Waxman Says Deal Reached to Advance Health Bill, but Obstacles Remain
Waxman Says Deal Reached to Advance Health Bill, but Obstacles Remain
Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman of California said Friday he reached a deal with liberals and conservative Democrats on his panel for a sweeping legislation that seeks to hold down costs and provide health care to nearly all the 50 million uninsured.
WASHINGTON - Democrats on a key House committee said Friday they have patched up their differences on a health care overhaul, and went back to work confident they can advance the complex legislation.
"We have agreed we need to pull together," said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif. Liberals, moderates, and conservatives negotiated late into the night Thursday to reach a deal that would restore some subsidies to help low-to-middle income people pay their health insurance premiums, would preserve a strong public insurance option, and would cut drug costs more deeply, lawmakers said.
No details of the deal were immediately available, but Waxman said he intends to formally present it to the committee later in the day, and the panel should pass the bill Friday afternoon.
The full committee resumed its deliberations on the sweeping legislation that seeks to hold down costs and provide health care to nearly all the nation's 50 million uninsured.
The last-minute agreement mollified liberals 'who were outraged by a deal Waxman struck earlier in the week with conservatives known as the Blue Dog Democrats. "We felt it was paid for on the backs of some of the people who can't afford health insurance now," said Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Col.
Lawmakers from both camps said Friday they were now in accord. "We need to get this done," said Rep. Baron Hill, D-Ind., one of the Blue Dogs.
But any agreement reached remains fragile.
There have been multiple rumblings that one of the Blue Dogs who signed onto the agreement may renege. That would imperil the vote and perhaps prevent Waxman from moving the bill out of committee.
Even if Waxman advances the bill, Democratic leaders appear to be appear to be 25 to 30 votes short for passage on the House floor now that the liberal Democrats are fired up about influence the Blue Dogs are having on the legislation.
Action in the Energy and Commerce Committee had been stalled for over a week as Waxman sought to quell objections from a group of seven fiscally conservative Democrats who hold enough votes on his panel to block action. Waxman succeeded Wednesday in getting a deal with four of the seven -- more than enough to allow him to move legislation forward -- but only by making concessions that incurred the wrath of House liberals.
The liberals were angry that subsidies to help low-income people buy care would be shrunk. They also said they couldn't support a proposed new structure for a government-run insurance option, which would allow payment rates to providers to be negotiated rather than based on Medicare rates as originally envisioned. The result could be costlier care.
There was late-night drama in Waxman's committee Thursday as an anti-abortion amendment passed when conservative Democrats joined Republicans to support it -- then failed less than two hours later when Waxman used a procedural maneuver to bring it up for a second vote.
In the intervening time one conservative Democrat -- Rep. Bart Gordon of Tennessee -- changed his vote from "yes" to "no." And a second conservative Democrat who hadn't voted the first time -- Rep. Zack Space of Ohio -- voted "no." It was enough to take the amendment down on a vote of 29 to 30.
The measure would have specified that health care legislation moving through Congress may not impose requirements for coverage of abortion, except in limited cases.
The committee approved a Democratic-written measure specifying that abortions would not be required as part of government-approved insurance benefit packages. The measure, which passed 30-28, says health plans in a new purchasing exchange aren't required to cover abortion but that each region of the country should have at least one plan that does so.
The amendment also limits the use of federal funding for abortions. Democrats cast the measure as a compromise but Republicans mostly opposed it.
FOX News' Chad Pergram and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman of California said Friday he reached a deal with liberals and conservative Democrats on his panel for a sweeping legislation that seeks to hold down costs and provide health care to nearly all the 50 million uninsured.
WASHINGTON - Democrats on a key House committee said Friday they have patched up their differences on a health care overhaul, and went back to work confident they can advance the complex legislation.
"We have agreed we need to pull together," said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif. Liberals, moderates, and conservatives negotiated late into the night Thursday to reach a deal that would restore some subsidies to help low-to-middle income people pay their health insurance premiums, would preserve a strong public insurance option, and would cut drug costs more deeply, lawmakers said.
No details of the deal were immediately available, but Waxman said he intends to formally present it to the committee later in the day, and the panel should pass the bill Friday afternoon.
