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Pelosi faces biggest test on healthcare vote
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks about healthcare reform at her weekly news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 4, 2010.
Credit: Reuters/Jose Luis Magana
WASHINGTON |
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The leader of the House of Representatives -- a persuasive arm twister and deal maker -- faces her toughest challenge yet: getting 216 votes to pass final legislation revamping the U.S. healthcare system.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, is scrambling to hit that number in coming weeks and will likely have to rely solely on fellow House Democrats, who have 253 of the 431 seats. All 178 Republicans seem lined up against the effort.
Four seats are now vacant.
If all House Democrats voted as they did last year on an earlier version of the bill, Pelosi would get 216 votes, a simple majority. But at least a dozen or so in her party may switch from yes to no -- or from no to yes.
"This is her toughest political and legislative battle since becoming speaker" in 2007," said Ethan Siegal of The Washington Exchange, a private firm that tracks Congress for institutional investors.
"She doesn't have the votes yet, but nobody is counting her out," he said. "She's proven that she knows how to get them."
If Pelosi prevails, President Barack Obama will be a big step closer toward signing into law an overhaul of the $2.5 trillion U.S. healthcare system.
But if she falls short of 216, public anger about the often-gridlocked Congress may mount, making it more difficult for Democrats to retain control of the House in the November election.
If Republicans win control, Pelosi's reign as the chamber's first woman speaker would end. As speaker, Pelosi, a California liberal first elected to the House in 1987, is the most powerful woman in American politics.
Last year, with a big Democratic majority, Pelosi won House approval of virtually every item on Obama's agenda, including a $787 billion economic stimulus package, regulatory reform, pay equity and a "cap and trade" bill to curb global warming.
Though much of the legislation got stalled in the Senate by Republicans and some Democrats from energy-producing states, Pelosi's successes won her praise from outside congressional experts and got her a runner-up spot in Time magazine's annual "person of the year."
"Pelosi has been as effective as any speaker in modern times," said Norman Ornstein, a congressional scholar at the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute.
"A lot of people don't like Pelosi," Ornstein said. "She gets a lot of flak from her left. But she constantly pushes ahead to make the House do things,"
DON'T CROSS PELOSI
Chris Krueger, a congressional analyst at Concept Capitol, said Pelosi is able to effectively work with House Democrats, a diverse group that includes liberals, moderates and conservatives.
"She also raises money like a rock star (for them), commands loyalty and she is tough," Krueger said. "People are afraid to cross her."
Republican Representative Paul Ryan, a leading opponent of the legislation, says Pelosi has an "ability to muscle votes."
"Consider that they were about twenty votes short the night before the 'cap and trade' (energy) legislation was brought to the floor, and they passed it by eight votes," Ryan said.
Ryan said of the pending vote on healthcare, "The question facing (Democratic) colleagues in the House: will they side with their party leadership or the people they represent."
Pelosi has a blunt message for Democrats: It will take political "courage" to vote for the healthcare legislation, but the American people need it.
Polls show that the legislation, denounced by Republicans as a misguided government takeover of the healthcare sector, is unpopular. But surveys also find most Americans favor what it seeks to accomplish -- such as reduced costs and coverage for millions of uninsured.
House and Senate Democrats passed healthcare bills last year. But efforts to merge the measures collapsed in January when Democrats lost their 60th Senate seat in a special election in Massachusetts that ended their ability to clear Republican procedural roadblocks in the 100-seat chamber.
So Democrats regrouped.
They now aim to get the House to approve the Senate version of the bill by the end of this month, and then, with a simple majority vote, have the Senate agree to changes to meet House concerns with that bill.
Pelosi voices confidence that Democrats can pass the Senate-approved bill even though about a dozen abortion rights opponents -- including some who voted for a House bill in November -- say they will oppose it.
"Every legislative vote is a heavy lift around here. You assume nothing," Pelosi said. "We will pass a bill."
(Editing by David Alexander and Paul Simao)
I can’t wait to see the trantrum Obama throws when this whole thing blows up in his face. He’s a one termer and I he’s beginnging to realize that prospect. I hope he jacks up the tax rate on the rich, though.
Nancy Pelosi will win out. She has demonstrated the leadership, knowledge and connection with the American people to ensure that the House of Representatives truly reflects the will of the people. I honor and respect all of the Democrats who would take such a strong stand to save the lives of 30 million of our neighbors. I guess this is when Leadership really counts and why we elect men and women with the backbone and spine to stand up for our parents, spouses, children and neighbors against daunting odds. Health Care Reform will pass and we will be a better country and people because of it.
-Nana
Lil Nancy is something. If this bill is sohe good why in the world are they claiming the kennedy exempt clause for themselve which by the way is illegal per the 28th amendment which states they can not make laws/bill for us that exempts them. So WHY would they do this. Simple the HC Bill is NO GOOD and contains hidden agenda’s with in it that no one realizes. This bill is unconstitutional just be cause of the exemption clause let alone all the other things in it.
Kick her out well first of all you need to know how to use your boots for one thing let alone their so called brains.
COWARDS are what they are…
In all of this debate nobody has once mentioned that 1/3rd of all Americans are obese and another 1/3rd are overweight. Overweight people statistically have more problems with diabetes and high blood pressure. Diabetes alone accounts for 40% of all health care costs. High blood pressure is almost as bad.
None of these plans will do anything to change that part of the equation.
As these overweight individuals get older their health care costs will increase with each passing year. They say the life expectancy of an obese child is less than 50 years old, and his/her health care costs are ten times the average.
She is successful at cutting deals in closed door meetings with her most ethical congress to date.
I still can’t figure out how the speaker can kick out cameras from the legislative process. What does she have to hide? Just another reason why America needs to clean house! Out with the inccumbents and vote in new blood.
These people have their own insurance already they don’t need HC. FAT is 99% their own fault. This is on them. This is their choice.
I guess we could take them out and shoot them like a horse with a bum leg. This is exactly what your HC bill has in it just not in those words. Read it and understand it. Remember they are exempt so use your head and figure it out. Don’t be a Sucka!
Read the comments. And we wonder why we are in the mess that we are in. I assume that the politicians are as dim witted as these comments.
Interesting comments re OBESITY and health care. Seems we are willing to spend trillions to supposedly fix a health care system, when we have done nothing to fix the cause — which is teaching people how to eat healthy foods, and stop smoking. Fix those two issues and the cost of health care will be cut in half. Now that would be a real fix, and not the BS thats going on now. Also suspect an educational program would cost a lot less than than whats being considered now ……….
