House expecting ‘close’ health-care vote, Hoyer says

By Bloomberg News

Photo by Alex Brandon / AP

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., left, holds copy of the health care bill during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday. With him is Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga.

ADVERSTISMENT

WASHINGTON — Democratic leader Steny Hoyer predicted that the House will narrowly pass the most sweeping overhaul of U.S. health-care policy in four decades as Democrats sought to resolve concerns about abortion and medical care for illegal aliens.

“It’s going to be close,” Hoyer said in an interview with news service reporters Thursday. “This is a huge undertaking; there are legitimate concerns.” Hoyer said he expected the House to vote Saturday.

With no Republican support expected, Democrats need 218 votes to pass the measure. “We are probably right at about 218 right now,” Hoyer said.

That total includes some who want assurance the legislation sufficiently restricts government financing of abortions or subsidies for illegal workers, he said.

“We certainly have well over 218 people who say they want to vote for the bill,” Hoyer said.

The $1.05 trillion legislation would cover 36 million uninsured people and create a government plan to compete with private insurers.

In the next two days, “we’ve got to resolve both the abortion and immigration” issues “so we don’t lose votes of people who would otherwise be for health care,” Hoyer said. “The trick is making sure that they have a comfort level with the provisions that they are particularly focused on.”

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Comment on House expecting ‘close’ health-care vote, Hoyer says

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SpecialEd says...

Call your representatives and tell them NO to health care reform.

Amendment 10 - Powers of the States and People. Ratified 12/15/1791.
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor
the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

http://www.hitm.brookswebsolutions.co...

November 5, 2009 at 11:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

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