Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Democrats May Lack Reconciliation Votes to Push Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill

Congressional Democrats are looking at the reconciliation process as a means of railroading the pro-abortion health care bill through Congress. However, a look at the members of the party who may not support reconciliation finds Democrats can't lost any more than two of 11 lawmakers who are on the fence.

The White House is convening a health care summit next week but Republicans say they don't expect pro-abortion President Barack Obama and Democrats to start over on the pro-abortion health care bill.

Instead, political observers believe Democrats will try to use the reconciliation idea to have the House approve the Senate bill and a second bill approved by both chambers that makes changes to it.

That second bill, under terms of the process, would only need a 51-member majority vote instead of 60 to overcome a filibuster in the Senate. That means 50 votes and pro-abortion Vice President Joe Biden breaking the tie.

A new article in Salon finds Senate Leader Harry Reid will need to put pressure on 11 Democrats to make sure they stick with the reconciliation process.

story here