It’s taken Democrats a year to finalize their health care bill, so it should come as no surprise that they’re now fighting about the endgame — including an increasingly public spat about when a final push for passage should take place.
The White House has been extraordinarily patient with Congress all year — much to the consternation of many Democrats, who wanted the president and his team to be more assertive. But that patience is clearly wearing thin at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue as lawmakers careen toward an Easter deadline that many Democrats consider their last chance for health care reform — a point not lost on Republicans.
“If the members of Congress go home for two weeks, they’ll hear from the American people what they really think about the bill,” GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander said Tuesday. “They’ll be less likely to vote for it when we come back.”
At this late stage, a fight over abortion seems to be the biggest single hurdle between President Barack Obama and a historic win. But other, smaller issues are sure to creep up.
Hoyer said Tuesday that the abortion fight “has to be resolved.”
The majority leader expressed confidence that the issue would get wrapped up, but he also cautioned reporters that he had not had any formal negotiations with Rep. Bart Stupak, the Michigan Democrat who authored the House abortion restrictions.
Politico
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