The full committee resumed its deliberations on the sweeping legislation that seeks to hold down costs and provide health care to nearly all the nation's 50 million uninsured.
The last-minute agreement mollified liberals 'who were outraged by a deal Waxman struck earlier in the week with conservatives known as the Blue Dog Democrats. "We felt it was paid for on the backs of some of the people who can't afford health insurance now," said Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Col.
Lawmakers from both camps said Friday they were now in accord. "We need to get this done," said Rep. Baron Hill, D-Ind., one of the Blue Dogs.
But any agreement reached remains fragile.
There have been multiple rumblings that one of the Blue Dogs who signed onto the agreement may renege. That would imperil the vote and perhaps prevent Waxman from moving the bill out of committee.
Even if Waxman advances the bill, Democratic leaders appear to be appear to be 25 to 30 votes short for passage on the House floor now that the liberal Democrats are fired up about influence the Blue Dogs are having on the legislation.
Action in the Energy and Commerce Committee had been stalled for over a week as Waxman sought to quell objections from a group of seven fiscally conservative Democrats who hold enough votes on his panel to block action. Waxman succeeded Wednesday in getting a deal with four of the seven -- more than enough to allow him to move legislation forward -- but only by making concessions that incurred the wrath of House liberals.
The liberals were angry that subsidies to help low-income people buy care would be shrunk. They also said they couldn't support a proposed new structure for a government-run insurance option, which would allow payment rates to providers to be negotiated rather than based on Medicare rates as originally envisioned. The result could be costlier care.
There was late-night drama in Waxman's committee Thursday as an anti-abortion amendment passed when conservative Democrats joined Republicans to support it -- then failed less than two hours later when Waxman used a procedural maneuver to bring it up for a second vote.
In the intervening time one conservative Democrat -- Rep. Bart Gordon of Tennessee -- changed his vote from "yes" to "no." And a second conservative Democrat who hadn't voted the first time -- Rep. Zack Space of Ohio -- voted "no." It was enough to take the amendment down on a vote of 29 to 30.
The measure would have specified that health care legislation moving through Congress may not impose requirements for coverage of abortion, except in limited cases.
The committee approved a Democratic-written measure specifying that abortions would not be required as part of government-approved insurance benefit packages. The measure, which passed 30-28, says health plans in a new purchasing exchange aren't required to cover abortion but that each region of the country should have at least one plan that does so.
The amendment also limits the use of federal funding for abortions. Democrats cast the measure as a compromise but Republicans mostly opposed it.
FOX News' Chad Pergram and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by James R. Boy (Jim) on
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Henry Waxman is a sneaky behind the scenes politicians, worse than any slimy lawyer ever in the history of lawyers. This is the guy that thinks WE THE PEOPLE have no need to know what is in a bill by bringing a "speed reader" to read about a page every eight seconds or so, in order WE THE PEOPLE who have no need to know what he does.
This is the guy that sneaks in amendments at 3:00 AM and expects and immediate vote in the morning. What an example of Humanity.
It is time that WE THE PEOPLE Send this life time politician his pink slip.
WACK WAXMAN by the vote....
James R. Boy+
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Permalink Reply by Ronald L Scott on -
I agree whole hardly and I would like to see a petion to get Waxman and several of the other crooks on capital hill impeached Ron Scorr
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Permalink Reply by Hawk on -
Waxman is a sneaky lying bastard just like Reid, Pelosi, Kennedy, Dodd, Frank. just like most all democrats and RINOs too! Stick around and I'll tell you how I really feel about these socialist pimps!!!!!!!!
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Permalink Reply by John J Kelly Sr on -
No matter how this healthcare debacle goes, we must follow up on this "CASTE SYSTEM" of our leaders (small l is intended). Most of them end up millionaires on our dime. Serve the people, oh we should wish it were so, serve themselves is more like it. The most important thing they worry about is getting re-elected. WE COME BEHIND DEAD LAST.
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Permalink Reply by Darla, ADMIN / National Director on -
Double standards as always with slime ball politicians.
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Permalink Reply by gabe on
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The hurdles this bill still has to pass our immense and with more and more of America becoming not just concerned about the cost but the quality of care this bill could be moot by September.
