Public Option passes in the House - Open Thread

1 R supporting (0.00 / 0)

Congressman Joseph Gao of Louisiana came on board.

---

by: Jason Springer @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 22:17:11 PM CST

He voted present. (0.00 / 0)

Not for the bill, as I understand it.

---

by: JRB @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 22:28:53 PM CST

[ Parent ]

C-SPAN showed him as a yes (4.00 / 1)

could there have been a last second switch?

I have to think of a witty signature about Frank LoBiondo

---

by: Hopeful @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 22:33:46 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Roll Call 887 confirms 220-215 (4.00 / 1)

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/200...

Cao voted aye.

Adler voted no.


I have to think of a witty signature about Frank LoBiondo

---

by: Hopeful @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 22:37:36 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I stand corrected. (0.00 / 0)

And I'm glad John Adler found the path to George Gilmore's heart tonight.

---

by: JRB @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 22:50:10 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Even Though I Think The Bill Is... (4.00 / 1)

...inadequate, it's nice to see a Democratic victory over the BS the Republicans have been feeding us tonight.

But, frankly, this is just the very beginning of what will now be a long struggle for single payer.    Thanks to Obama for at least getting our toes into the water!

---

by: Nick Lento @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 22:20:58 PM CST

Rush Holt Statement (long) (4.00 / 1)

this went out amost instantly.

Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) tonight voted for the Affordable Health Care for America Act, legislation that would provide secure and stable health coverage regardless of job status, ensure Americans will never be denied care if they get sick, and extend coverage to those not well served by the current system. The bill passed the House Saturday night by a vote of 220-215 and now awaits action in the Senate.  Information about the bill - including bill text, a detailed summary, and a timeline for implementation - is available at holt.house.gov. A video of Holt's remarks during debate can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

"This is a historic vote.  It is the furthest we have come toward providing affordable and quality health coverage to all Americans," Holt said. "I know this bill will continue to improve as we move through the legislative process.  I look forward to working in the weeks ahead to complete this legislation and send it to the President for his signature."

While in the U.S. we will spend more than $8,000 per person in 2009 for health care, 16 percent of New Jerseyans - and 46 million people in the U.S. - lacked insurance in 2007. Family insurance premiums are projected to rise from $14,000 in 2009 to $24,000 in 2019.

The legislation would provide millions of Americans with coverage they don't have, provide significant consumer protections to the hundreds of millions of Americans with private insurance, and provide improvements to Medicare by closing the prescription drug "doughnut hole" and promoting prevention and wellness. The bill would benefit those with and without insurance by:

Establishing important consumer protections for all Americans. Insurers would be prohibited from excluding coverage or charging more based on pre-existing conditions like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, or pregnancy. Insurers also would be prohibited from dropping coverage if someone become sick and prohibited from setting annual or lifetime limits beyond which the insurer refuses to pay, leaving your family faced with bankruptcy. Insurance companies would have to spend more (at least 80 percent) of each premium dollar on actually providing healthcare.

Creating an insurance marketplace for those not well served by the system now.  Those between jobs, employees of small businesses, or those who do not get coverage through their work would be able to purchase health insurance at group rates. All insurance plans in the store would need to cover a comprehensive set of necessary services and follow all the consumer protection standards. Among the plans from which a person could choose would be at least one public plan.  Through competition and choice, coverage would be more affordable and accountable and would provide care better aligned with the best medical standards. According to a Congressional committee report, the bill would help 10,000 uninsured individuals in Central New Jersey gain access to affordable health insurance.

Strengthening health care for seniors. The proposal would strengthen Medicare in a number of important ways, including emphasizing more primary and preventive care, eliminating the doughnut hole in the Medicare prescription drug benefit, reducing redundant tests or unnecessary procedures, and eliminating wasteful subsidies to insurance companies. Not only would Medicare remain intact under this legislation, Holt said, it would become better.

"It would do all these things without adding to the deficit, while holding down costs for families and businesses in the future," Holt said. "The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that this legislation would not change the deficit over the next ten years, and in fact would produce a $104 billion surplus."

Holt succeeded in including two provisions to the legislation.  One would provide additional job training in order to expand the health care workforce. The bill would create a competitive National Health Workforce Online Training Grant program for universities, community colleges, non-profits, workforce investment boards, and others to increase the number of online training programs for individuals seeking health care jobs.  The online job program would support programs similar to one offered by Rutgers University and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.  

Another amendment Holt offered would create small employer benefit arrangements, which provide a new way for affiliated small businesses to join together to offer health insurance and other benefits to their employees. Holt first learned about this health pool arrangement from a Monmouth County small businessman.

"This bill is the culmination of one of the most open and deliberative processes in recent memory," Holt said.  "During the past few years, Congressional committees held more than 53 committee hearings, debated and voted on almost 240 amendments, and considered health reform for 167 hours.  We have held thousands of town meetings, read and responded to hundreds of thousands of letters, and met with health care experts and patients."

