Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) today told Greta Van Susteren that democratic leaders are stripping GOP amendments from their nationalized health care bill after they were voted on and approved in committee.
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As the author of legislation calling for open and public meetings on the health care bill, Congressman Buchanan today urged President Obama to do everything in his power to ensure that the American people are not shut out of the important health care debate.
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) also urged House and Senate Leaders to accept C-SPAN’s offer to publicly broadcast the health care negotiations like President Obama promised the American public 8 times during his campaign.
House.gov reported:
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (FL-13), the author of the Sunshine Resolution, today called on House and Senate Leaders to accept C-SPAN’s offer to publicly broadcast final health care negotiations. Buchanan said Congress should not engage in secret, backroom deals when it comes to writing the most sweeping health reform bill in decades.
Buchanan’s resolution, H. Res. 847, has 151 cosponsors and requires that all final negotiations on the health care reform bill be conducted under the watchful eye of the American people. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has not allowed a vote yet on the Buchanan plan.
Recent press reports have indicated Democrat leaders intend to draft the final bill behind closed doors.
“Health care reform is one of the largest public policy reforms taken up by Congress in generations,” said Buchanan. “If enacted, the final bill will impact the lives of all Americans. With so much at stake, any conference committee or meetings held to determine the content of sweeping national health care legislation should be held under the watchful eye of the American people, not behind closed doors.”
Pelosi: Congress Close to Healthcare Deal
Newsmax
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Wednesday congressional Democrats are close to agreement on merging their healthcare bills but still faced challenges in blending the two approaches.
For the second consecutive day, Pelosi and other House Democratic leaders met with President Barack Obama at the White House to discuss ways to reconcile the House’s healthcare overhaul with a version passed by the Senate.
“We’ve had a very intense couple of days,” Pelosi told reporters after the White House meeting. “I think we are very close to reconciliation, respectful of the challenges.”
Democratic House-Senate negotiators must bridge differences on issues including the use of federal funds for abortion, new taxes to pay for the plans, a government-run insurance option and the level of subsidies and penalties for the uninsured.
The two bills must be melded into one and passed again by each chamber before Obama can sign it.
But Democrats must keep each member of their fragile 60-vote Senate caucus together to muscle the bill through over unified Republican opposition, meaning the final version must hew closely to the Senate bill on several crucial points.
Wild Thing’s comment………..
Rep. Vern Buchanan is in our area and we have voted for him. He does something I really like along with the above information. He sends out emails all the time on everything he does and 99% of the time the email includes a link to click on to VOTE for what he will do.l never saw this done before, but I love it. He asked about Cap and Trade, Health Care bill, drill for oil. each step along the way. I wish more politicians would do this. ASK WE THE PEOPLE what we want.
Pelosi and Obama doing their dirty criminal deals behind locked doors. I can’t believe this IS happening….but it is. I pray it can be stopped somehow.
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….Thank you Mark for sending this to me.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
I like your Congressman WT. A lot of states have a balanced budget clause in their state constitutions. There is no reason the Federal govt. cannot also be so restricted.
I like the fact C-SPAN is pushing the issue to televise the healthcare negotiations. It puts an onus on the Democrat leadership. However, I think the Dem’s quest for more powerful government will override their slight embarrassment at being called on their lies of transparency.
Tom, your so right, the dems will only have a slight embarrassment if any.