Research Briefing

Pelosi’s Quick To Blame GOP As Dems Speak Out Against Government-Run Health Care

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PELOSI DENIES THE DEMS’ GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE EXPERIMENT WAS “HIJACKED” BY PRO-LIFE DEMS AND IS READY TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT THEM

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Says GOP – Not Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) – “Hijacked” The Dems’ Government-Run Health Care Bill. “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi concedes that Democrats allowed the health care reform debate to be ‘hijacked’ by insurance companies and other interests set on killing the bill. … Maddow: “I have focused a lot on Bart Stupak as a person who is trying to hijack the process, to make it an abortion debate…” Pelosi: “Bart Stupak wants health care reform.” … Maddow: “Republicans want to bring down the bill or other Democrats?” Pelosi: “No. Republicans.” (Andy Barr, “Pelosi: Health Care Was ‘Hijacked,’” Politico, 3/11/10; MSNBC’s “Rachel Maddow Show,” 3/11/10)

• Rep. Stupak Said He And His Allies Won’t “Bypass [Their] Principles” And Are “Prepared To Take Responsibility” If The Bill Fails. “‘Yes. We're prepared to take responsibility,’ Stupak said on ABC's ‘Good Morning America’ when asked if he and his 11 Democratic allies were willing to accept the consequences for bringing down healthcare reform over abortion. ‘Let's face it. I want to see healthcare. But we're not going to bypass the principles of belief that we feel strongly about,’ he said.” (“US Democrats Would Kill Healthcare Over Abortion,” Reuters, 3/4/10)

Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) “Made It Clear” He’s Not Negotiating On Abortion And Is Going To Move Forward With Or Without Stupak. “TPM's Brian Beutler reports from Capitol Hill that House Democrats are moving forward on health care with or without prolife Rep. Bart Stupak and the dozen lawmakers he might get to attempt to block the bill. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters this morning that Democrats ‘have not discussed a third way’ and that when he spoke with Stupak (D-MI) about the abortion provisions he wants in the measure, ‘I made it clear that I wasn't negotiating.’” (Christina Bellantoni, “Hoyer: I'm Not Negotiating On Abortion Provisions In Health Care Bill,” Talking Points Memo’s “TPMDC” Blog, 3/12/10)

BUT OTHER HOUSE DEMS HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE BILL…

Members Of The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Voted “Yea” In November But Warn Leaders Could Be “In For A Rude Awakening” If Immigration Provisions Aren’t Changed.  “A group of Hispanic lawmakers on Thursday will tell President Barack Obama that they may not vote for healthcare reform unless changes are made to the bill’s immigration provisions. … Every CHC member voted for the House bill last November. On Wednesday, members of the CHC privately acknowledged they’ve told their leaders that anyone who is assuming they’ve backed away from their position is in for a rude awakening.” (Jared Allen, “Immigration Provision Has Hispanic Caucus Threatening ‘No’ Health Vote,” The Hill, 3/10/10)

• CHC Leader Rep. Luis Gutierrez Confirms He Can’t Support The Bill As Written. “The healthcare bill's immigration provisions are enough to spur Hispanic members of Congress to vote against it, Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) said Thursday… ‘They are enough to say I can't support this bill,’ Gutierrez said during an appearance on MSNBC.” (Michael O'Brien, “Gutierrez: Health Bill's Immigration Parts Enough To Vote Against,” The Hill, 3/11/10)

Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA) Said The Senate’s Backroom Deals Are “Unacceptable” And Doubts The House Can Pass Reid’s Bill “Unless Those Items Are Guaranteed To Be Removed.” “If the Senate bill contains the Nebraska-Nelson Agreement, where all 49 states subsidize Nebraska’s Medicaid program, that’s unacceptable. Unless those items are guaranteed to be removed by the Senate, I don’t think we’re going to be able to pass the bill.” (Fox News’s “Your World With Neil Cavuto,” 3/10/10)

Rep. Mike Ross (D-AR): “[W]e Must Explore Every Available Cost-Containment Measure, And No Proposal On Capitol Hill Goes Far Enough In This Arena.” (Rep. Mike Ross, Op-Ed, “Americans Confused About Reform,” Roll Call, 3/8/10)

Six Dems Who Voted “Yea” In November Will Oppose The Senate Bill Unless There Are Significant Changes. “CNN also contacted a number of House Democrats who voted in favor of the November House bill and who also represent conservative or competitive districts. Of those, Reps. Michael Arcuri of New York, Marion Berry of Arkansas, Tim Bishop of New York, Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, Daniel Lipinski of Illinois and Bart Stupak of Michigan said they would vote against the Senate bill as written but said they would consider supporting it with significant changes.” (Charles Riley & Jeff Simon, “House Democrats Face Tough Odds On Health Care,” CNN.com, 3/11/10)

Rep. Tim Holden (D-PA): “I Will Not Vote For The Senate Bill.” “[I]n a telephone interview Wednesday night, Holden said his position will not change. ‘I will not vote for the Senate bill,’ Holden said. ‘It makes significant cuts to Medicare and Medicaid ... and the restrictions on (federal funding for) abortion are not as strong.’ (Ben Wolfgang, “Conservatives Urge Holden To Oppose Reform Bill; Holden Says He’s Planning To Vote ‘No’, Republican Herald, 3/11/10)

Rep. Chet Edwards (D-TX) Will Vote No. “Josh Taylor, a spokesman for Texas Rep. Chet Edwards, said the congressman ‘voted no on health care the first time around and will vote no the second.’” (Charles Riley & Jeff Simon, “House Democrats Face Tough Odds On Health Care,” CNN.com, 3/11/10)

