by Congressional Quarterly

ouse Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer predicted passage of a health care overhaul bill would come Saturday evening even as House Democrats worked Friday to corral the needed votes to pass the measure. Republican delaying tactics could push the vote into Sunday, Hoyer acknowledged, saying Democrats were prepared to return on Sunday or go into next week if needed for the House to pass the measure. Hoyer said his goal is to open floor debate Saturday morning — something that is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. — to approve the rule governing debate on the bill, have general debate on the measure and a Republican substitute and then vote on final passage by 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. But he said he is prepared for a much longer floor fight. “We will facilitate debate and vote unless there are delaying tactics,” Hoyer said. Early Friday, signs of such tactics emerged on the House floor. Republicans used all their allotted debate time on suspension bills to oppose the health care overhaul legislation, a step that delayed the first series of House votes. Hoyer said he will bring the House back on Sunday afternoon, and on Monday and Tuesday before the Nov. 11 Veterans’ Day holiday to get the job done. “What I have said to people is we will consider this to its conclusion.”

Subscribe to CQ Midday Update »
Subscribe to C-SPAN Alert! »

   by Congressional Quarterly

President Obama will travel to the Capitol on Friday morning to meet behind closed doors with House Democrats, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi denied Thursday that the visit means Democrats’ health care legislation is in trouble. “If he were not coming, you would ask why is he not coming,” Pelosi, D-Calif., said of Obama’s visit, which will come one day before the House plans to vote on the sweeping health care overhaul bill. Obama is scheduled to talk to the House Democrats at 10:30 a.m. Friday. On Thursday, the president was to meet in the afternoon with leading members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus — Democrats Xavier Becerra and Lucille Roybal-Allard of California, Charlie Gonzalez of Texas, and Nydia M. Velázquez of New York. Asked if she has the 218 needed votes among Democrats to adopt the rule for considering the bill and to pass the actual legislation, Pelosi said, “We will have 218.” Republicans are expected to stand united in opposition. Pelosi and her leadership team are whipping for votes in their caucus, dealing with last-minute controversies over such issues as abortion language and what rights illegal immigrants would have under the bill to get health insurance, even policies they buy without using public funds. Pelosi would not comment on what amendments would be allowed to come to the floor Friday, deflecting questions about anti-abortion language and other issues.

House Sets Saturday Vote on Health Care Overhaul

November 4, 2009

   by Congressional Quarterly

The House is moving toward a floor vote Saturday on its big health care overhaul, after Democratic leaders worked to nail down votes from some of their members who want stronger anti-abortion language in the bill. House Rules Committee Chairwoman Louise M. Slaughter said Wednesday that the rule for considering the sweeping health care legislation will encompass anti-abortion language put forward by Brad Ellsworth , D-Ind. The Ellsworth language would become part of the House adopts the rule for the bill, Slaughter said. It would explicitly prohibit federal funding for abortions and also guarantee patients access to “pro-life” insurance plans that would not cover the procedure. The House vote is expected at 6 p.m. Saturday. The Rules Committee would have to meet 24 hours before the debate to prepare the bill for floor action, but Slaughter declined to say exactly when Rules would meet. By allowing the Ellsworth language, House Democratic leaders hope to address the reluctance of anti-abortion Democrats to vote for the health bill. Some of those lawmakers say they remain dissatisfied with the language, however. Bart Stupak , D-Mich., may still oppose the Ellsworth language, potentially keeping the bill from passing. Stupak wants to bar any federally subsidized insurance plan from covering abortions, including any public plan set up to compete with private insurers. The abortion issue remains one of the biggest headaches for Democratic leaders working to round up the 218 votes needed for passage of President Obama’s top legislative priority. All of those votes will have to come from within their own ranks; Republicans are expected to be united in opposition to the bill.