Health Care Drama Reaches Fever Pitch
Lawmakers gather during a meeting of the House Rules Committee in Washington. - Lawmakers gather during a meeting of the House Rules Committee regarding health care legislation on Capitol Hill. (Chris Kleponsis / AFP/Getty Images)
Today, at least 216 members of the House of Representatives will cast votes of "yea" on the health care bill, finally passing a history-making overhaul package — that is, if all goes according to the Democrats' plan.
There is one thing Democrats, Republicans, the president and even the demonstrators outside the Capitol agree on: Democrats in conservative districts who vote for this health care bill may lose their jobs.
That's why it's been so hard for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to muster the votes she needs to pass it, and why she implored House Democrats on Saturday to show courage in their voting.
(Chris Kleponsis / AFP/Getty Images)
"We are on the verge of making great history for the American people," she said, "and in doing so, we will make great progress for them as well."
Democrats Rally, Opponents Rage
Democrats rallied their caucus with President Obama in the lead Saturday. He sparked standing ovations for Colorado's Betsy Markey and Ohio's John Boccieri — both moderate Democrats who have decided to support the bill. And he acknowledged outright the risk they take by voting for it.
(Mark Wilson / Getty Images)
"I can't guarantee this is good politics," he said. "Every one of you know your districts better than I do. You talk to folks, you're under enormous pressure, you're getting 'robo-calls,' you're getting e-mails that are tying up the communications system."
But, Obama said, he is convinced that if the bill passes, Americans will realize that this is not a government takeover of health care, as Republicans charge.
"It'll turn out that this piece of historic legislation is built on the private insurance system we have now and runs straight down the center of American political thought," he said.
Meanwhile, Republicans have not let their energy flag. Inside the Capitol, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor repeated Republicans' plans.
"There are many other swing districts on the Democratic aisle that are in play," Cantor said. "We are fighting hard to make sure we are doing everything we can to fight this bill."
Outside the Capitol, a few hundred Tea Party protesters chanted their familiar refrain, "Kill the bill," while vowing to work against any moderate Democrat who votes for the bill.
What You'll See Today
Democratic leaders will open the House floor in the early afternoon. Two votes are expected. One vote is on the Senate health care bill, and another on the reconciliation bill — that's the package of changes Democrats want to attach to the Senate health care bill.
But anything could change at any moment — a fact President Obama acknowledged Saturday.
"It is in your hands," he charged Democrats. "It is time to pass health care reform for America, and I am confident that you are going to do it tomorrow. Thank you very much, House of Representatives. Let's get this done!"
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LIANE HANSEN, host:
This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. Im Liane Hansen.
Today, the House of Representatives will call the roll and members will cast their votes on the health care bill. That is, if all goes according to the Democrats' plan. President Obama held an impassioned rally with Democrats yesterday. And this morning, the chairman of the House Democrat Caucus said the party has scraped together enough votes to pass the bill.
NPR's Andrea Seabrook reports.
ANDREA SEABROOK: There's one thing everyone agrees on - Democrats, Republicans, the president, the demonstrators outside the capitol: Democrats in conservative districts who vote for this health care bill may lose their jobs. That's why it's been so hard for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to muster the votes she needs to pass it, and it's why she implored House Democrats yesterday to show courage in their voting today.
(Soundbite of applause)
Representative NANCY PELOSI (Democrat, Speaker of the House): We are on the verge of making great history for the American people. And in doing so, we will make great progress for them as well.
SEABROOK: Democrats rallied their caucus with President Obama in the lead. He sparked standing ovations for Colorado's Betsy Markey and Ohio's John Boccieri both moderate Democrats who've decided to support the bill. And he acknowledged outright the risk they take by voting yea.
President BARACK OBAMA: I can't guarantee that this is good politics. Every one of you know your districts better than I do. You talk to folks. You're under enormous pressure. You're getting robo-calls. You're getting emails that are tying up the communications system.
SEABROOK: But, Mr. Obama said, he is convinced that if the bill passes, Americans will realize this is not a government takeover of health care, as Republicans charge.
President OBAMA: It'll turn out that this piece of historic legislation is built on the private insurance system that we have now and runs straight down the center of American political thought.
SEABROOK: Meanwhile, Republicans have not let their energy flag. Inside the capitol, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor repeated Republicans plans.
Representative ERIC CANTOR (Republican, Virginia, Minority Whip): We also know that there are many other swing districts on the Democratic aisle that are in play. So we are fighting hard to make sure we're doing everything we can to fight this bill.
SEABROOK: While outside the capitol, a few hundred Tea Party protestors chanted their familiar refrain...
(Soundbite of chant, "Kill the bill")
SEABROOK: ...while vowing to work against any moderate Democrat who votes for the bill.
So here is what you will see today. Democratic leaders will open the House floor in the early afternoon. Soon after, the House will debate the procedure they'll use to take up the health care bill. It won't be the so-called deem and pass strategy Democrats contemplated. That idea was dropped yesterday after crushing pressure from Republicans and the public.
Instead, the House will hold two hours of debate on the reconciliation bill. That's the package of changes Democrats want to the Senate health care bill. Then, representatives will cast two separate votes: the first one on the reconciliation bill, the second on the Senate health care bill.
Now, that's the crib sheet. Remember, anything could change at any moment a fact President Obama acknowledged yesterday.
President OBAMA: It is in your hands. It is time to pass health care reform for America. And I am confident that you are going to do it tomorrow.
(Soundbite of applause)
President OBAMA: Thank you very much, House of Representatives. Let's get this done.
SEABROOK: If they do pass it, then it's back to the Senate next week.
Andrea Seabrook, NPR News, the Capitol. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.
