YouTube: Two Maryland representatives vote against health care reform bill

November 8, 10:14 PMBaltimore County Republican ExaminerAnn Miller

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Congressmen Bartlett and Kratovil
Photo/Bartlett, Kratovil

Late Saturday evening, just prior to midnight, the Democrats in the House voted to pass their health care reform bill, HR 3962. This came after a battle over an amendment to remove funding for abortions by insurance companies participating in the Health Insurance Exchange Program, which passed in order to appease a number of moderate and prolife Democrats who refused to support the bill if it included abortion funding.

After the passage of the Stupak-Pitts amendment, HR 3962 was passed by a vote of 220 to 215, with only one Republican voting with the Democrats. Louisiana junior representative Joseph Cao was the lone Republican, representing a highly Democrat district, and conceding after receiving promises of support from President Obama.  See roll call votes here.

Two Maryland congressmen of the eight voted against the bill. They were Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (R) of the Sixth District, and Congressman Frank Kratovil (D) of the First District.

Congressman Bartlett, in a rally of supporters against the bill, said, “There are 3,400 'shalls' in the Democratic health care bill. In plain language, shall means must. That means there are 3,400 you must do this or that in this bill. One of those shalls is that you shall buy health insurance. If you don't buy health insurance, the Democratic bill empowers the Internal Revenue Service, IRS, to penalize people through the tax system.”

Congressman Bartlett is the only remaining Republican congressman in Maryland after Mr. Kratovil won the seat from challenger Andy Harris last year in a slim victory of less than one percent. Mr. Kratovil’s district is very conservative, and some suggest he was given permission from his party leaders to vote against the bill in order to better his chances for re-election next year.

All of the other six Democrat congressmen in the state supported the bill. All won their elections in 2008 by wide margins against their Republican opponents:

Congressman:     District:     Percent of Vote:
Ruppersberger     Two                   71.9
Sarbanes               Three                69.7
Edwards                 Four                  85.8
Hoyer                       Five                   73.6
Cummings             Six                     79.5
Van Hollen              Seven               75.1

In my previous article, I had stated that Congressman Kratovil had previously supported the Democrats’ health care bill, but an email from Kevin Lawlor, Communications Director for the congressman, corrects my assertion. Mr. Lawlor states, “This is unfounded, he has been undecided and researching the bill and now he is a No. Nothing he has said or done in regard to Health care legislation could possibly seem another way.”

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