House Majority Leader Implies Health Care Reform Can Pass Without Public Option

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) implied Tuesday that health care reform legislation can pass through Congress without the inclusion of the public option.

"Do I think [the public option] is a condition of passing the bill? My position has been: I'm for the public option, I want to see us adopt the public option, but I think there is a lot in the bill that is very good in addition to the public option," Hoyer said during a pen and pad session with reporters. "I think a bill can pass the House that the majority of the House believes enhances...the providing of access to affordable, quality health care."

Hoyer's statement stands in contrast with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who last Thursday stressed that any attempt at health care reform without the public option will not receive the required votes.

The Majority Leader added that he will not establish a time table for bringing the legislation to the House floor, referring to his previous desire to pass legislation by August as "a learning experience."

Health Care Reform Will Survive Summer Recess, Says House Democratic Leadership

By Laura Woodhead - Talk Radio News Service

Congress' upcoming August recess will not significantly stall health care reform, the House Democratic Leadership promised Friday.

Speaking at a press conference to review the 111th congresses legislative achievements, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) said that during the August recess "there will be a positive drumbeat across America" from members of congress "to dispell the myths being put out there" about the proposed health care bill. Pelosi said that this disinformation was not only coming from Republican opposition but also the health insurance industry, which she described as the "biggest opponents" to reform.

"This is a shock and awe carpet bombing by the health insurance industry to perpetuate the status quo" the Speaker said. "Make no mistake, facts mean nothing to them, mythology is their game, misrepresentation is the currency of the realm and we intend to set the record straight."

Pelosi said she confident that the American people would be able to see through the Republicans' message and support health care reform.

"I am so confident in the wisdom of the American people and the fairness of the press that our message will come through."

Democratic Caucus Vice-Chair Xavier Becerra (D-Calif). credited the achievements of the 111th Congress to President Obama's leadership.

"When we get to the point where we can say we have energy policy that changes America, when we have health care policy that changes American and when we get Americans back to work, it will be because under the President's instruction. This House of Representatives has been active and engaged," he said. "We are a 'do a lot' Congress."

House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) said that Congress' most significant achievement, the passage of health care reform, was yet to come. Clyburn added that the health reform message would not falter over the recess.

"As we leave, 256 of us will go out to tour communities and we will be talking to our constituents about what this bill mean to them," Clyburn said. "I believe that when we come back this September, this congress will be prepared to make history."

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D- MD) praised the achievements of the Congress but warned that the U.S was still not "where we want to be."

"As long as as there is a single foreclosure, as long as we are not getting loans made as quickly as possible, as long as people can not sell homes when they want to sell them or buy them when they want to buy them, we havn't gotten to where we want to be. But we have made very substantial progress," said the Leader.

Hoyer Unfazed By Senate’s Threat To Public Option

By Justin Duckham - Talk Radio News Service

While House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) stands by his belief that a public option is an important aspect of health care reform, he appears unfazed by recent reports indicating that the Senate Finance Committee will likely drop the program from its draft of the legislation.

“The Senate is going to go its way,” said Hoyer during a pen and pad session with reporters Tuesday. “I wouldn’t say I’m concerned, if you mean worried...I don’t think there’s any specific item that’s absolutely substantial to reform.”

The Majority Leader said that he was unsure if Congress would pursue the creation of nonprofit insurance cooperatives as an alternative to the public option.

“We’ll have to see what the Senate does on Co-op and see how it’s formulated...after all, a co-op will be a competitor."

On previous occasions, Hoyer had stated his desire to have the House pass legislation prior to the August recess. However, he announced on Tuesday that the vote will not get to the floor by Friday, the House's last day in session.

“I think it’s unfortunate that we didn’t meet our timelines, but I don’t think it’s a failure by any stretch of the imagination,” Hoyer said.

Hoyer Hints That Congress May Not Delay August Recess To Achieve Health Care Reform

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) suggested that if Congress misses the August deadline put forward by the Obama administration for a completed health care reform bill, postponing Congress’ August recess may not be the most effective step.

“I don’t think it’s a question of staying another week, it’s a question of seeing whether or not we can get to consensus,” Hoyer said during a pen and pad session with reporters Tuesday.

“I don’t think staying in session is... necessary to continue to work on getting consensus,’ Hoyer added.

Following the August recess, Congress will not be back in session until early September.

House Majority Leader: Republicans Are Consistent With Being Consistently Wrong

By Justin Duckham-Talk Radio News Service

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) offered a biting rebuttal to complaints levied by congressional Republicans that the Democrats have botched the recovery of the U.S. economy.

"Republicans are consistent with being consistently wrong," Hoyer quipped during a pen and pad session with reporters Tuesday.

The Majority Leader pointed to the economic program pursued by the Democratically controlled Congress in 1993, noting that although Republicans issued warnings of job loss and and out of control deficits, the economy faired quite well.

"Exactly the 180 degree opposite happened. Deficits were eliminated [and] we created 20.8 million jobs," Hoyer said.

Hoyer contrasted the 1993 economic program with the one proposed by the GOP controlled Congress in 2001.

"[Congressional Republicans] indicated that if we adopted their economic program...our economy would explode: creation of jobs, elimination of the deficit, and that our economy would be in very good shape,” Hoyer said. “What happened? Exactly the opposite."

"Our policy worked, [the Republicans'] policy failed," Hoyer added. "The American public decided they needed a change and they asked us to get the economy moving again."

The Majority Leader also touched upon Rep. Charles Rangel's (D-N.Y.) proposal to apply a surtax to individuals making over $280,000 in order to help cover the cost of health care reform. If adopted, Hoyer noted that he does not expect the proposal to harm small businesses.

"I don't know many small businessmen or women who are making $280,000, so I'm not sure that very many small businesses are going to be affected by this."