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Permalink Reply by Amerivibe on -
http://bit.ly/3uAMEx - Please read this. Govt takeover healthcare is about so much more that poor quality and little quantity - it is another huge piece to the Socialism takeover. Finance/Auto/Housing/Healthcare - all gone to the Govt.. God help America.
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Permalink Reply by John J Kelly Sr on
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As it becomes available please get us a trustworthy document that tells us where we are now. Is there a newly combined bill from what is now out of committee on its way to the full House. What is "it" that is going to the House for a vote. It is urgent that we know and become well informed about it so we can further question our Representatives while they are home during the recess.
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Permalink Reply by Debra Bolton on
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They are now talking about using co-ops, instead of 'public option'. However, if congress were forced to leave the coops alone they would be okay. But have they ever been able to do that???
Here are two articles on the subject; from the Heritage Foundation: http://www.heritage.org/Research/healthcare/bg2304.cfm
and from The John Birch Society: http://www.jbs.org/freedom-campaign/5165
We all need to read these before going to a Town Hall. I don't think the coops would work because Congress would take them over and they would then become a 'public option' later down the road when we couldn't stop them. But I think we need to speak intelligently about the subject.
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Permalink Reply by Lee on -
Everyone in Blue Dog states needs to fax, call, or go to these Congressmen's offices and tell them NO to the "Euthanasia Bill".
They are going to fund half of this by cutting back on medicare benefits. Good bye to your elderly Mom and Dad.
There are not 50 million uninsured, 12 to 20 million of them are illegal aliens.
It wouldn't hurt all of us to contact some of the Blue Dogs in any way we can. Urge them to support the Republican Plan and keep the Federal Government out of our health care decisions.
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Permalink Reply by Robert Munyan on -
The whole trouble with these scum ball is that they have been in power to long and they are counting on the American people to forget what they did by election time . And we the American citizens seem to have that problem of forgetting what our representatives think of the people that voted them in power .This president fits right in with these power hungry SOB they're already rob the country of all our money so the only thing left is control of our minds and bodies. I don't know about everyone else but I would not trust these men and women to walk my dog they could mess up a Crap Sandwich.
Our so call president the man with a golden tongue has gone far beyond his wildest dreams why because the people like Wacke Waxman and Reid, Pelosi, Kennedy, Dodd, Frank..When it comes to election day all of ,Obama brown shirt you know acorn will try to do all the things that they do best .We must show them that we can do a better job.
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Permalink Reply by Edward A Sevenau on
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I guess i am what the Obama media is calling a paid for anti Obamacare nut job. the truth be told just like all those people that are being falsely accused of being used by the right wing groups is that we are upset and not playing a game, and if Obama and his team want to test that then watch what happens if they force this healthcare nightmare on we the people. they will loose their jobs faster than what the Obamanomics caused already, I am truly telling this to everyone, we the people do want Healthcare reform but not a government takeover, leave our elderly alone, how dare any government official even think they could just rob our elderly from all the benifits that these good American citizens have already paid for all their lives. this is shameful to even think like that. If this is what Mr. Obama has for a Healthcare plan then no sir we people will not allow government to tell us when we can live or die, and no matter what Mr. Obama or any of his team tell us, we know that they are not telling us the truth and that alone is shameful if not a reason to remove a president from office! those people at those town hall meetings are not being paid to do that I myself am one of them, we are scared and we have elderly people in our families in Medicare and I will not allow Obama or anyone in congress force my loved ones into the grave, especially when no one in congress will accept this health plan for themselves or their families, so if this plan is so good why not force our elected servants that work for us to be pushed out of their healthcare plans that we the people pay for and make them forced to use what ever they force on us, that includes everyone in our government president included, if that was the case I am sure we would see a much better bill come out of both houses and the president would surely sign it to keep himself and familhy alive, so stop this very bad bill that takes the power away from the people and gives it to government, that is not American and we Americans will not allow or accept it. nor should anyone. so stop telling the world we are nut jobs for telling our government just how we really feel. stop ignoring us Mr. Obama or you will loose your job just as fast as congress will. leave our Healthcare system alone and stop trying to takeover our country, we are free people not socialists or communists, so sorry Mr. Obama we choose freedom and Liberty. call us what you want. but force us and see what happens. God bless America.
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