I have to think of a witty signature about Frank LoBiondo

---

by: Hopeful @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 22:21:03 PM CST

Let's Do Whatever It Takes To Make Sure... (4.00 / 1)

...these provisions stay in the final version that gets signed.

We will need tens of thousands more doc and nurses to take proper care of the American people until we get really universal single payer with no deductibles and truly comprhensive coverage that will wind up preventing MOST of the chronic diseases that now take up so much money and kill and disable so many of us.

Kudos to Holt for accepting (and improving!) what is good for now...but I know that in his heart of hearts he knows single payer is where we're ultimately going to be.

 

---

by: Nick Lento @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 22:27:20 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Obama tweet (0.00 / 0)

This is history.

http://twitter.com/BarackObama

I have to think of a witty signature about Frank LoBiondo

---

by: Hopeful @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 22:23:41 PM CST

I had to laugh (0.00 / 0)

"Obama's" account Re-Tweeted this:

RT @kendrickbmeek Historic moment. Historic vote. We delivered on our promise to the American people.

Meek is in the House, but of course is running for Senate in 2010. Those campaigns are now well underway, I guess.

I have to think of a witty signature about Frank LoBiondo

---

by: Hopeful @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 22:48:33 PM CST

[ Parent ]

on the vote total (and Adler) (0.00 / 0)

It seems clear that there was some struggle to ensure the bill passed. This made the bad Stupak amendment necessary. While it's clear that the leadership released some Dems to vote now (putting unreliable Cao aside, there's one spare vote for passage so that no one is the "decisive" vote), I don't give Adler that excuse as he jumped off well before the late-night compromise. Indeed,he may have helped make it necessary. I am very angry at him.

I have to think of a witty signature about Frank LoBiondo

---

by: Hopeful @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 22:43:54 PM CST

Statement of President Barack Obama on House Passage of the Affordable Health Care for America Act (0.00 / 0)

Tonight, in an historic vote, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would finally make real the promise of quality, affordable health care for the American people.

The Affordable Health Care for America Act is a piece of legislation that will provide stability and security for Americans who have insurance; quality affordable options for those who don't; and bring down the cost of health care for families, businesses, and the government while strengthening the financial health of Medicare.  And it is legislation that is fully paid for and will reduce our long-term federal deficit.

Thanks to the hard work of the House, we are just two steps away from achieving health insurance reform in America.  Now the United States Senate must follow suit and pass its version of the legislation.  I am absolutely confident it will, and I look forward to signing comprehensive health insurance reform into law by the end of the year.

I have to think of a witty signature about Frank LoBiondo

---

by: Hopeful @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 22:49:31 PM CST

McCain District Democrats voting yes: (4.00 / 2)

(i.e. people with more courage than John Adler. Freshmen in bold)

AR-01 Berry
AR-02 Snyder
AZ-01 Kirkpatrick
AZ-08 Giffords
AZ-05 Mitchell
CO-03 Salazar
IN-08 Ellsworth
IN-09 Hill
ND-AL Pomeroy
OH-18 Space
OH-06 Wilson
PA-03 Dahlkemper
PA-10 Carney
PA-12 Murtha
SC-05 Spratt
VA-05 Perriello
WV-01 Mollohan
WV-03 Rahall

---

by: Scott Weingart @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 23:00:05 PM CST

Bean soup, with chocolate after (0.00 / 0)

Apologies for the too-short initial post. I wanted to get the news up quick, but the real reason is that I've been glued to C-SPAN all day. Skipped lunch. Chewed on my fingernails for dinner. Was suddenly compelled to make a chocolate run (plus something with protein). Great to come back and see so many details filled in.

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  

---

by: Rosi Efthim @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 23:07:11 PM CST

Only four "no" votes came from bluer districts... (4.00 / 1)

...than NJ-03.

Artur Davis of AL-07 (Obama +42) is running for Governor of Alabama and is thus "voting his state" rather than "voting his district".

Dennis Kucinich of OH-10 (Obama +20) probably wanted single-payer, or at least a much more robust public option.

The others are John Barrow of GA-12 (Obama +9) and Brian Baird of WA-03 (Obama +8).

---

by: Scott Weingart @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 23:12:19 PM CST

Does anybody know when Kucinich cast his "no" vote? (0.00 / 0)

If it was after the 218th vote, then he is just a jerk, but if it was beforehand, then he should be truly ashamed of himself.  Once again, his commitment to his ideology and his own place on his soapbox supersedes his commitment to being a part of the political process.  This is why Anthony Weiner will always be a better advocate for single payer than Kucinich.

---

by: rachael'sdad @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 23:28:30 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Kaine (DNC) statement (0.00 / 0)

"This day has been a long time coming. Teddy Roosevelt first called for health reform nearly 100 years ago, but today - in the face of furious lobbying by the insurance industry and nearly unanimous opposition from Republicans - House Democrats accomplished something no other Congress has been able to do: pass comprehensive health reform legislation. I want to thank President Obama for his extraordinary leadership on this issue, and extend my congratulations to Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Hoyer, Chairmen Waxman, Miller and Rangel, Congressman Clyburn and countless others in the U.S. House of Representatives for taking this historic step.

