Research Briefing

Even Though Obama Wanted Them Out, Did Nancy Pelosi Create New Side Deal For North Dakota’s Pomeroy In House Dems’ Latest Health Care Bill?

LAST WEDNESDAY: “Obama Wants Side Deals Out Of Bill.” (Carrie Budoff Brown, Politico, 3/10/10) 

UNDECIDED POMEROY VOTED AGAINST PELOSI’S HEALTH CARE BILL BEFORE VOTING FOR IT 

“Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) Said Monday He’s Still Undecided On Supporting Federal Health Care Reform …” (Ryan Johnson, “Pomeroy, Local Leaders Discuss GF Flood Preparedness,” Grand Fork Herald, 3/8/10)

Pomeroy First Voted Against Government-Run Health Care In The House Ways And Means Committee In July. (H.R. 3200, House Ways And Means Committee Vote Tally, 7/17/09)

Then Voted For Government-Run Health Care On The House Floor In November. (H.R. 3962, Roll Call Vote #887; Approved 220-215; D 219-39; R 1-176, 11/7/09)

SO DID PELOSI PROCURE POMEROY’S VOTE BY ENTICING HIM WITH SPECIAL DEAL FOR HIS STATE?

Pelosi’s Health Care Bill Allows “State-Owned Banks” To Be Exempt From Student Loan Takeover. “Section 2213. Agreements with State‐Owned Banks. This section amends Part D of Title IV to direct the Secretary to enter into an agreement with an eligible lender for the purpose of providing Federal loan insurance on student loans made by state‐owned banks.” (House Rules Committee, H.R. 4872, The Health Care & Education Affordability Reconciliation Act Of 2010 Section-By-Section Analysis, 3/18/10)

And Bank Of North Dakota The “Only State-Owned Bank In The Nation.” (Bank Of North Dakota, banknd.nd.gov, Accessed 3/18/10)

Liberal Blogger Says “It Seems Like Democrats Never Learn” Because “They Still Slipped More Special Deals Into The Reconciliation Package.” “I said all along that Democrats just couldn’t help themselves when it came to special deals in the reconciliation package. Even though they knew special deals like this were helping to kill support for the bill, they still slipped more special deals into the reconciliation package. A reconciliation package whose main point was to ‘fix’ all the the problematic special deals in the first bill. Sometimes it seems like Democrats never learn.” (Jon Walker, “Kent Conrad Scores Special Student Loan Deal For North Dakota In Reconciliation Package,” FireDogLake, 3/18/10)

AND WILL HOUSE DEMS CRITICAL OF BACKROOM DEALS

NOW VOTE FOR EVEN MORE DEALS THIS WEEKEND?

Rep. Tom Perriello’s (D-VA) Spokeswoman Said “Everything That’s Wrong And Bad,” Including Reid’s Backroom Deals, Must “Get Out” Of Final Bill. “‘The reconciliation is supposed to fix everything that’s wrong and bad with the Senate bill,’ [Rep. Tom Perriello’s spokeswoman, Jessica] Barba said, including the so-called ‘Louisiana Purchase’ and ‘Cornhusker kickback.’ Those were special funding provisions that Sens. Mary Landrieu and Ben Nelson negotiated for their states. ‘We’ve got to make sure those things get out …’” (Ray Reed, “Health Care Vote May Hinge On Bill’s Language,” The News & Advance, 3/17/10)

Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA): “And The Senate Bill Contains The Nebraska, Nelson Agreement … Where Every -- All The -- 49 States Subsidize Nebraska’s Medicaid Program. That’s Unacceptable.” (FOX News’s “Your World With Neil Cavuto,” 3/10/10)

Rep. John Boccieri (D-OH): “Let Me Just Be Clear, Ohio Is Not Going To Pay For A Nebraska Deal. We Have Great Need In Our Own State, And I Want That Out Of This Before We Even Consider Looking At Additional Language.” (FOX News’s “America’s Newsroom,” 3/18/10)