Obama: ‘Now’s the Time to Finish the Job’ on Health Care Reform
WASHINGTON — The House’s health care reform bill passed a major hurdle Saturday night as an amendment was approved that would further restrict federal money going to abortions.
The measure was intended to persuade moderate Democrats to vote for the final bill, possibly by the end of the night.
The 240-194 vote was a blow to liberals who would let the Obama administration decide whether to cover abortions in a government-provided insurance plan. Sixty-four Democrats joined 176 Republicans in favor of the prohibition.
The evening activity comes on the heels of a personal appeal Saturday from the president to “finish the job” and act on legislation that he has made his top domestic priority. The president urged the House to “finish the job” in passing its version of a sweeping health care overhaul after he met privately with Democrats.
“This is our moment to live up to the trust that the American people has placed in us, even when it’s hard — especially when it’s hard,” he said from the Rose Garden of the White House. “This is our moment to deliver.”
Moments after Obama’s comments, the legislation cleared its first hurdle when Democrats approved a rule setting the terms of the debate.
Republicans Question Abortion Agreement in Effort to Stop Health Care Momentum
House Minority Leader John Boehner, who has vowed to do all he can to derail President Obama’s health care overhaul, sought on Saturday to cast suspicion on an abortion agreement that helped secure the support of several moderate Democrats.
The agreement, reached late Friday, allowed Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., and other abortion opponents to insert tougher abortion restrictions into the legislation during debate on the House floor.
But Boehner accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of secretly promising Democratic supporters of abortion rights that the restrictions that would strengthen a ban on federal funding to end pregnancies would not make it into the final version of the health care bill.
Boehner made the move in part to give pause to Democratic opponents of abortion whose votes are needed to pass the legislation.
Boehner asked Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., whether he could guarantee the restrictions would remain in the bill.
Waxman said he could not make that guarantee because it would be up to the Senate and House negotiators if the legislation advanced that far.
“I have my doubts this language if it passes has any chance of being in the final version of this bill,” Boehner said.
The House is expected to vote on the Stupak amendment Saturday night.
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