President Barack Obama journeyed to Capitol Hill for a rare Sunday visit as the Senate pushed through the weekend on health care reform. The president spent more than 40 minutes rallying the Senate Democratic caucus, underlining to them the importance of passing a bill not only to the economy, but to the 2010 elections and “the …
health care reform
Casey, and the Next Chapter of His Family’s Pro-Life Legacy
Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey will tell you that he doesn’t get many more calls from fundraisers or constituents about abortion than he does the public plan, death panels or immigration. “We’re getting a lot of inquiries from lots of different groups on several differnet topics,” he demurrs. “I don’t think it’s any different or …
Reconciliation
For months few have mentioned it. But as the public option withers on the Senate vine, progressive groups are beginning to push Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to use reconciliation rather than pass a health care reform bill without a public option in it. I’ve heard a few whispers on the Hill that this is still an option, but for the …
Landrieu for $100 million
Senate Democratic leaders are wooing Senators Mary Landrieu, Ben Nelson and Blanche Lincoln — the last three hold outs who have not pledged to vote for the motion to proceed tomorrow night to start the debate on health care reform. Lincoln, an embattled Arkansas centrist, has been demanding 72 hours to read the bill — something she got …
Trigger Happy
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he will include a public option that states can vote to opt out of in his version of the health care reform bill that could be unveiled as early as Wednesday. But that certainly hasn’t ended the debate in the Senate about what kind of public option may finally end up passing the upper chamber …
Could the Senate be on the Cusp of Blowing Another Health Care Deadline?
Senate Democrats have been waiting on tenterhooks for a score from the Congressional Budget Office before they can introduce their health care reform bill and start the debate. Assuming the score comes today, the bill could be introduced as early as tomorrow. But, don’t get your hopes up for a vote any time soon. Senator Blanche …
Let’s See How You Like It
This recess, a Democratic outside group is spending more than a $1 million on television commercials lambasting GOP lawmakers for voting against health care reform. The Foundation for Patients Rights, which is aligned with the Service Employees International Union, is planning ads in Delaware and Illinois against Reps. Mike Castle and …
Bill Clinton Talks Health Care Lessons with Senate Dems
Former President Bill Clinton was the guest at the Senate Democrats’ weekly policy lunch. The subject: health care. Taking responsibility for the collapse of his attempt to pass health care reform in 1994, Clinton urged the caucus not to waste this opportunity. “I do think it’s good politics to pass this and pass it as soon as you …
Dems Go It Alone
I asked a lot of members over the weekend: why pass the bill now? After the August protests there had been much speculation that the House would wait for the Senate to act. Some members said that Speaker Pelosi didn’t want them going home for another recess to face more Tea Party madness (the House, having adjourned very early Sunday …
Who is Cao?
Joe Cao (pronounced Gow) is the name on most people’s lips Inside the Beltway this morning. So, how did this freshman Republican escape GOP Whip Eric Cantor’s hammer to vote with Democrats for health care reform, ruining Cantor’s goal of unified opposition?
Cao arrived in Houston at the age of eight with his parents and two …
House Passes Health Care Reform
The House of Representatives tonight passed 220-215 sweeping $1.2 trillion health care reform legislation. The bill garnered the support of just one Republican, Joe Cao of Louisiana; 39 Democrats voted against it.
The vote, which looked uncertain even going into the House Rules Committee last night, came after the adoption 240-194 of …
One GOP Vote?
After House GOP Whip Eric Cantor promised the Tea Partiers unified Republican opposition on Thursday, I assumed there wouldn’t be any defections. After all, he succeeded in whipping total opposition to the stimulus and the budget. Word has it, though, that Republicans are worried about Rep. Joe Cao, a Louisiana Republican who took …
The Final Push
We’re now in the midst of four hours of final debate on the health care bill. After two hours of gabbing – double the time allotted thanks to GOP foot dragging – the House passed the rule on the bill 242-192 with 15 Dems joining all Republicans in voting Nay. The vote provided some hope for Dems that the final version will pass …