Breaking News - Pelosi believes she has enough votes to pass the bill in Sunday's vote
The number of Democrats who will vote yes for the bill continues to grow.
The number of Democrats who will vote yes for the bill continues to grow.
- As of this writing, Reps. Baron Hill of Indiana, John Boccieri of Ohio, Scott Murphy of New York and Allen Boyd and Suzanne Kosmas of Florida became the latest Democrats to say they would vote "yes" after voting against an earlier version that passed last year.
- Many fence-sitting Democrats have reported intense pressure both in favor of and against the bill.
- This afternoon, the President took his campaign tour for the bill to the Capitol, urging lawmakers to approve the bill for the good of the millions of Americans who lack health insurance.
Today Democrats dropped plans for an indirect vote that would have relied on a legislative maneuver to give their OK to the Senate's version of health care legislation.
Pelosi is so certain she has the votes she needs that today the following activity for Sunday's session was announced:
Pelosi is so certain she has the votes she needs that today the following activity for Sunday's session was announced:
- First, a vote on bringing the reconciliation bill to the floor and setting terms of debate on the bills;
- Second, a vote on the reconciliation bill itself;
- Third, a vote on the Senate version of the legislation.
- This three step process was set in place to make it clear that the House intends for the Senate bill to be fixed rather than become law as is.
- Before reconciliation of the House and Senate bills can occur, however, the President must receive and approve the Senate bill.