Stateside: Healthcare legislation debate, Part 1

Well, I’ve made my bet on the outcome of this legislation. Somehow I managed to sleep all day and woke after 5:30pm thinking it would be all over. Reaching for the Blackberry to read my email, I was surprised to see that they weren’t even going to start the debate until 6pm my time. Since I’d hijacked the debate for my own purposes—“if they pass the bill I’ll give up smoking”—that gave me time to go out and get one last pack of coffin nails. Usually, I buy two at once. So now, here I am, fag in hand, listening to the debate.

Whoah! Dan Lungren, a Republican from California, has just asked that the text of Obama’s Executive Order on the subject of federal funds not being used for abortions, be debated. The person in the Speaker’s chair—former Chair of the Rules Committee, Obey—says that it cannot be debated without concurrence from leaders of both parties. Now the Republican who is in charge of calling others to speak in the debate is reading quotes from Democrats and using those against them. And now here comes the House Minority Leader, John Boehner, who says he rises tonight with a “sad and heavy heart” because we should be looking with pride on this legislation… but it’s not so…. Today we stand here amidst the wreckage of what was once the respect and honor in which this House was held by our fellow citizens.” He’s asking of the Chair that members stand and announce their votes one at a time, demanding of that Speaker Pelosi grant his request to her earlier this week for the roll to be called. Pelosi doesn’t appear, and Obey is saying “the Chair will decide at the time the request was made. This is not it.”

Earlier in the day, someone had to be removed from the public gallery after causing a disturbance and shouting out “you guys should be kicked out of office and uphold oath that you took.” The first order of the day that concerned healthcare reform was to vote on the House Resolution that allowed the implementation of the special rule. Two Republicans raised points of order against it; one on the grounds that it created an unfunded mandate, and the other on the grounds that it violates a House Rule regarding earmarks. The one-hour debate on the rule began just after 4pm EDT, with 93 members speaking on it. The vote on the rule was delayed, but when it came it passed 224 to 206, clearing the way for the debate now happening on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Reconciliation Act of 2010.

Now Nancy Pelosi has the floor, and is receiving a standing ovation from the Democratic side of the House. “It is with great pride that… we will be making history.” She’s quoting the Founders’ line about the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness, and thanking President Obama for his leadership. She believes this legislation will unleash tremendous entrepreneurial energy into the economy because people can change jobs or start businesses without having to worry about losing healthcare coverage. After the bill is passed, Pelosi said, “being a woman will no longer be a pre-existing medical condition.” Closing, she says that it wouldn’t be possible to be talking about healthcare without acknowledging the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, who wrote in a letter to be read after his death that healthcare was “the great unfinished business of our country.” The bill, she says, has over 200 Republican amendments in it, so even if it isn’t passed on a bipartisan basis, the bill is bipartisan. Kennedy’s letter said, “What is at stake is not the details of the policy, but the character of our country.” She urges an Aye vote.

The Chair reminds those in the gallery that they cannot express their approval or disapproval as they are guests. Boehner asks that the Chair use his discretion to have a roll call vote on the first piece of legislation—the Senate Bill—that is being voted on. Obey asks only for an electronically recorded vote.

To be continued…

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--PEACE—

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