WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Oklahoma's lone Democrat in the House says he's staying strong in his promise to vote no on the health care reform plan. Representative Dan Boren says his offices are getting a lot of calls from Oklahomans concerned about the plan.
In Rep. Kucinich’s district, the health care reform bill will: Improve coverage for 362,000 residents with health insurance. Give tax credits and other assistance to up to 163,000 families and 14,000 small businesses to help them afford coverage. Improve Medicare for 106,000 beneficiaries, including closing the donut hole. Extend coverage to 30,500 uninsured residents. Guarantee that 8,400 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage. Protect 1,600 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs. Allow 38,000 young adults to obtain coverage on their parents’ insurance plans. Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and other health care providers by $101 million annually.
In response to a query from The Plain Dealer, Copley Township Democratic Rep. Betty Sutton just announced her support for the health care bill that's under consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives. Here's a copy of the statement she sent by email:
"Every year more than 40,000 people die because they don't have health insurance coverage, and in this great nation it should not be that way. The legislation is not perfect and indeed contains provisions that I will continue to strive to improve, but I will vote for the bill. By passing this legislation we will take the long overdue step toward ending the egregious, discriminatory practices of insurance companies that deny care based on pre-existing conditions and impose outrageous premium increase. This legislation will also strengthen the solvency of Medicare, lower drug costs for our seniors, and make health insurance more affordable and accessible for small businesses and individuals."
Earlier today, Cleveland Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich reversed his opposition to the bill. Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles announced his backing on Monday after President Obama appeared in Strongsville to promote the bill. The rest of Ohio's Democrats say they're still waiting to read the bill's final draft before announcing a position. All Ohio Republicans say they oppose it.
I've been tracking the disintegration of the Stupak block. This next defector is a huge win for Democrats to pass the legislation.
Oberstar and Peirello were the first defectors.
Now Kildee, one of Stupak's closest allies on the pro-life issues of HCR has said he'll support the bill!
Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI), a pro-lifer, has confirmed that he will vote yes on the Senate health care bill.
"I am convinced that the Senate language maintains the Hyde Amendment, which states that no federal money can be used for abortion," Kildee said in a statement. "The Senate bill includes a 'conscience clause' and allows states to ban plans that include abortion."
In his presser just now, Kucinich announces his reasons for switching to a Yes.
Paraphrasing:
/begin paraphrase Health Care Reform has an urgent need. I've taken this fight further than anyone else and as far as I can. I take HCR personally. It's become clear that the vote on the final HCR Bill will be very close. I take this vote with the utmost seriousness. The bill will be a minimum recognition of the need for HCR in the context of a for-profit system. I have doubts about the bill, it is not the bill I wanted to support, even as I work to the last minute to modify the bill.
I have decided to count my vote in favor of passage. /end paraphrase
Well said sir, and I thank you, not only for taking the fight as far as you have, but also for your support.
RS: You were also a top advocate for the public option. What do you make of Kucinich’s threatened ‘No’ vote? AW: It’s folly. Nobody has compromised more than I have. I kid that I’ve compromised my compromised compromise at this point. I started out a similar place that Dennis is. I think single payer is the way to go. (In the current bill), we’ve doubled down on an employer-based system that is not necessarily good. But it’s inarguable that this bill would be better than the status quo.
But there are some people who don’t legislate that way. They think that if there’s anything offensive or problematic in a bill, I’ll vote no on it. Those people are not very good representatives.
...
RS: Is the fact that Democrats are again talking about legislative process — rather than the benefits of the bill — a big unforced error in this crucial final week? AW: I’ll just say this. The other day, I’m in a market by my house. An old woman grabs me in the aisle and says ‘pass the bill by reconciliation.’ My view is when my constituents are saying the word ‘reconciliation’ to me rather than ‘cut my taxes’ or ‘provide me healthcare,’ I know that our message is fucked. You know?
Anthony, that sound you hear is DU throwing you under the bus. I'm sorry friend, but Kucinich is untouchable here (and I totally agree with you Anthony).
I stand with Natoma Canfield, the self-employed house cleaner who has Leukemia and who President Obama discussed in his speech yesterday.
