House Passes Rule, Begins Debate On Health Reform
President Obama waves as he walks out of the Cannon Caucus Room with House majority Whip James Clyburn, D-s.C., left after meeting with Democrats about health care reform on Capitol Hill in Washington Saturday. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) WASHINGTON, Nov. 7, 2009
Dems Confident Health Overhaul Will Pass Following Abortion Deal, House Begins Lengthy Floor Debate, as Obama Visits Lawmakers to Press for Bill’s Approval
President Obama’s landmark health care overhaul moved toward a vote in the House Saturday after anti-abortion lawmakers won a chance to knock out language that would have let federally subsidized health care plans cover abortions.
The president spent the morning on Capitol Hill, making a
last-minute personal appeal to Democrats to pass landmark health care
legislation.Democratic leaders were hopeful they could pass the bill, giving Mr. Obama his biggest victory since last November’s historic election, no matter how the abortion issue is decided.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told CBS’ “Saturday Early Show” anchor Erica Hill that the bill would receive the 218 votes necessary for approval.
“I’m confident that we’ll have the 218,” Hoyer said. “We hope it will be more than that, and if it is, that will be a bonus.”
“Is there any concern among you and your colleagues that perhaps you are pushing this a little too quickly for the American people?” Hill asked Hoyer.
“In the 29 years that I’ve been here, I have not seen a piece of legislation subjected to so much scrutiny, oversight, discussion, debate and consideration,” Hoyer said. “The Senate needs to pass a bill, and then it will be literally I think another month or two of discussions about exactly how this bill ought to be put together.”
Hill pressed Hoyer if the bill would arrive on Mr. Obama’s desk for his signature before the Christmas holiday. The Democratic leader didn’t make a commitment for when the conference committee that will settle the differences between the House and Senate bills would complete its work.
“It will be a difficult conference, an important conference, because there are differences between the Senate and the House,” Hoyer said. “But everybody shares the objective of assuring health care security for all America. Read more here.
The House has passed the rule for debate on health care legislation. Members will now have four hours to debate the Democratic bill (H.R. 3962) and an hour for the GOP bill. Also, coverage of events with Pres. Obama, House Democrats & Republicans. You can watch live coverage of the debates on C-span.
As Democrats try to expand access to quality health care coverage, House Republicans routinely object.
Update:
House Passes Health Care Bill
Nov. 07, 2009
Yeah! Now on to the Senate!
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November 7th, 2009
“I Object”: Tom Price Tries To Shut Down Democratic Congresswomen (VIDEO)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/07/i-obje...
On Saturday morning, a group of House Republicans — led by Rep. Tom Price (R-Georgia) — attempted to stop the Democratic Women's Caucus from making their arguments about how the health bill would benefit women by screaming over them.
Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.) only had time to say “Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to–,” before Price shouted “I object.” The presiding chair, Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) made gestures to maintain control, declaring that “the request is not yet before the House” and that Price was “out of order,” to little effect. Capps attempted to go on, but Price continued shouting “I object! I object! I object!”
WTF? These sobs care for no one! The GOP are always whining about someone taking away their rights but this is exactly what is he trying to do here. The mofo is trying to censor her.
November 7th, 2009
These fuckers don't want to hear about Americans right to CHOOSE, particulary a woman's right to choose. Their argument is about abortion funding. The debate is about health care for Americans, and not abortion.
The Party of 'No” have NO conscience!
November 7th, 2009
The Party of No never had a conscience. This is why they can claim “family values” on one side of their face while whoring around wearing diapers to get their freak on with the other. Hypocrites to the 10th power!
Wee See You, David Vitter!
November 7th, 2009
They should took off their earrings and proceeded to whoop his ass!
November 8th, 2009
Tape this list to your frig.
Democrats who voted for the Stupak amendment to restrict women's rights:
Altmire, Jason PA-4
Baca, Joe CA-43
Barrow, John GA-12
Berry, Marion AR-1
Bishop, Sanford GA-2
Boccieri, John OH-16
Boren, Dan OK-2
Bright, Bobby AL-2
Cardoza, Dennis CA-18
Carney, Christopher PA-10
Chandler, Ben KY-6
Childers, Travis MS-1
Cooper, Jim TN-5
Costa, Jim CA-20
Costello, Jerry IL-12
Cuellar, Henry TX-28
Dahlkemper, Kathleen PA-3
Davis, Artur AL-7
Davis, Lincoln TN-4
Donnelly, Joe IN-2
Doyle, Mike PA-14
Driehaus, Steve OH-1
Ellsworth, Brad IN-8
Etheridge, Bob NC-2
Gordon, Bart TN-6
Griffith, Parker AL-5
Hill, Baron IN-9
Holden, Tim PA-17
Kanjorski, Paul PA-11
Kaptur, Marcy OH-9
Kildee, Dale MI-5
Langevin, Jim RI-2
Lipinski, Daniel IL-3
Lynch, Stephen MA-9
Marshall, Jim GA-8
Matheson, Jim UT-2
McIntyre, Mike NC-7
Melancon, Charles LA-3
Michaud, Michael ME-2
Mollohan, Alan WV-1
Murtha, John PA-12
Neal, Richard MA-2
Oberstar, James MN-8
Obey, Dave WI-7
Ortiz, Solomon TX-27
Perriello, Thomas VA-5
Peterson, Collin MN-7
Pomeroy, Earl ND-AL
Rahall, Nick WV-3
Reyes, Silvestre TX-16
Rodriguez, Ciro TX-23
Ross, Mike AR-4
Ryan, Timothy OH-17
Salazar, John CO-3
Shuler, Heath NC-11
Skelton, Ike MO-4
Snyder, Vic AR-2
Space, Zack OH-18
Spratt, John SC-5
Stupak, Bart MI-1
Tanner, John TN-8
Taylor, Gene MS-4
Teague, Harry NM-2
Wilson, Charles OH-6
EVERY SINGLE OF THEM ARE MALE!!!
