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Democrats Pushing For Health Care Vote Soon

Catherine Cloutier |
March 8, 2010 | 12:50 p.m. PST

Staff Reporter

Obama said Monday Congress "owes the American people a final up or down
vote on health care." (Creative Commons)

President Barack Obama urged legislators Monday to put an end to the debate over the health care bill.

Speaking at Arcadia University near Philadelphia, the president strongly pushed for an up or down vote in the House of Representatives.

"We have debated health care in Washington for more than a year. When's the right time? If not now, when? If not us, who?" Obama said.

Democratic aides said they hope the House will vote on the Senate health care bill before Obama leaves on March 18 for Australia and Indonesia.

Democrats are planning to use the reconciliation strategy to expedite the legislative process.  Reconciliation, a voting procedure usually designated for budget concerns, requires a simple majority--or 51 votes--for passage.  

But several House members have misgivings about the Senate bill, particularly the exclusion of specific language regarding the coverage of abortions, making them hesitant to agree to the reconciliation strategy. They fear that the abortion provisions will not be changed in reconciliation amendments.

"So at the end of the day, to say, well, do this for political reasons or don't do it for political reasons, makes no difference to me. The only thing I care about is this the best policy we can do under the circumstances for the American people," said Congressman Brian Baird, (D-Wash.), during "State of the Union with Candy Crowley."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, (D-Calif.), is trying to assuage those concerns by encouraging House Democrats to focus on the over-arching goal of the bill.

"If you believe that there should be no federal funding of abortion, and if you believe there should be no change in the [current federal] policy, and if you believe that we need health care all for Americans, we will pass the bill," Pelosi said.

Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of Health and Human Services, echoed Pelosi's sentiment on "Meet the Press" on Sunday, emphasizing the need for the bill's passage in a timely fashion.  

"We've got to get things moving because there's an urgency about what's happening in people's lives.  And we're at the final chapter here," Sebelius said.


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