Rep. Ben Chandler (D-KY) Also Plan To Vote No. “Dem Rep  Ben Chandler of Kentucky, a prominent Blue Dog who voted No last time but has since been undecided, will vote against the Senate bill. ‘Congressman Chandler’s position on the bill remains the same,’ Chandler spokesperson Jennifer Krimm tells our reporter Ryan Derousseau. ‘He expects to vote against the legislation.’” (Greg Sargent, “Two More House Dems to Vote No,” The Plum Line, 3/12/10)

Rep. Mike Capuano (D-MA) Hasn’t “Reached A Final Conclusion” On The Senate Bill. “I have not yet reached a final conclusion about the bill passed by the Senate last year because it would have, in the usual course of legislative business, undergone changes in conference committee before coming to the House for a vote.” (Rep. Mike Capuano, Letter To Friends, 3/11/10)

ARE FRUSTRATED WITH THE PROCESS…

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) Said “No One” Knows What They’re “Supposed To Vote On.” “Stupak said that the remaining issues were not limited to abortion, and that it would be virtually impossible to work out an agreement on that and other issues by next Thursday. ‘There's just so much in play here, and no one has a final draft of what the bill's supposed to be, that we're supposed to vote on,’ the Michigan centrist said.” (Michael O’Brien, “Stupak: I Don't See How Dems Get Votes For Health Bill By March 18^th,” The Hill’s “Briefing Room” Blog, 3/12/10)

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA): “Everyone Expressed Frustration That We Do Not Have Comprehensive Cost Estimates From The Congressional Budget Office…” (Robert Pear, “Democrats Struggle To Finish Health Bill,” The New York Times, 3/11/10)

“Representative Anthony D. Weiner, Democrat Of New York, Said It Was Difficult For Lawmakers To Know How They Would Vote On A Bill They Had Not Seen.” (Robert Pear, “Democrats Struggle To Finish Health Bill,” The New York Times, 3/11/10)

AND STILL DON’T TRUST THE SENATE TO ACT AFTER YESTERDAY’S PARLIAMENTARY RULING

Yesterday, Senate Parliamentarian Ruled House Dems Will Have To Walk The Plank, Pass The Unchanged Senate Bill Before Starting A Second Bill To Fix It. “[T]he Senate parliamentarian is now saying that President Obama would have to sign a health care bill into law before Congress can amend it with a reconciliation measure. … The parliamentarian ruling could foil Democrats' plans to avoid signing into law the ‘sweetheart deals’ that have tainted the Senate bill… Democrats are divided over a number of other issues, such as the Senate bill's tax on high-end insurance plans, which they planned to revolve through the reconciliation bill.” (Stephanie Condon, “Dems Dealt Blow On Health Care Reconciliation,” CBS News’s “Political Hotsheet” Blog, 3/11/10)

Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) Says House Dems Don’t Want To Vote For Reid’s Bill And Worry He Could Say “I Don’t Have The Votes” For Obama’s Reconciliation Bill. “Berkley and her colleagues don’t want to cast votes for a bill they don’t like on the faith that her home-state colleague, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, will be able to do something he’s struggled to do all year: win tough votes. ‘What happens if Sen. Reid throws up his hands and says, “I don’t have the votes?”’ Berkley asked.” (Patrick O’Connor, “Pelosi: 'The Choice Has To Be Made,’” Politico, 3/11/10)

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) Says House Dems Need “Absolute Assurances” That The Senate Will Pass Obama’s Reconciliation Bill. “‘If this is true, it will mean that we have to find a device to receive absolute assurances from our Senate colleagues that they’ll be able to complete the reconciliation process in the Senate,’ said Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), assistant to the Speaker.” (Alexander Bolton, “Parliamentarian's Ruling Deals Blow To Healthcare Reform Chances,” The Hill, 3/11/10)

Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA): “There Is Great Risk In This Course Of Action. If One Or Both Parties Refuse To Commit To This Approach, The Senate Bill Could Be Signed By The President As The Final Bill…” (Alexander Bolton, “Parliamentarian's Ruling Deals Blow To Healthcare Reform Chances,” The Hill, 3/11/10)

Rep. Chris Murphy (D-CT): “I Hope There Will Be A Very Explicit And Public Understanding Between The House And The Senate…” (Alexander Bolton, “Parliamentarian's Ruling Deals Blow To Healthcare Reform Chances,” The Hill, 3/11/10)

WHICH IS WHY OBAMA HAD TO PUSH BACK HIS TRIP AND ACCEPT THE INEVITABILITY OF MORE MISSED DEADLINES

Robert Gibbs: “The President Will Delay Leaving For Indonesia And Australia - Will Now Leave Sunday - The First Lady And The Girls Will Not Be On The Trip.” (Robert Gibbs, “PressSec,” Twitter.com, 3/12/10)

• Earlier This Week, Gibbs Said The House Would Pass The Senate’s Bill By March 18. “The move reflects a delay in the timeline to passing healthcare that Gibbs set for House Democrats last Friday. The press secretary, during an appearance on MSNBC, said that the White House hoped the House could move to first pass the Senate's healthcare bill before Obama left on his trip, a deadline which Gibbs had reiterated this week.”  (Michael O’Brien, “Obama Delays Indonesia Trip To Focus On Healthcare,” The Hill’s “Briefing Room” Blog, 3/12/10)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA): “March 18th Is A Very Interesting Date…We Will Take Up The Bill When We Are Ready To Take Up The Bill.” (Jonathan Karl, “Pelosi: 'We'll Take Up The Bill When We Are Ready,’” ABC News’s “The Note” Blog, 3/11/10)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV): “We're Not Going To Set Any Arbitrary Deadlines…” (John Whitesides & Donna Smith, “Democrats Move Closer To Healthcare Deal,” Reuters, 3/11/10)