November 8th, 2009
House Passes Health Care Reform
by BooMan
Sun Nov 8th, 2009 at 12:24:44 AM EST
Some people wonder why I am not a fan of Dennis Kucinich and don't take comfort when I look along the trench and find him fighting by my side or, especially, carrying my banner. Well, he voted against health care reform tonight. He can provide any reasons he wants, but I'd note that the only Democratic women in the entire House to vote against the bill (Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin of South Dakota, Suzanne Kosmas of Florida, and Betsy Markey of Colorado), are from very conservative districts. The women of the Democratic caucus swallowed hard when the Stupak-Pitts amendment passed, and they voted to go ahead with reform. So, please don't try to tell me that the pro-life-'til-the-day-he-decided-to-run-for-president Kucinich voted no because he was standing up for women's rights.
I presume he voted no because this bill isn't a single-payer bill. But he and Rep. Massa of New York are the only two proponents of single-payer to vote against reform. And Massa is just looking for cover because his district is very conservative. What really happened is that Kucinich wants attention and wants to be holier and purer than everyone else. I'd have to hold my nose to vote this bill, too, but look around, Dennis. You're all alone. Again.
The bill passed the House with 220 votes (218 votes were required). That leaves us no room to improve the bill in Conference. We got a single Republican vote, from Joseph Cao of New Orleans. Cao was satisfied by the Stupak Amendment, but his vote will disappear if that language is stripped out in Conference. So, we have two votes to spare. Want a stronger public option? Forget it. Any small change to this deal will probably kill the effort to pass this under regular order. I give Pelosi credit for winning, once again, but she just barely made it. She did what she had to do, but it certainly wasn't pleasant. The combination of her dropping a robust public option pre-Conference and allowing an anti-choice amendment to pass created an extremely bitter brew. The narrowness of the vote undermines the gains we might expect from the jolt of momentum we gain from passing this crappy legislation.
I am really disturbed that allowing the abortion amendment didn't result in an avalanche of support from so-called moderates. It appears that nearly every southern and border Democrat voted against reform. And this despite the fact that this legislation will disproportionately benefit southerners.
I am happy that the House passed this bill. The alternative was unthinkable, and the insurance reform elements of the bill are rock-solid. I'd only ask for private health insurance to be abolished entirely, but that was obviously never in the cards.
This now moves to the Senate which, ironically, is not as hung up on abortion issues. The big issues in the Senate will be over the financing and whether 60 senators will sign off on cloture for a bill with a public option. The difficulty of passing this bill in the House has surprised me more than anything I've seen in Washington since the impeachment of Bill Clinton. I am usually the one counseling progressives about how unrealistic their expectations are considering how conservative the Senate is. Now I learn that the House is just as conservative. There is no way anyone could pass a single-payer system through this Congress, even if we won oodles of new seats. It just won't happen.
It's not a matter of leadership. Why does the entire South oppose even this lukewarm reform? Look at how far we had to go to get to the point that we could pass something with no support from Republicans and almost no support from Southern Democrats? We just did it, and it's a minor miracle. A shitty bill passed, and it's a miracle.
Given the odds, I should be ecstatic. But, I'm not. This just reminds me how pathetically conservative my country is, even with 60 Democratic senators and 258 members of the House.
And then there is Kucinich. He can bite me. (Amen, BooMan, Amen!)
http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2009/11/8/02...
November 8th, 2009
I see John Murtha's old ass in the bunch!
November 8th, 2009
These mofos need to be handed their asses on a steel slab for this shit!
November 8th, 2009
All males voting to restrict women's right? AIN'T that a sob! These mofos strike me as the men before suffrage. It was some ignorant mofos then and………. now!
Saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa>>>lap
November 8th, 2009
There are two women: Marcy Kaptur and Kathleen Dahlkemper. They need their Girl Power cards snatched!
I see Artur Davis voted against it, too. He also voted against the HCR Bill. Isn't he running for Governor of AL?
November 8th, 2009
Mark and Kab's Girl Power Cards SNATCHED! IMHO, any woman that voted for
that amendment might as well strap on a BODs…THE.END.
November 8th, 2009
I'm so mad at choo for giving them a sex change! BWA HAHAHAHAHAHA!
November 8th, 2009
Sepia, you made me do it. Everything was fine until you outed those
bithces!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LMAO!!!