According to TPM, the schedule for today’s historic health care reform votes in the U.S. House of Representatives.
1 pm: House convenes
~5-6 pm: Vote on the “self-executing” rule
~8 pm: Vote on reconciliation bill
~9 pm: Vote on Senate bill
You can watch all this, plus whatever commotion in the galleries goes on before the police haul the protestors out of there, live on CSPAN.
In other news related to this debate: at least a few Republicans are denouncing the racist and homophobic slurs from anti-health-care-reform protestors yesterday; Rick Boucher reportedly “has decided his vote — but isn’t telling anyone what it is;” and Rep. Bart Stupak’s vote remains in question. Stay tuned…
UPDATE 4:08 pm: TPM reports, “The White House has just released the final text of the executive order which is the basis of the aforementioned agreement with the Stupak group.” That should clinch it, but I’ll believe it when the votes are actually counted.
UPDATE 7:08 pm: The Hill reports, “House Democrats have approved the rule for debate on the healthcare bill, moving them one step closer toward a final vote on the legislation. The rule was passed 224-206, with 28 Democrats voting against the measure. All Republicans cast “no” votes. A procedural vote on the rules passed by a similar count, 228-202.” Here is the roll call vote on the 224-206 vote, showing Glenn Nye and Rick Boucher voting “nay.” Not good.
UPDATE 7:12 pm: Minority Leader Boehner tells Republicans to “‘behave like grown-ups’ if the healthcare bill is passed by the House on Sunday.”
UPDATE 8:07 pm: Summary of Republican debating points=”socialism….blah blah…government takeover…blah blah…oh yeah socialism…blah blah.”
UPDATE 8:23 pm: Rich Anthony tweets, “As we stand on the verge of passing historic Health Care Reform, I am proud of my fellow Democrats and I urge them to continue to improve the bill until we have true universal health care. Heath Care is a right of all Americans.”
UPDATE 9:24 pm: Former Bush 43 economic speechwriter David Frum says this is “Waterloo” for someone – the Republicans. “Conservatives and Republicans today suffered their most crushing legislative defeat since the 1960s. It’s hard to exaggerate the magnitude of the disaster.”
UPDATE 9:57 pm: While we’re waiting for history to be made, here’s Ted Kennedy on why “now is the time for health care reform.” This one’s for you, Teddy!
UPDATE 10:17 pm: John Boehner is unhinged. Great credit goes to Nancy Pelosi for her leadership on this issue. Shortly, the House votes and America becomes a better, stronger nation.
UPDATE 10:32 pm: House now voting on “Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendments to H.R. 3590 – Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.”
UPDATE 10:47 pm: H.R. 3590 just passed, 219-212 history is made! 🙂 [The roll call vote is here.
UPDATE 11:04 pm: House now voting on “Motion to Recommit H.R. 4872.”
UPDATE 11:08 pm: House rejects the Motion to Recommit H.R. 4872.
UPDATE 11:20 pm: Last but not least, the House will vote on “Final Passage of H.R. 4872 – Reconciliation Act of 2010.”
UPDATE Monday morning: Tom Perriello issues a statement that says, in part…(see after the “flip”)
For more than a century, our leaders have promised affordable universal healthcare to all Americans. Today we delivered that result in a way that our local hospitals say will improve quality and reduce costs for patients. Middle-class families will save $1,000 to $2,000 per year, and small business owners will see the cost of covering their workers drop. This bill will help our rural hospitals and clinics keep their doors open, improve health care for over 400,000 local residents, reduce the federal deficit, and provide coverage to 48,000 more individuals in the 5th district alone — more than the population of Danville.
At the end of the day, this decision for me came down to whether working families would see savings at the kitchen table. They will. I asked whether seniors will see the Medicare Trust Fund extended and the cost of prescription drugs drop. They will. As I have heard from our major hospitals that endorsed the bill, this legislation will improve health care and bring down costs for Virginians.
UPDATE: Jim Moran says…
Today we will define who we are – as Americans, and as Democrats or Republicans.
No Republican will vote for this bill because they say they want a smaller government, lower taxes, and less spending.
Democrats, on the other hand, believe that America’s government can be fiscally responsible and play an essential role in helping America achieve its true greatness.
We can see America is a lesser nation when we have to pay twice what other countries citizens’ pay for health care, but we live shorter and less healthy lives; when millions of America’s families lose their homes and life savings because a loved one gets seriously sick.
We know that we can reduce the suffering of our people, while lengthening and bettering their lives.
As with Social Security and Medicare and Civil Rights legislation, it is now time for another change. That’s why we chose public service and why we, as Democrats, will pass this bill today.
UPDATE: Gerry Connolly says…
Tonight, the Congress made history by sending to the President landmark legislation that will better the lives of tens of millions of American families and tens of thousands of families in Northern Virginia.
After more than a year’s work, we have fulfilled a promise I made to my constituents. This is not a new concept or a new process. For more than 100 years, since the presidency of Teddy Roosevelt, Democratic and Republican presidents and Congresses have attempted to enact meaningful health care reform in this country. Tonight, we succeeded.
The Passage of this reform legislation will stop insurance company abuses, rein in health care costs for families and small businesses, strengthen and guarantee the solvency of Medicare for our seniors, reduce the deficit by $1.2 trillion, retain access to doctors and health plans, and expand quality health care to more than 30 million Americans.
This legislation rivals the passage of the Social Security and Medicare laws in terms of how it will improve the lives of all Americans and for future generations. For 30 million Americans who lack health insurance and for the 14,000 Americans who lose their health insurance each day, this was a life-changing, and sometimes lifesaving, vote.
Tonight the U.S. House of Representatives put principle above politics. This was not an easy vote, but it was the right vote for the 11th Congressional District of Virginia and our nation.
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