Research Briefing

Which Democrat Chose To Be The Next MarjorieMargolies-Mezvinsky?

IS IT ONE OF THE 5 DEMS WHO VOTED AGAINST THE BILL IN COMMITTEE BEFORE VOTING FOR IT TONIGHT?

Reps. Ron Kind (D-WI), Jared Polis (D-CO), Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), Bart Stupak (D-MI), And Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) Voted Against Obama-Pelosi Government-Run Health Care Experiment In Their Respective Committees. (H.R. 3200, House Energy And Commerce Committee Vote Tally, 7/31/09; H.R. 3200, House Education And Labor Committee Vote Tally, 7/17/09; H.R. 3200, House Ways And Means Committee Vote Tally, 7/17/09)

But They All Voted For Final Passage. (H.R. 3962, Roll Call Vote #887; Approved 220-215; D 219-39; R 1-176, 11/7/09)

IS IT THE 11 DEMS WHO WROTE LETTER AGAINST JOB-KILLING TAX HIKE TO PAY FOR THE BILL BEFORE VOTING FOR IT TONIGHT?

House Dems' Bill Will Impose $460 Billion Income Tax Hike That Will Hit Many Small Businesses, Killing Jobs. “This [surtax] would hit job creators especially hard because more than six of every 10 who earn that much are small business owners, operators or investors, according to a 2007 Treasury study... America's successful small businesses would pay higher tax rates than the Fortune 500, and for that matter than most companies around the world ...” ("Estimated Revenue Effects Of Possible Modifications To The Revenue Prov isions Of H.R. 3962, The 'Affordable Health Care For America Act'," Joint Committee On Taxation Publication, 10/29/09; Editorial, "The Small Business Surtax," The Wall Street Journal, 7/14/09)

Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Steve Driehaus (D-OH), Jim Himes (D-CT), Paul Hodes (D-NH), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Dan Maffei (D-NY), Tom Perriello (D-VA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jared Polis (D-CO), Mike Quigley (D-IL), And Dina Titus (D-NV) Opposed The Surtax In The House Bill But Flip-Flopped To Vote For The Bill Which Included It. “[W]e are extremely concerned that the proposed method of paying for health care reform within this legislation will negatively impact small businesses… While the Ways and Means Committee sates that the proposed surcharge in H.R. 3200 will only impact 4.1 percent of small businesses, we are concerned that this does not paint a complete picture.” (Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) et al., Letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), 7/16/09)

But They All Voted For Final Passage. (H.R. 3962, Roll Call Vote #887; Approved 220-215; D 219-39; R 1-176, 11/7/09)

IS IT THE 16 DEMS WHO VOTE FOR BILL THAT WOULD INCREASE DEFICITS AFTER WRITING LETTER OPPOSING ANY BILL THAT WOULD ADD TO BUDGET SHORTFALL?

Pelosi's Bill Hides "Doc Fix" Provision That Would Add Over $200 Billion To Deficit. "The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the House plan to prevent cuts to doctors' Medicare reimbursement rates would cost $210 billion over 10 years, according to a just released analysis. The big price tag is no surprise and was the main reason House Democrats introduced the so-called 'doc fix' legislation separately from their $1.2 trillion reform bill -- Dems were trying to keep the cost of the reform bill as close to President Obama's target of $900 billion as possible." (Chris Frates, "BREAKING-CBO Releases Cost Estimate On House Doc Fix," Politico's "Live Pulse" Blog, 11/4/09)

Reps. Mike Arcuri (D-NY), Marion Berry (D-AR), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Leonard Boswell (D-IA), Christopher Carney (D-PA), Jim Cooper (D-TN), Jim Costa (D-CA), Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA), Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), Baron Hill (D-IN), Mike Michaud (D-ME), Dennis Moore (D-KS), Patrick Murphy (D-PA), John Salazar (D-CO), David Scott (D-GA), And Zack Space (D-OH) Said They Don’t Support Bill That Is Not Deficit Neutral. “We do not support health care reform that is not deficit neutral.” (Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin et. al., Letter to Reps. Nancy Pelosi And Steny Hoyer, 7/9/09)

But They All Voted For Final Passage. (H.R. 3962, Roll Call Vote #887; Approved 220-215; D 219-39; R 1-176, 11/7/09)

BUT 39 DEMS JOINED REPUBLICANS IN BIPARTISAN OPPOSITION TO OBAMA-PELOSI EXPERIMENT

39 House Democrats Join 176 Republicans In Voting ‘Nay’ On Pelosi’s Bill. (H.R. 3962, Roll Call Vote #887; Approved 220-215; D 219-39; R 1-176, 11/7/09)