Research Briefing

Democrats In Both Chambers Of Congress In Complete Disarray Over Government-Run Health Care

Democrat Member Of Congress: “They’re 100 Votes Away On A Good Day.” (Mike Soraghan And Jared Allen, “Pelosi: I Have The Votes To Pass Health Bill,” The Hill, 7/22/09)

NO WONDER PELOSI AND REID SAY NO TO VOTE BEFORE OBAMA’S AUGUST DEADLINE

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Says No Vote On Government-Run Health Care Plan Before August. “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Thursday that the House can go home for its August recess without passing a massive overhaul …

‘I'm not afraid of August,’ Pelosi said. ‘It's a month.’” (Mike Soraghan, “Pelosi Backs Off Insistence On Recess Health Deadline,” The Hill, 7/23/09)

• Meanwhile, House Committee Continues To Delay Work On Legislation, Hasn’t Met Since Monday. “As the bill has bogged down in the Energy and Commerce Committee, the July 31 deadline for passing the bill has seemed increasingly more difficult to meet. Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) have promised lawmakers two days to read the final bill, so it must get out of the committee by Wednesday. The committee again delayed its markup Thursday. The committee hasn't met since Monday.” (Mike Soraghan, “Pelosi Backs Off Insistence On Recess Health Deadline,” The Hill, 7/23/09)

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid Also Says No Vote Before August. “Democratic divisions in Congress stalled President Barack Obama's health care overhaul Thursday, with Majority Leader Harry Reid now saying that the Senate will not pass a reform bill before the August recess.” (“Reid: No Health Bill Before August Recess,” MSNBC.com, 7/23/09)

ENOUGH VOTES IN THE HOUSE? DIFFERENT ANSWERS FROM DIFFERENT DEMS

Pelosi Claims To Have Enough Votes To Pass Government-Run Health Care Experiment. “’I have no question we have the votes on the floor of the House,’ Pelosi told reporters Wednesday in the Capitol. The speaker would still like to bring the bill up for a vote by the end of next week, when members are scheduled to leave town for the August recess. But that timeline looks less and less likely as negotiations on the Energy and Commerce Committee stretch beyond their pre-set deadlines.” (Patrick O’Connor, “Pelosi Confident In Votes For Health Bill,” Politico, 7/22/09)

But Rep. Mike Ross (D-AK) Says Pelosi Doesn’t Have The Votes. “’No, I don’t think they have the votes,’ Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., said, arguing if that were the case he and the other six Blue Dogs on the House Energy and Commerce Committee who have been holding up the bill in committee would be under far less pressure.” (Jake Tapper And Z. Byron Wolf, “Leading Blue Dog Democrat: Pelosi Does Not Have The Votes for Health Care Reform,” ABC News’ “Political Punch” Blog, 7/22/09)

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) Doesn’t Believe Pelosi’s Math. “But Democratic opponents of the bill said Pelosi’s vote count was somewhere between wildly optimistic and dead wrong. ’I don’t know who’s doing her vote counting, but she doesn’t have the votes,’ said Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), who has worked with the band of centrist Blue Dog Democrats blocking the bill in the Energy and Commerce Committee.” (Mike Soraghan And Jared Allen, “Pelosi: I Have The Votes To Pass Health Bill,” The Hill, 7/22/09)

REASONS WHY PELOSI LOSING SUPPORT FOR GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE

House Democrat Leadership Not Addressing Fellow Democrats’ Concerns, Resort To Arm-Twisting Instead. “’Why are we rushing it?’ asked Mr. Melancon, a Blue Dog on the Energy and Commerce Committee. ‘Let’s get it right.’ And he effectively dared House leaders to press ahead without fully addressing his group’s concerns, noting that the Blue Dogs potentially had enough votes in Energy and Commerce to stall the bill and that leaders would have to resort to pressure tactics. ‘We’re going to need some orthopedists around here to take care of the broken bones and twisted arms,’ he said.” (David Herszenhorn And Robert Pear, “Concerns On Plan Show Clashing Goals,” The New York Times, 7/22/09)

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) Says Several Fellow Dems Oppose Government-Run Health Care Because Abortions Would Be Taxpayer Funded. “Rep. Bart Stupak said he and dozens of other Democrats are prepared to vote against the rule governing debate on the health care bill (HR 3200) if it precludes them from offering the abortion amendment – a warning that goes a step further than Stupak’s past allusions to the breadth of concern over the issue within the Democratic caucus. ‘If we don’t get a shot, then we can take down the rule,’ said Stupak, who wrote a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., along with 18 fellow Democrats requesting that a health care bill not allow for publicly funded abortions. He says the number of Democrats who will vote with him on the issue is far greater than the number who signed the letter.” (Jonathan Allen, “Anti-Abortion Democrats Threaten To Stall House Health Bill,” CQ Today, 7/22/09)

