House leaders: We're moving ahead on health reform without Stupak

Top Democrats in the House of Representatives delivered a welcome message Thursday: They will move forward on passing health reform without further negotiations over abortion restrictions with anti-choice Rep. Bart Stupak. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi added on Friday that a vote could come as early as next weekend (March 20-21) and that the House will stay in session until the bill is passed.

California Rep. Henry Waxman, chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, told the Associated Press that House leadership will try to secure the necessary 216 votes without reworking the abortion language. Stupak has claimed he has 12 votes against health reform if his abortion ban is not added to the Senate's version of health reform. But Waxman said "many of the pro-life Democrats (in the House) are going to support passage of the health care bill."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told the Associated Press Thursday that "we have enough (votes) to move forward." Later, in an interview shown on the Rachel Maddow show Thursday night, she said Stupak is wrong when he claims federal funding will go to abortions under the Senate health reform bill. Further, she suggested that the abortion issue is being used by Republicans whose real aim is to block health reform from passing, adding, "I cannot let the good intentions of some be hijacked by those who do not want health care reform."

In an interview with Roll Call, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer explained that no matter what Stupak wants, his wishes cannot in any case be accommodated through the reconciliation bill that will be used to make adjustments to the Senate health reform bill.

“I don’t know that we’ve made a collective judgment on it, but I think his comments are accurate that we believe it’s not possible to do it through reconciliation,” Hoyer said. The Majority leader contended House leadership could get the votes anyway, without giving Stupak what he wants.

“We’re working at it and I think the answer is yes, I think we can,” he said. “We haven’t yet, but because we don’t have a product yet. We’re not through finally putting the reconciliation package together and until we do that, it’s really unrealistic to ask a Member what you are going to do.”

Politico reported today that Pelosi told her members Friday to brace themselves for a climatic health care vote as early as next week, warning them to clear their schedules for next weekend and promising to stay in session until the landmark vote, people present at the meeting told POLITICO. President Barack Obama has postponed an overseas trip until March 21, and Pelosi said, "I am delighted the president will be here for the passage of the bill. It will be historic."

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