always wins rule votes.

An analysis of the votes cast for and against the rule, together with an examination of members’ public statements and political situations, suggests that the House leadership is still significantly short of 216 votes on final passage, and that opponents of the view have a reservoir of potential noes from more than the 38 Democrats needed to defeat the measure.


SOURCE: Michael Barone, Washington Examiner

Dems sweeten health bill, set showdown Sunday vote

Historic health care change in the balance, Democrats plowed fresh billions into insurance subsidies for consumers on Thursday and added a $250 rebate for seniors facing high prescription drugs, last-minute sweeteners to sweeping $940 billion legislation headed for a climactic weekend vote.

President Barack Obama scuttled an Asian trip in favor of last-minute lobbying at the White House on his signature issue, playing host to a procession of wavering Democrats.

"It will make history and we will make progress by passing this legislation," predicted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as Democrats unveiled final alterations to a bill — 16 tumultuous months in the making — meant to expand health care to 32 million uninsured, bar the insurance industry from denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions, and trim federal deficits by an estimated $138 billion over the next decade.

The health care portions of the bill would affect early every American and remake one-sixth of the national economy.

SOURCE: Associate Press > Yahoo News

House Rules Precedents

Democrats are giving more signals today that they plan to avoid a direct vote in the House on a Senate passed health care bill. The following historical rundown was sent to reporters this morning about the parliamentary precedents involved.

Not to get too technical, but the basics here are that the House would use a "self-executing" rule to automatically approve the Senate health bill, which is actually a Senate Amendment to the bill H.R. 3590.

As you will see in the document below, Democrats argue this type of treatment for a Senate Amendment to a House bill is not a new procedure, and that it has been used by both parties over the years (the first time in 1933).

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

All sides playing hardball on health care bill

With time and tempers short, everyone's playing hardball in the drive to pass — or stop — President Barack Obama's massive health care legislation by the weekend.

Business groups are spending $1 million a day to depict the bill as a job killer in television ads in the home districts of 26 wavering House Democrats. A new ad barrage from supporters of the legislation went up Tuesday in 11 districts, some overlapping. And unions are threatening some of those lawmakers to come through for Obama — or pay the price in the fall elections.

Obama has summoned members to the White House one by one for private, face-to-face persuasion, and also met larger groups. White House aides said he plans at least one more public health care event this week, including remarks in Fairfax, Va., on Friday. Diverse administration resources are being employed: Even the Navy secretary is in the game.

"We here in Congress are giving a new meaning to March madness," Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, an opponent of the legislation, said Tuesday.

At stake is a bill that would cover some 30 million uninsured people, end insurance practices such as denying coverage to those with a pre-existing conditions, require almost all Americans to get coverage by law and try to slow the cost of medical care nationwide. The comprehensive legislation could affect nearly every American, from those undergoing annual checkups to people facing major surgery.

Activists on both ends of the political spectrum are energized. Tea party volunteers, who rallied Tuesday in Washington, are planning to flood congressional offices with e-mails opposing the legislation as a step toward socialism. And some on the political left have joined in calling for the bill's defeat because it leaves out a federal insurance option.

SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News

New Health Bill, Part 2

Things suddenly got busy on Sunday night with the release of the legislative language of a health care reconciliation bill from Democrats. But after 90 minutes of full throttle evaluation of the 2,309 page measure, it's clear this is just Step 1 of Health Care Hell Week.

In other words, this is not the "real" bill but rather it is just a placeholder, a "shell" bill that allows the House Budget Committee to begin work on the health care matter today.

The real decisions will be made in coming days by Democrats, with new language and provisions then added by the House Rules Committee.

For example, there is no mention in this new Reconciliation language of the excise tax on high cost, "Cadillac" health care plans.

President Obama made clear he wanted that language in the Senate bill changed, so obviously, those provisions still have to be unveiled and placed in this bill.

There is no mention of the annual fee that the Senate bill had on medical device manufacturers and health insurance providers. That is still part of revenue plans envisioned by Democrats.

Another example, the word "abortion" does not appear in the new reconciliation language, which you can find on the website of the House Budget Committee at http://is.gd/aF99v .

SOURCE: Jamie Dupree

Pelosi confident House will pass health care bill

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Saturday she's confident the House will pass health care legislation and dismissed Republican criticism that she did not have enough votes for the measure.

"We're very excited about where we are and will not be deterred by estimates that have no basis in fact," she said during a dedication of the renamed Lim P. Lee Post Office in San Francisco. The post office was renamed after the nation's first Chinese-American postmaster.

