House Democrats Confident Health Reform Will Pass

(RTTNews) - House Democrats emerged from a meeting with President Barack Obama Saturday confident that they would have the votes to pass bill to reform America's health care system.

Obama, according to Democrats present at the meeting, did not address the specifics of the $1.2 trillion measure, which would establish a series of insurance exchanges including a government-run alternative for private insurance.

"He didn't talk about any of the particulars," said Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., who is close to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. "We have all been striving for that for a long, long time."

He added, "We'll have the votes. ...People know we need to get it."

Thompson, speaking to a small group of reporters outside of the caucus room in the Cannon House Office Building, recalled that his very first race, for state senate decades ago, had featured the need to work for quality and affordable health care.

He said that Obama emphasized the importance of passing the measure.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., the Democratic whip, both said that Obama's visit with the House Democrats was not designed to bring more recalcitrant votes in line.

"We ask the President to join us whenever we think we need to come together," Clyburn said.

Hoyer added, "The President came to emphasize how important this is. ...He came here today to say this is what we said we were going to do."

Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., speaking separately, also said that Obama stressed that health reform praising the Congress for the achievements they had already realized.

But Obama then said "this is crunch time, this is the hardest," Blumenauer said.

Obama also emphasized the practical political concerns facing members, pointing to William Owens, who recently claimed victory in a Republican-leaning district in New York in part by campaigning on health care.

Blumenauer also said Obama reminded the Democrats that their votes against the health reform measure would not be enough to win the support of the anti-tax protesters who flocked to the Capitol steps Thursday.

"Does anybody think your vote no will somehow mean that the Republicans will give you a pass," Blumenauer said, recounting Obama's remarks. "All it will do is discourage your supporters."

He added, "He came in at the right time."

Both Blumenauer and Thompson said that an internal disagreement among Democrats over whether to add language more restrictive of abortions to the bill, banning public option plans from covering them and requiring anyone receiving public assistance to purchase a plan that does not cover abortions and either fund the procedure out of pocket or buy, with their own money, a separate rider policy to cover abortions, would not derail the bill.

Blumenauer said that although he would vote against that amendment and seek to ensure that if it did pass that the language would be removed in conference with the Senate, it would not be enough to prevent him from supporting the overall measure.

"It's the same issue with health care for illegal immigrants," he said. "I have 30,000 legal Hispanics that would qualify under this legislation. Am I going to argue over a couple of hundred [illegal immigrants]?"

For comments and feedback: contact editorial@rttnews.com Copyright(c) 2009 RTTNews.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved

More News:   Market Updates | Stock Alerts | All Trading News | Stock Index