By Jonathan D. Salant March 20 (Bloomberg) — Groups on both sides of the health- care debate took to the airwaves, the phones and the streets to try to woo a small number of lawmakers in advance of tomorrow’s landmark vote in the U.S. House. Targeting the undecided lawmakers who will determine whether the legislation passes were organizations including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce , the Service Employees International Union and AARP, the biggest U.S. advocacy group for retirees. At stake was a 10-year, $940 billion measure that would make the biggest changes to the U.S. health-care system in more than four decades. “At this stage of the game, it’s down to a handful of members of Congress and everybody knows who they are,” said David Sloane , senior vice president for government relations at Washington-based AARP . The group endorsed the measure yesterday and its chief executive officer, Barry Rand , sent a letter to each House member urging a “yes” vote. AARP lobbyists and members are calling targeted lawmakers to make the case for the bill. Also announcing its support for the legislation yesterday was the doctors’ trade group, the Chicago-based American Medical Association . Abortion Issue Opponents of the measure include Americans United for Life Action , an anti-abortion group. The group spent $350,000 on newspaper ads directed at 14 House Democrats who supported an amendment by Representative Bart Stupak , a Michigan Democrat, added to the health bill the House passed in November that would block federal funding of abortion through federal health plans. The head of the United for Life group, Charmaine Yoest , spent yesterday calling Democrats who supported the Stupak amendment and telling them the anti-abortion provisions of the legislation now being considered were not strong enough. Through e-mails and text messages, abortion opponents were asked to deliver the same message to their local lawmakers’ offices. The group also asked abortion opponents to download and print copies of the newspaper ads, write a personal message and hand-deliver them to the representatives’ district offices. “If you take the time to personally print something out and make your voice heard, they will get that message,” said Matthew Faraci, a spokesman for the Washington-based group. Capitol Rally Between 2,000 to 3,000 opponents of the bill gathered today on a lawn in front of the U.S. Capitol. Speakers at the rally included actor Jon Voight , and some members of the crowd periodically chanted “kill the bill.” Some members of the crowd became unruly toward some black lawmakers, according to Representative James Clyburn , a South Carolina Democrat who serves as the House Majority Whip. “It was absolutely shocking to me,” said Clyburn, who is black. “I heard people saying things today I have not heard since March 15, 1960, when I was marching to try to get off the back of the bus — this was incredible.” Representative John Lewis , a Georgia Democrat who is black, was called a racial epithet, according to Kristie Greco , a spokeswoman for Clyburn. Representative Emanuel Cleaver , a Missouri Democrat who is black, was spat upon, Greco said. Neither Lewis nor Cleaver responded immediately to requests for comment. Phone Calls Congressional operators have been fielding 50,000 calls an hour for the past week, about 10 times the number that House members normally receive, said Jeff Ventura, a spokesman for Daniel Beard , the chamber’s chief administrative officer. As many as 50,000 additional calls an hour are getting a recording that says all circuits are busy, Ventura said. “We think this is breaking some records,” he said. “This is very obviously a big vote and there is a lot of interest around this.” The legislation, President Barack Obama ’s top domestic priority, requires Americans to get insurance and offers government aid and new purchasing exchanges to help in obtaining that coverage. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said it would reduce the federal deficit by $138 billion in the first 10 years. Critics’ Contentions Opponents question those projections and say the bill will cause health costs to soar and amounts to a government takeover of the medical system. The Chamber began an ad campaign opposing the bill earlier this month and extended its effort through the weekend on national cable television and in 11 states with representatives who were among those whose votes on the legislation have been in doubt. Groups sending out letters urging “no” votes included the National Association of Manufacturers and the National Retail Federation. Another letter of opposition came from Peoria, Illinois- based Caterpillar Inc., which said the measure would drive up its costs by more than $100 million in the first year of implementation. Cleveland-based Eaton Corp . contacted lawmakers to express its opposition to the bill, which would add “more burden to those companies that provide the best health-care coverage to their employees,” said Kelly Jasko , a company spokeswoman. Union Efforts Among the legislation’s advocates, the 2.2-million member SEIU set up toll-free numbers for union members to use to contact lawmakers, bypassing the congressional switchboard. The union also used phone banks in the districts of some undecided lawmakers. “These members need to hear from the people who live in their hometowns,” said SEIU spokeswoman Lori Lodes . She also said that more than 60 supporters of the legislation rallied yesterday outside the Erie, Pennsylvania, office of Representative Kathy Dahlkemper , a Democrat who has been in the undecided column. Unions also indicated they might not support Democrats who voted against the bill. Seventeen union officials sent a letter yesterday to Representative Michael Arcuri , a New York Democrat who said he would oppose the legislation, telling him that voting no “would be a betrayal to our members who worked hard to help you win your office.” Members of Organizing for America , comprised of people who backed Obama in the 2008 campaign, were sent an e-mail yesterday by the group’s head, David Plouffe , urging them to contact lawmakers on behalf of the health-care bill. Plouffe served as Obama’s campaign manager. The legislation’s opponents, including the Chamber, are spending an average of $1.1 million a day this week on broadcast advertisements, according to Evan Tracey , president of Kantar Media’s Campaign Media Analysis Group in Arlington, Virginia. Supporters are averaging $244,000. To contact the reporter on this story: Jonathan D. Salant in Washington at jsalant@bloomberg.net .
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Lobbying Groups Target Undecideds in Final Hours of Health-Overhaul Debate