Pelosi declined to say when House members would vote on a health care bill, or how many votes that she had secured. Although she added that lawmakers were "on the verge of making history."

She also dismissed criticism by House GOP leader John Boehner of Ohio that she did not have sufficient votes.

"I'm never dependent on Congressman Boehner's count. I never have," she said to a smattering of laughter from the crowd.

House Democratic leaders are pressing for a vote on their bill as early as this coming week.

SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News

House Democrats appear set to pass Senate bill without voting on it

Here’s the reason Democrats are using such a complicated procedure: many in the House completely do not trust the Senate to pass fixes to the bill passed by the Senate in December. But according to the rules of reconciliation, the House must go first in passing the Senate bill and passing a reconciliation fix.

So House Democrats have been searching for a way to alleviate members’ concerns that if they vote for the Senate bill and the Senate does nothing to fix it, they will be hung out to dry as having supported a piece of legislation that many across the country dislike, either for spending reasons, or because of special provisions like the extra money for Nebraska’s Medicaid population (the “Cornhusker kickback”).

Technically, using the “Slaughter solution,” they’ll never have voted for the bill they find odious, even if their vote on the reconciliation legislation will have been the vote that passed the Senate bill into law.


SOURCE: The Daily Caller

Dems seek agreement, quick vote on health care

Under White House pressure to act swiftly, House and Senate Democratic leaders reached for agreement Friday on President Barack Obama's health care bill, sweetened suddenly by fresh billions for student aid and a sense that breakthroughs are at hand.

"It won't be long," before lawmakers vote, predicted Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She said neither liberals' disappointment over the lack of a government health care option nor a traditional mistrust of the Senate would prevent passage in the House.

At the White House, officials worked to maximize Obama's influence over lawmakers who control the fate of legislation that has spawned a yearlong struggle. They announced he would make a campaign-style appearance in Ohio next week to pitch his health care proposals, as well as delay his departure for an Asian trip later in the month.

With Democrats deciding to incorporate changes in student aid into the bill, Republicans suddenly had a new reason to oppose legislation they have long sought to scuttle.

"Well of course it's a very bad idea," said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. "We now have the government running banks, insurance companies, car companies, and they do want to take over the student loan business."

He said it was symptomatic of Democrats' determination to have the government expand its tentacles into absolutely everything."

SOURCE: Associated Press > My Way News

House panel to consider healthcare bill Monday

The House of Representatives Budget Committee on Monday will consider a reconciliation bill that Democrats hope clears the way for final congressional approval of an overhaul of U.S. healthcare, House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer said on Friday.

Representative Jim Clyburn, a member of the House Democratic leadership, said he hopes a vote by the full chamber could be held on the measure within the next 10 days.

The White House announced earlier on Friday that President Barack Obama has postponed a trip to Asia so that he could stay in Washington and help fellow Democrats get healthcare across the finish line.

Obama has pushed hard for a final vote on the healthcare overhaul, a top domestic priority, which has ignited a long-running political brawl with Republicans and consumed Congress for the last nine months.

The reconciliation bill is aimed at resolving concerns of House Democrats with an earlier Senate-passed healthcare bill.

Democratic Representative Anthony Weiner said: "People are becoming more confident that we are going to get this done."

The Democrat members on the House Budget Committee:

1. John M. Spratt, Jr., SC, Chairman
2. Allyson Y. Schwartz, PA, Vice Chair
3. Marcy Kaptur, OH
4. Xavier Becerra, CA
5. Lloyd Doggett, TX
6. Earl Blumenauer, OR
7. Marion Berry, AR
8. Allen Boyd, FL
9. James P. McGovern, MA
10. Niki Tsongas, MA
11. Bob Etheridge, NC
12. Betty McCollum, MN
13. John Yarmuth, KY
14. Rob Andrews, NJ
15. Rosa DeLauro, CT
16. Chet Edwards, TX
17. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, VA
18. Jim Langevin, RI
19. Rick Larsen, WA
20. Tim Bishop, NY
21. Gwen Moore, WI
22. Gerald Connolly, VA
23. Kurt Schrader, OR
24. Dennis Moore, KS

The Republican members on the House Budget Committee:

1. Paul Ryan, WI Ranking Member
2. Jeb Hensarling, TX Vice Ranking Member
3. Scott Garrett, NJ
4. Mario Diaz-Balart, FL
5. Michael K. Simpson, ID
6. Patrick T. McHenry, NC
7. Connie Mack, FL
8. John Campbell, CA
9. Jim Jordan, OH
10. Cynthia M. Lummis, WY
11. Steve Austria, OH
12. Robert B. Aderholt, AL
13. Devin Nunes, CA
14. Gregg Harper, MS
15. Robert E. Latta, OH

SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News

Democrats, White House close in on health bill

House and Senate Democrats are working on a complex rescue mission for the health care legislation, which appeared on the cusp of passage late last year before Senate Republicans gained the strength to sustain a filibuster that could prevent final passage. The White House is pushing for a vote by the House before Obama leaves on a foreign trip at the end of next week.

