WASHINGTON -- Democrats picked up support yesterday for their health-care overhaul from some important quarters -- a congressman who had opposed the bill, an influential anti-abortion lawmaker and a coalition of Catholic nuns -- but they still appeared to be short of the number needed to pass the legislation in the House of Representatives.
House Democratic leaders were buoyed by the backing of Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, D-Ohio, who had voted against the bill in November, and of Rep. Dale E. Kildee, D-Mich., who explained, "I am a staunch pro-life member of Congress, both for the born and the unborn."
House Democrats need 216 votes to pass the bill. Thirty-nine Democrats opposed the House's November version, and so far only one of them, Kucinich, has said he'll switch.
Leaders of religious orders representing 59,000 nuns sent a letter saying, "We urge you to vote 'yes' for life by voting yes for health-care reform."
House Democratic leaders hope for a vote on the legislation by the weekend, but they've been unable to douse a series of political brush fires, including controversies over cost, abortion and political risk.
The House is expected to take two votes on the health-care overhaul.
Under the most widely discussed scenario, it would vote first on the rule governing debate, which would include a provision "deeming" the Senate's version of the health bill passed once the rule is adopted. If that is approved, a second vote would occur on a package of changes to the Senate health legislation, or "reconciliation."
Before any of that happens, though, the House needs an analysis of those proposed changes by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
The CBO report has been promised each day since late last week, but it apparently is stalled because most of the changes that House Democrats and President Barack Obama want would drive up the measure's costs: a delay in a new excise tax on high-end health insurance policies, more Medicare prescription-drug benefits, additional subsidies for lower-income consumers, and more aid to states for the cost of Medicaid.
Democrats insist that any legislation not only must reduce the federal budget deficit but also must cost less than $1 trillion over 10 years.
The legislation also must comply with complex rules under the reconciliation process. So far, the CBO hasn't certified that either goal would be met.
Republicans are opposed to the legislation, arguing it still amounts to a government takeover of health care, largely financed through higher taxes and deep cuts in Medicare that will harm seniors.
"The only way to stop this madness is for a few courageous Democrats to step forward and stop it," said Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate GOP leader.
Kucinich, a strong supporter of creating a government-run health-insurance program who opposed the House version because he thought it didn't go far enough, said yesterday that the bill coming before the House represents the best chance to expand coverage to the uninsured, even if it does not include a public plan.
Getting other Democrats to switch their "no" votes is proving difficult, however, because the other 38 are virtually all moderates who represent more conservative districts.
Still, Democratic leaders picked up Kildee's support, and Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., another abortion foe, said that he, too, was leaning toward saying yes. Both backed the House health bill in November.
Democrats' efforts to convince anti-abortion lawmakers got a boost from two Roman Catholic sources: a coalition of Catholic women's organizations and the Catholic Health Association.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, though, remained disturbed by the abortion provisions.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement