Friday
Mar122010
Pelosi Says Health Care Vote Could Take Place By Next Sunday
Friday, March 12, 2010 at 2:23PM
By Ching Yu Wang and Justin Duckham-Talk Radio News Service
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Friday that the House could vote on health care reform legislation by next Sunday.
"I'm hoping that it will be in that time frame," Pelosi during a press conference. "Our clock can't start ticking until we get the [Congressional Budget Office] score."
The speaker noted that the public option would not be included in the bill, and explained that although she knew Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) would work to rally support behind it, she understood the political reality of the controversial measure.
"It isn't a case of it's not in there because the Senate is whipping against it. It isn't in there because they don't have the votes to have it in there or they would have had it in there to begin with," Pelosi said.
Noted the speaker, "I'm quite sad that a public option isn't in there."
The legislation, based largely on the health care bill passed initially in the Senate and unpopular among House Democrats, is intended to be sent back to the upper chamber for additional measures provided through reconciliation, a process that would allow Democrats to side-step the 60 votes needed for cloture.
Pelosi commented on concerns among some House Democrats that the Senate could falter on reconciliation, and thus politically embarrass the speaker's colleagues.
"I think Members are much more comfortable about the fact that this reconciliation will happen," Pelosi stated. "Nonetheless, there are certain assurances that they want and that we will get for them before I ask them to take the vote. "
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Friday that the House could vote on health care reform legislation by next Sunday.
"I'm hoping that it will be in that time frame," Pelosi during a press conference. "Our clock can't start ticking until we get the [Congressional Budget Office] score."
The speaker noted that the public option would not be included in the bill, and explained that although she knew Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) would work to rally support behind it, she understood the political reality of the controversial measure.
"It isn't a case of it's not in there because the Senate is whipping against it. It isn't in there because they don't have the votes to have it in there or they would have had it in there to begin with," Pelosi said.
Noted the speaker, "I'm quite sad that a public option isn't in there."
The legislation, based largely on the health care bill passed initially in the Senate and unpopular among House Democrats, is intended to be sent back to the upper chamber for additional measures provided through reconciliation, a process that would allow Democrats to side-step the 60 votes needed for cloture.
Pelosi commented on concerns among some House Democrats that the Senate could falter on reconciliation, and thus politically embarrass the speaker's colleagues.
"I think Members are much more comfortable about the fact that this reconciliation will happen," Pelosi stated. "Nonetheless, there are certain assurances that they want and that we will get for them before I ask them to take the vote. "
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