The current plan is for the House to approve the Senate-passed bill from late last year, despite serious objections to numerous provisions. Both houses then would pass a second bill immediately, making changes in the first measure before both could take effect. The second bill would be debated under rules that bar a filibuster, meaning it could clear by majority vote in the Senate without Democrats needing the 60-vote supermajority now beyond their reach.

SOURCE: Associated Press > Tulsa World

The Slaughter Solution

Would House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her fellow House Democratic leaders try to cram the Senate version of Obamacare through the House without actually having a recorded vote on the bill?

Not only is the answer yes, they would, they have figured out a way to do it, according to National Journal's Congress Daily:

"House Rules Chairwoman Louise Slaughter is prepping to help usher the healthcare overhaul through the House and potentially avoid a direct vote on the Senate overhaul bill, the chairwoman said Tuesday.

"Slaughter is weighing preparing a rule that would consider the Senate bill passed once the House approves a corrections bill that would make changes to the Senate version.

"Slaughter has not taken the plan to Speaker Pelosi as Democrats await CBO scores on the corrections bill. 'Once the CBO gives us the score, we'll spring right on it,' she said."

Each bill that comes before the House for a vote on final passage must be given a rule that determines things like whether the minority would be able to offer amendments to it from the floor.

In the Slaughter Solution, the rule would declare that the House "deems" the Senate version of Obamacare to have been passed by the House. House members would still have to vote on whether to accept the rule, but they would then be able to say they only voted for a rule, not for the bill itself.

SOURCE: Washington Examiner

Obama appeals for public support on health care

President Barack Obama accused insurance companies of placing profits over people and said Republicans ignored long-festering problems when they held power as he sought to build support Monday for swift passage of health care legislation stalled in Congress.

"Let's seize reform, the need is great," Obama said at an appearance that had the feel of a campaign rally.

"How much higher do premiums have to rise before we do something about it?" said Obama, making the first in an expected string of out-of-town trips to pitch his plan to remake the health care system.

The president said dismissively that Republican critics in Congress contend they want to do something about rising health care costs but failed when they held power. "You had 10 years. What happened? What were you doing?" he said to applause from an audience at Arcadia University.

Obama made his appeal as Democratic leaders in Congress worked on a rescue plan for sweeping changes in health care that seemed earlier in the year to be on the brink of passage. The current two-step approach calls for the House to approve a Senate-passed bill despite opposition to several of its provisions, and for both houses to follow immediately with a companion measure that makes a series of changes.

SOURCE: Associated Press > Evansville Courier and Press

Massa blames resignation on health care debate

New York Rep. Eric Massa is now blaming his resignation last week on a conspiracy by House Democratic leaders to force him out before a crucial vote on health care, his third explanation for leaving office after he earlier cited health issues and an ethics investigation.

One of 39 Democrats who voted against an earlier House version of the health care bill in November, Massa said in his weekly radio address Sunday that Democratic leaders will "stop at nothing" to advance the health care overhaul.

"Mine is now the deciding vote on the health care bill," Massa said on WKPQ-FM in Hornell, a city in his western New York district. "And this administration and this House leadership have said, quote-unquote, they will stop at nothing to pass this health care bill.

SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News

Obama's health care pitch to Democrats: Trust me

Obama told House liberals last week that he understands their frustration in seeing priorities — such as allowing the government to sell insurance in competition with private companies — dropped from the revised legislation. He promised to work with them in the future to improve health care laws, said Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., who leads the Congressional Black Caucus.

"He said, `This is the first step, a foundation that we can build upon,'" she said. "He made a commitment to work with us on all the issues that are outstanding, and there are many."

It's unclear whether Obama can keep such promises, especially with Republicans expecting to gain House and Senate seats this fall.

Obama is asking his party's House moderates to have a different kind of faith. The party's strategy calls for House Democrats, despite many misgivings, to go along with a health care bill the Senate passed in December. Obama would sign it into law, but senators would promise to make numerous changes demanded by House Democrats. Because Senate Democrats no longer have the numbers to stop GOP filibusters, the changes would have to be made under rules that require only simple majority votes.

