Washington Report

Conservatives Protest Healthcare Reform at Capitol Hill Rally

As House Democratic leaders negotiated the final sticking points in the healthcare bill that will go to the floor for a vote on Saturday, thousands of conservative protestors staged a rebellion on Thursday afternoon against what they’re calling socialized medicine or “Pelosicare.” It was one of several last-ditch efforts to derail the legislation that included visits to individual members and a 12-hour, online town hall meeting called “Pelosi Plan Exposed.”

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minnesota), who organized the “Hands Off Our Healthcare” rally, explained to the crowd gathered on the West Front of the Capitol that the Republicans don’t have the necessary votes to kill the healthcare bill.    “We knew that we were limited, but what we knew was unlimited was the voice of persuasion of the American people and that’s why you’re here today, with your voice of persuasion,” she said.

The protestors were more than happy to oblige. Many of the demonstrators were Tea Party activists who protested President Barack Obama’s tax policies in April and healthcare reform at nationwide rallies during the congressional August recess. Channeling the fervent pitch of those previous demonstrations, they waved signs with slogans such as “Just Say Nobama,” “Politicians Lie, Patients Die” and “Clean House 2010,” while chanting “Kill the bill!”

House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio said that the bill is “the greatest threat to freedom” that he’s seen during his 19 years in Washington, warning the crowd that the bill voted on this weekend will take away their freedom to choose doctors or buy their own coverage.

Minority Whip Eric Cantor of Ohio pledged that the bill would not get one Republican vote. And, he added, “We’re going to try to pick up as many common-sense Democrats as we can.”

Congress Passes Jobless Benefits Bill

The House of Representatives passed the Worker, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009 with a bipartisan vote of 403 to 12 on Thursday. The Senate passed its version of the bill on November 4.

The legislation provides an additional 14 weeks unemployment insurance for jobless workers in every state, and 20 weeks for workers in states with unemployment levels above 8.5%. It also extends the $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit to buyers with a binding contract before April 30, 2010. The current credit is scheduled to expire November 30. In addition, the provision has been expanded to include individuals and families with incomes of $125,000 and $225,000 respectively and makes a $6500 credit available to buyers who’ve been in their current residence for five or more consecutive years out of the last eight years.

“The American people deserve and have earned this help,” said Rep. Jim McDermott

(D-Washington), chair of the House Ways and Means Income Security and Family Support Subcommittee. “We cannot forget that we’re not yet out of the woods especially Americans who are struggling to find a job in an economy where six people are competing for every available job.” According to McDermott, in some cases 500 people will respond to an ad for one position. If he had his druthers, he told reporters during a press conference, the unemployment benefits would be extended until the end of 2010.

A provision in the bill to help struggling businesses would allow them to use net operating losses from 2008 or 2009 to offset profits from five previous years, up from two years. Small businesses that have already elected to carry back 2008 under the Recovery Act may also carry back their 2009 losses.

House Votes to Accelerate Tougher Credit Card Rules

In response to complaints from constituents that some credit card companies are taking advantage of the period before new rules enacted earlier this take effect in February 2010, the House of Representatives voted on November 4 to implement the rules immediately. The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, 331-92. Its fate in the Senate, however, remains unclear.

The credit card companies were taking advantage

of the delay in implement to raise rates and conduct other onerous practices, so we had to act quickly,” Rep. William Lacy Clay Jr. (D-Missouri) said. “The senate sees how the industry has reacted to new regulations and realize that to protect consumers we must act now.”

Last May, Congress passed the Credit Card Act of 2009 to prohibit rate increases on existing balances unless the cardholder is at least 60 days late paying the bill and creditors must provide 45 days’ notice before increasing rates. They are banned from charging a fee to process payments made by telephone or online and or on an outstanding balance at the end of a billing period if the fee is attributed to the interest accrued on an outstanding balance that was fully repaid during the preceding billing period.

House Set to Vote on Healthcare Bill Saturday

Despite rumors that Democrats may not yet have the 218 votes needed to pass an historic healthcare reform bill this weekend, floor debate on the bill will begin in earnest on Saturday. A vote is scheduled to take place Saturday evening, but House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland has hinted that a vote could be postponed until Sunday or even later due to Republican delay tactics or insufficient Democratic support.

Language over funding for abortion services

continues to present the most serious problem, followed by lingering concerns over illegal immigrants’ access to healthcare. But Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Maryland) says such debates may add to the suspense, “In the end I can’t imagine that Democrats will let this bill fail. The bill’s going to pass in the House–period.”

This is the closest Congress has come to overhauling the nation’s healthcare system since it first started trying 60 years ago. On Thursday, several large interest groups such as AARP, the American Medical Association, the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network, and the Association for Community Affiliated Plans, endorsed the House bill.
President Barack Obama plans to meet with the Democratic caucus Saturday, which Cummings says could go a long way in persuading anyone who may still have reservations. Some of the bill’s provisions, such as the public option, may not be as robust as some lawmakers would like, he added, but the measure includes other very significant provisions to expand coverage, cap deductibles and copayments, prevent insurance companies from raising premiums or dropping policyholders if they become ill, among others.

“We’ve come too far for this bill to not pass,” Cummings says. “He will say we’re on the one-yard line and no one else in history has gotten past the 50-yard line. We have to go over.”