I stand with her because I live with consequences of a chronic disease everyday, am self employed and am barely hanging onto being able to afford health care. If you think health insurance and health care don't mean the same thing to people like Natoma and I, then you are badly informed as to what health care is in this country. I could not afford the medical supplies and drugs that are necessary for my family without insurance. And I can barely afford that. It is the single largest expense my family, and my business has.
Something needs to be done now. The current HCR Bill isn't ideal, but it's far from bad. It will immediately help 31 million Americans who can't get health care now. People with pre-existing conditions who have been denied health insurance, and therefore, health care, until now, will immediately be able to seek health care. They will either be able to insure their children or themselves (individual and small group plans will be immediately made to cover pre-existing conditions) or enlist in the high-risk pool that immediately goes into effect after signing.
And to those who say the HCR Bill won't help Natoma, I say you have no idea. She'd not have lost her insurance if this bill had been in place and her insurance would not have been able to price her out of coverage. As someone who would be on an individual or small-group plan, her pre-existing conditions would not be a reason for refusal. The plans would have to be priced appropriately under the new pricing regulations and the insurance companies would not have been able to price her out of insurance. And given Natoma's current state (and its inevitable impact on her ability to earn income as a self-employed person), there can be no doubt, she'd likely qualify for subsidies for coverage.
72 hours. 66 cosponsors in the House. 21,254 citizen cosponsors at WeWantMedicare.com.
The Public Option Act. It's simple. It's popular. 82% of Scott Brown voters favor it. It lets anyone buy into Medicare at cost. You want it, you pay for it, and you're in.
You know and I know that it's a winner.
Private insurers make money denying us the care we need, when we need it most. Medicare doesn't. So we want Medicare. And we want it now.
Ask your Member of Congress to stand up for us. Call your member of Congress now, and ask him or her to cosponsor HR 4789, the Public Option Act.
Call the switchboard: (202) 224-3121
After you call, please let me know how it went. I need to know if your Representative is with us or against us. Tell me how it goes.
This is the week to act. We are likely to vote on a healthcare bill without a public option. We should get a vote on the Public Option Act as well. The four-page bill opens Medicare to all. It's that simple.
Call your member of Congress now, and ask if he or she has the guts to stand up for you.
Call the switchboard: (202) 224-3121
Courage,
Alan
I love several things about Grayson.
1. He tells it like it is and pulls no punches 2. He has a spine of steel 3. He fully supports the Democratic Caucus and plans to support the HCR Bill 4. He doesn't let setbacks get in his way. He's going for the gusto on this Medicare Buy-in Bill and I *love* it.
WASHINGTON - With the finish line in sight on the long national health care debate, Rep. Jim Oberstar, a Democrat who opposes abortion, announced that he will not stand in the way of a final bill, meaning that all of the pieces have fallen into place for the Minnesota delegation.
The timing of Oberstar's decision, which surprised even some aides, comes as Democratic leaders scramble to muster every last vote in a do-or-die showdown on landmark health care legislation extending coverage to 30 million more Americans.
I expect the other anti-abortion members to follow suit at this point. The Hyde Amendment gave them cover in the first place, now Oberstar is giving them everything they need.
Caught this little tidbit hidden in a report this morning from yesterday's AF1 flight to Cleveland. It wasn't reported yesterday.
He traveled yesterday with Representative Dennis Kucinich, an Ohio Democrat who voted against the House’s version of a health-care bill last November. The legislation lacked the type of government-run health-care program Kucinich supports. Obama said he and Kucinich talked about the issue aboard Air Force One.
Kucinich told a reporter at the Cleveland airport he wouldn’t comment on his current position on the bill.
Note the context of the article is Pelosi saying she now has the votes.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops confirmed its opposition today to the healthcare reform bill making it's way through the House, arguing it's too lenient on abortion.
"The American people and the Catholic bishops have been promised that, in any final bill, no federal funds would be used for abortion and that the legal status quo would be respected," said Cardinal Francis George, USCCB president.
"However, the bishops were left disappointed and puzzled to learn that the basis for any vote on health care will be the Senate bill passed on Christmas Eve," he added.
I wonder if this is why Kucinich is the only member of the Progressive Caucus against it. He's Catholic and he was anti-abortion before running for President.
