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House passes health care 220-215, Senate hurdles await
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Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., speaks after appearing on CBS's "Face the Nation."
Late Saturday night the House of Representatives concluded a 14-hour debate on health care reform, and the resulting bill before the House, and passed the legislation in a narrow victory. 39 Democrats crossed the aisle to the opposition, siding with the mostly Republican resistance, and 1 Republican, Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao (D-LA), who represents the Democratic-leaning New Orleans, voted in favor of the bill. 22 of the 39 Democrats who opposed the bill are also members of the moderate Blue Dogs Coalition, and many are facing tough reelection campaigns in Republican-leaning districts.
Health care legislation will now fall to the Senate for final approval before going to the President for his signature. Particularly opponents of the bill are indicating that Obama's deadline of December for the bill to be finalized may be pushed into 2010, after the holiday recess. Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid is working with fiscal conservatives to preserve elements of the bill they oppose, chiefly the public option, which Reid says he is willing to allow states to opt out of. Reid has also opposed the idea of a tax on the wealthy to finance reform, instead advocating for taxing "high-value" insurance plans, and smaller fines on companies that do not provide insurance for their employees. Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) has indicated that he will oppose any bill which includes the public option, saying, "If the public option plan is in there, as a matter of conscience, I will not allow this bill to come to a final vote."
President Obama made an impassioned plea for support on the legislation, invoking history and calling it "change that the American people urgently need." He called the Senate to come together and support health care reform, saying, "I just came from the Hill where I talked to the members of Congress there, and I reminded them that opportunities like this come around maybe once in a generation. Most public servants pass through their entire careers without a chance to make as important a difference in the lives of their constituents and the life of this country. This is their moment, this is our moment, to live up to the trust that the American people have placed in us — even when it's hard; especially when it's hard. This is our moment to deliver. I urge members of Congress to rise to this moment. Answer the call of history, and vote yes for health insurance reform for America."
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) gave a rousing oppossition speech in the House on Saturday, accusing Democrats again of "socializing" medicine and America
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