By Ryan Donmoyer and Catherine Dodge March 20 (Bloomberg) — President Barack Obama arrived at the U.S. Capitol to urge House Democrats to back health-care legislation as Democratic leaders voiced confidence they can overcome a dispute over abortion restrictions and pass the bill. On the eve of a vote on the biggest overhaul of U.S. health care in more than four decades, House Democrats also abandoned plans to avoid a direct up-or-down vote on Senate-passed legislation after days of attacks from Republicans. “We believe we have the votes” to pass the Senate bill, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters. He said Democrats dropped the idea of holding an indirect vote on the bill because “we determined we could do this, and it was a better process.” The House tomorrow will vote on both the Senate bill and compromise legislation that amends parts of the Senate measure that House Democrats don’t like, said Representative Henry Waxman , a California Democrat who helped craft the legislation. Obama has had more than 60 conversations with lawmakers since March 15 to help House Speaker Nancy Pelosi round up the 216 votes she needs to pass the legislation. At least seven Democrats who voted “no” on a House version of the bill in November have switched sides to back the measure. At least three others have switched to oppose it. Party leaders said they were confident they can overcome complaints by some members that language restricting federal funding for abortion isn’t strong enough. ‘On the Verge’ “We are on the verge of taking a decisive step to provide access for all Americans to affordable, quality health insurance,” Waxman today told the Rules Committee, which is meeting to set terms for tomorrow’s floor debate. Republicans universally oppose the legislation, arguing that Democrats are underestimating the cost and pushing though changes that polls show Americans don’t like. “They do not want the federal government involved in their personal health care, and they do not want a bill that spends over $1 trillion,” Representative Dave Camp of Michigan told the committee. Outside the Capitol today, more than 2,000 people gathered to protest the legislation, chanting “kill the bill.” The 10-year, $940 billion measure would mark the biggest overhaul of health care since the 1965 creation of the Medicare program for the elderly. Democrats are working to sway the last few lawmakers they need, even as the dispute over abortion and another one over Medicare payments threaten to undermine support for the legislation. Executive Order Hoyer said Democrats are considering asking the Obama administration to issue an executive order that would expressly say “there will be no use of public funds for abortion.” Representative Bart Stupak of Michigan, a leading critic of the abortion language in the legislation, had asked for a separate floor vote to add a stricter ban on such funding. Pelosi has ruled that out. Waxman said he’s “confident that we’re going to get the bill passed tomorrow and that many of the people that support the Stupak position are going to vote for the bill.” Obama, who has made the health-care overhaul the centerpiece of his domestic agenda, continued the lobbying effort in his trip to the Capitol. Hoyer said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would also present a letter signed by more than 50 senators supporting passage of the reconciliation bill. Senate to Act Obama is asking House Democrats to approve the Senate bill passed in December along with the other measure that makes changes to it under a budget process called reconciliation. The Senate will then take up the reconciliation bill as well. The two-step process is necessary because House Democrats object to some provisions in the Senate bill . The original House bill passed 220-215. Since then, Democrats lost four “yes” votes because of vacancies and a switch by the one Republican who backed the bill. Democrats say the legislation will cover 32 million uninsured Americans and curb medical costs . The Congressional Budget Office said it would also reduce the federal deficit by $138 billion in the first 10 years. Insurance Mandate The legislation requires Americans to get insurance, offering government aid and new purchasing exchanges to help. Insurers such as Indianapolis-based WellPoint Inc. would get millions of new policyholders, while being required to accept all customers, even with pre-existing conditions. Insurers gained yesterday, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Managed Health Care Index climbing 2.3 percent. All told, 37 sitting Democrats voted “no” on the original bill. Another 40 supported the measure while voting “yes” on an amendment calling for stricter controls on abortion funding that Stupak offered at the time. Representative Dan Lipinski , an Illinois Democrat, said he’s switching his vote to “no” because of the abortion issue. New York Representative Michael Arcuri , who voted for the original House bill, said he’s now a “no” because the new measure doesn’t do enough to control costs. Massachusetts Representative Stephen Lynch is also switching to “no,” the Boston Herald reported . ‘Yes’ Votes On the other side, Democrats John Boccieri of Ohio, Allen Boyd of Florida, Bart Gordon of Tennessee, Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, Suzanne Kosmas of Florida, Betsy Markey of Colorado and Scott Murphy of New York all now plan to vote “yes” after voting “no” in November, according to statements from the lawmakers or their offices. Two more lawmakers said today they would back the bill. Representative Harry Mitchell , an Arizona Democrat, issued a statement saying he will vote “yes,” as did another undecided lawmaker, Representative Adam Smith , a Washington Democrat. To contact the reporter on this story: Catherine Dodge in Washington at cdodge1@bloomberg.net Ryan J. Donmoyer in Washington at rdonmoyer@bloomberg.net ;
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Obama Rallies Democrats as House Leaders Plan Direct Vote on Health Bill
