2nd UPDATE: US House Votes To Open Debate On Health Bill
By Patrick Yoest Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- A major overhaul of U.S. health care cleared a crucial test vote Saturday, when the House voted 242-192 to open formal debate.
The vote approving rules for debate on the health-care bill clears the way for a final vote on the measure as early as 7 p.m. EST.
No Republicans voted to approve the rule on the health bill, a vote closely watched to gauge the opposition's strength.
It sets the parameters of House debate on the measure, which will include votes on an anti-abortion amendment offered by Rep. Bart Stupak (D, Mich.), a Republican alternative to the bill, and the bill itself.
The rule also allows Democrats to bring up a long-term "fix" to the Medicare physician payment formula, but House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D, Md.) has said a vote won't occur on the measure until the week of Nov. 16.
Rep. Jason Altmire (D, Pa.) was among the Democrats who voted against the procedural rule. Altmire said he had received phone calls Friday asking him to support the bill from President Barack Obama, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
A spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D, Calif.) said House Democratic leaders plan to hold a final vote on the bill Saturday evening, as soon as 7:00 p.m. EST.
-By Patrick Yoest, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-3554; patrick.yoest@dowjones.com
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Publié le 07 novembre 2009 Copyright © 2009 Dowjones
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