Republicans are playing on House Democrats' suspicions of their Senate colleagues, saying Senate Democrats may not keep their end of the bargain. The taunts often hit their marks.

SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News

Work Continues On Reg Reform,Jobs,Health Care

Taking their cue from President Obama, who urged lawmakers to bring the year-long health care debate to a close, Democratic leaders in Congress began this week moving toward final health care votes later this month.

Obama said this week that Congress should vote up or down on health care reform legislation in the "next few weeks."

In remarks in the East Room of the White House, Obama said the "long and wrenching" debate on health care reform has shown some common ground between Democrats and Republicans, but has also made clear basic disagreements.

"I do not see how another year of negotiations would help," Obama said, adding the two parties differ on how aggressively the health insurance industry should be regulated.

Last week, Obama offered a revised health care bill that is similar to a bill the Senate passed on Christmas Eve. It would cost $950 billion over a decade and lead to health insurance coverage for more than 30 million Americans who now don't have it.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the plan is for the House to pass this and for both chambers to pass a reconciliation bill that makes corrections to the Senate package.

The president said Congress should vote on health care through the budget reconciliation procedure that requires only majority votes in the House and Senate.

Congressional Republican leaders continue to call on the president to scuttle the bills that Congress has approved and start the debate over.

SOURCE: iMarket News

Dems Race to Pass Health Care Bill as Tea Partiers Plan Town Hall Wave

Democrats are racing the clock to pass health care reform ahead of a wave of Tea Party-driven town hall meetings planned for the spring recess -- the kind of gatherings that nearly derailed the package last August.

But there's a big difference this time around. Last summer, Democrats were encouraged to hold the town hall meetings, and they were blindsided by the backlash, which was recorded and promoted in countless YouTube clips. This time around, they have a good idea of what's coming -- and they're lying low, in case work on health care carries over into the recess.

"There's not been the same push as there was in August to encourage members to do town halls," said Stephanie Lundberg, spokeswoman for House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

But that isn't stopping Tea Party groups, as well as former House Republican Leader Dick Armey's outfit, FreedomWorks, from holding their own meetings and trying to coax lawmakers into attending.

"We're about to ratchet it up," said Debbie Dooley, a Tea Party Patriots organizer and FreedomWorks volunteer outside Atlanta. "You're about to see the passion that we saw during the August recess."

Conservative activists across the country are planning to sponsor town hall meetings, rallies, debates and visits to district offices to voice their objections to the health care reform bill, starting as early as next week. The big push will come during the two-week congressional recess that starts March 29.

SOURCE: Fox News

Democrats would kill healthcare over abortion

A dozen House of Representatives Democrats opposed to abortion are willing to kill President Barack Obama's healthcare reform plan unless it satisfies their demand for language barring the procedure, Representative Bart Stupak said on Thursday.

"Yes. We're prepared to take responsibility," Stupak said on ABC's "Good Morning America" when asked if he and his 11 Democratic allies were willing to accept the consequences for bringing down healthcare reform over abortion.

"Let's face it. I want to see healthcare. But we're not going to bypass the principles of belief that we feel strongly about," he said.

SOURCE: Reuters

Obama: The Debate is Over

President Obama wants Congress to say yes or no to Health Care Reform with just "a simple majority." Republicans say Democrats are digging their own political grave. Chip Reid reports and Bob Schieffer provides analysis.

Obama urges Congress to 'finish its work' on reform bill

President Obama urged Congress on Wednesday to "finish its work" on health-care reform legislation and indicated support for a Democratic legislative strategy that includes a controversial procedure known as reconciliation.

In a speech at the White House, Obama told an audience of medical professionals that Congress "owes the American people a final vote on health-care reform." He did not mention the reconciliation procedure by name but said the legislation now stalled in Congress "deserves the same kind of up-or-down vote that was cast on welfare reform, the Children's Health Insurance Program, COBRA health coverage for the unemployed and both Bush tax cuts -- all of which had to pass Congress with nothing more than a simple majority."

The programs he mentioned were passed under reconciliation rules, which would enable the Senate to approve a health-care overhaul with a simple majority, rather than a filibuster-proof 60 votes. Republicans have vowed to fight the maneuver.

Forging ahead despite the GOP objections, Obama defended health-care reform as crucial to American families and businesses. He said it would lower skyrocketing costs and end abuses by insurance companies, including discrimination against people with preexisting conditions.

He emphatically rejected Republican demands to abandon existing proposals and "start over" with an incremental approach.

SOURCE: Washington Post