"The Affordable Health Care for America Act will provide more security and stability to people who already have insurance by enacting much needed reforms to the insurance industry. No longer will an insurance company be able to deny someone coverage because of a pre-existing condition, or cancel someone's coverage when they get sick. The Act will provide more quality, affordable choices for the millions of Americans who are uninsured. And the bill will bring down the high costs of care, for American families and businesses, while lowering our deficit.

"This historic day would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of Organizing for America (OFA) in rallying the public to see through Republican scare-tactics and lies and energizing them behind the cause of our generation - meaningful health insurance reform.  In total, more than 2 million people participated in OFA's grassroots campaign for reform by signing pledges, sharing their personal stories and hosting and attending one of the thousands of local events in all 50 states and all 435 Congressional Districts.  In the final week of August and the first week of September alone over 110,000 people attended a pro-reform event providing the necessary momentum that made possible this monumental achievement.

"Americans from all walks of life have endorsed this legislation. The AARP endorsed the bill because they believe it will reduce health care costs and expand coverage for older Americans.  The American Medical Association and the American Nurses Association have lent their support because they believe it will help to fix the problems in our broken system and strengthen the doctor-patient relationship. The Consumers Union endorsed the bill because they believe it will create a more secure, affordable health care system, and the National Farmers' Union has given their support because it will help Americans who live in rural areas access care.

"Despite the overwhelming support this legislation has received and despite a strong mandate from the public for action, the Republicans have held tight to their just-say-no approach, firmly rooting the GOP on the side of the insurance lobby and the status quo that is breaking American families and small businesses.  It is evident from their obstructionism that the Republicans are more interested in protecting their own reputations and political fortunes than ensuring that our generation and generations to come have the best possible access to health care.  Unfortunately for the Republican Party, their misguided and shameful campaign to kill health reform looks doomed to fail -  something all Americans should be thankful for.

"Today, Congressional Democrats put opponents of reform on notice: the status quo is unsustainable and inaction is not an option. This vote doesn't mark the end of this process - we still have a ways to go - but it is a critical milestone on the road to passing health insurance reform.  The American people want reform - they need reform - and Democrats will not rest until we pass comprehensive health reform legislation."

hastily edited to make "nearly" unanimous opposition?

I have to think of a witty signature about Frank LoBiondo

---

by: Hopeful @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 23:20:37 PM CST

Chris Van Hollen statement: (4.00 / 1)

Thanks to you, I write to celebrate an historic moment for our country.

Hours ago, the House of Representatives passed the Affordable Health Care for America Act, which includes a strong public option, and will finally end the broken status quo of health insurance for the American people.

It is all the more fitting that we passed this legislation on the third anniversary of Democrats winning our Majority in the House of Representatives - November 7, 2006. Grassroots Democrats like you stood with us then to make Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House and because you've stood with us every day since, today we passed legislation to finally make health insurance affordable for the middle class.

Read more about the Affordable Health Care for America Act, which you helped to pass through the House of Representatives earlier today.

There is still a lot of work ahead to make sure this legislation gets to President Obama's desk for his signature. We'll need grassroots Democrats like you to help us finish the job.

For now, I just wanted to say thank you for helping to make this historic day possible.

Sincerely,

Chris Van Hollen
Rep. Chris Van Hollen
DCCC Chairman

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  

---

by: Rosi Efthim @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 23:41:49 PM CST

Dems put out statement condemning LoBiondo (0.00 / 0)

I put it at Frank LoBiondo Record.  

I have to think of a witty signature about Frank LoBiondo

---

by: Hopeful @ Sat Nov 07, 2009 at 23:49:33 PM CST

tanfastic linkage, Hopeful :-) n/t (0.00 / 0)

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.  

---

by: Rosi Efthim @ Sun Nov 08, 2009 at 00:21:03 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Is there going to be a real challenger this year? (0.00 / 0)

LoBiondo has done some OK things for middle class New Jerseyans in the past, especially with prevailing wage laws, but this session of Congress will be a cudgel if used right.

---

by: JRB @ Sun Nov 08, 2009 at 07:18:02 AM CST

[ Parent ]

And how would that real challenger (0.00 / 0)

if there is one have voted on this bill?  

---

by: Jason Springer @ Sun Nov 08, 2009 at 09:54:48 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Meh. (0.00 / 0)

On that one bill? I dunno. But in the Congress as a whole? LoBiondo has been an opposition lockstepper.

---

by: JRB @ Sun Nov 08, 2009 at 11:39:04 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I'd would bet no challenger (0.00 / 0)

If I were thinking of taking the plunge, I might be scared off by an off-year electorate.
But I could be wrong.

On the other hand, we do know there are potential challengers who want to be in Congress, and at least South Jersey Dems often are willing to take the plunge and make a run.

I have to think of a witty signature about Frank LoBiondo

---

by: Hopeful @ Sun Nov 08, 2009 at 13:54:40 PM CST

[ Parent ]