Hospitals Fighting Complete Bureaucratic Takeover Of Medicare In Democrats’ Government-Run Health Care Plan. “And mounting opposition from powerful interest groups has been equally worrisome for the White House. On Wednesday, the American Hospital Assn. urged its members to lobby against an administration proposal for an independent agency that would set Medicare payment rates.” (Peter Nicholas, Christi Parsons And Noam N. Levey, “Obama Strives To Personalize Healthcare Debate For Americans,” The Los Angeles Times, 7/23/09)

House Dems Worry Government-Run Health Care Would Allow White House To Take Too Much Power Away From Congress. “Several senior House Democrats voiced strong concern Wednesday with a proposal to empower the executive branch to restrain Medicare spending, adding fresh uncertainty to White House efforts to build support for health legislation … House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel (D., N.Y.) is working to bridge differences on the issue, a spokesman said. But other top members of Mr. Rangel's panel … are raising alarms. They warned the measure would shift too much power away from lawmakers, giving the White House big sway over decisions reserved under the Constitution for Congress. ‘You're outsourcing congressional responsibility,’ said Rep. Richard Neal (D., Mass.). ‘It's the equivalent of the line-item veto.’ Rep. Pete Stark (D., Calif.) called the idea ‘unworkable’ and ‘stupid at best,’ and raised doubts about whether the measure would achieve significant savings.” (Greg Hitt, “Democrats Spar Over Medicare,” The Wall Street Journal,” 7/23/09)

Minnesota Democrats, Republicans Join Hands To Blast Obama Over Medicare Payments. “’This inequity is no longer tolerable and we urge you to work with us to fix this problem in any health care reform legislation voted on in the U.S. House. All Americans pay equally into Medicare, yet beneficiaries in Minnesota are severely disadvantaged in the essential benefits they receive when compared to citizens in other states, such as Florida, New York, or California,’ reads the letter, drafted by Democratic Rep. Betty McCollum. ‘Why are Minnesotans paying higher premiums for prescription drugs, dental, vision and hearing services while residents of other states receive those benefits free of any additional cost?’” (Glenn Thrush, “Minny Dems Blast Obama On Medicaid,” Politico’s “Glenn Thrush” Blog, 7/22/09)

Congressional Dem Aides Warn Of More Tension Among Democrats On Government-Run Health Care “Train-Wreck.” “Leadership aides say that even if Waxman can resolve the concerns of the Blue Dogs, there are plenty more troubles awaiting him in committee and on the floor, including a tax on the wealthy to help pay for the $1 trillion cost of the bill. ‘There’s so many problems beyond the Blue Dogs,’ said a leadership aide. ‘There’s regional disparity. The pay-for is a train wreck. The committee might want to blame the Blue Dogs. But the Blue Dogs have wanted to engage and they haven’t.’” (Mike Soraghan And Jared Allen, “Pelosi: I Have The Votes To Pass Health Bill,” The Hill, 7/22/09)

IMPATIENT SENATE DEMS STARTING TO GIVE UP ON BIPARTISANSHIP

Senate Dems Frustrated By Sen. Max Baucus’ (D-MT) Bipartisan Talks, Fear Public Relations Setback. “Senate Democrats are increasingly frustrated by the secrecy and duration of Finance Chairman Max Baucus’ (D-Mont.) bipartisan talks on health care reform, with some saying it could undermine Democratic support for the bill… ‘At some point, [Baucus is] going to have to worry about getting Democratic votes,’ said one Democratic Senator, speaking on the condition of anonymity. ‘If they think that we’ll take whatever it is that comes out because we want to get something passed, they’re wrong ….’ Plus, several Democrats said the time-consuming talks have put Democrats in a pickle from a public relations perspective, as recent polls have shown support for their handling of the issue falling.” (Emily Pierce And David M. Drucker, “Democrats Tire Of Baucus Talks,” Roll Call, 7/23/09)

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) Irritated With Bipartisanship. “Mr Dodd said: ‘At some point it’s going to be more important to get a product out there to advance the debate and discussion and I’m fearful that we’re losing that opportunity by just sitting in and hoping we can get one or two people to agree to something – and at what price?’ … ‘Leadership is more important at this juncture in my view than bipartisanship,’ said Mr. Dodd. ‘In fact, bipartisanship almost reflects a lack of leadership; in trying to hide behind bipartisanship . . . We’ve allowed this to become the goal. At this juncture we need leadership in the country.’” (Tom Braithwaite And Matthew Garrahan, “Fear That Democrats May Lose Chance For Healthcare Reform,” The Financial Times, 7/22/09)