House Leaders Will Attempt to Finalize Health Bill
September 21, 2009
The House Energy and Commerce Committee finished its work on their proposed health care overhaul Wednesday, September 23. The committee debated amendments that had been filed but not heard prior to the August recess. The amendments will be sent to the House Rules Committee to be added to the House’s finalized health care package.
House Democratic leaders met Friday, September 25 to negotiate the details of their health care overhaul. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will have a difficult decision on whether to include a public option in the House’s health care package. If she chooses a public option, she could lose the votes of many Democratic centrists and the Blue Dogs. If she opts to remove the public option, she could lose the votes of liberals. Even with the sizable majority of Democrats, either decision might cost enough votes to kill the bill, as Republicans appear united against it.
House leaders hope to have the basic outlines of their health care bill after Friday’s meeting.
