Pelosi, Hoyer: Health Reform Haters Ignore Facts

Pelosi 'delighted' Obama will be present for 'historic' passage

(NEWSER) - Democrats got ready for a health care rumble today, with Nancy Pelosi telling her troops to clear their schedules, be ready to stay in session, and expect a vote next week. Pelosi will move to pass the Senate's December bill as soon as Thursday or Friday, and though Politico reports that the speaker likely doesn't yet have the 216 votes she needs, most believe she's within reach. More»

House majority leader, whip confident about health reform passage

(NEWSER) - Health care reform legislation will sail through the House of Representatives in Sunday's vote, Steny Hoyer says. “We'll have the votes when the roll is called,” the majority leader tells Politico . Democrats haven’t lined up enough yeas for President Obama’s key domestic agenda, but the majority whip seems as confident as Hoyer. “The bill will pass,” says James Clyburn. More»

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin has returned to her Facebook soapbox to reinvigorate the "death panels" meme she helped popularize. "We had been told there were no 'death panels' in the bill," says an essay posted to the former Alaska governor's page. "But look closely at the provision mandating bureaucratic panels that will be calling the shots regarding who will receive government health care." More»

It's speaker's moment in the sun as House passes health care bill

(NEWSER) - "This victory belongs to her," said a 10-term rep as Nancy Pelosi doggedly pushed health reform through the House last night. “As far as I know she never sleeps nor eats.” And though the speaker herself joked, "That was easy" last night, Politico notes that Pelosi used every tool in her toolbox to cajole, strongarm, and cobble together her historic 220 votes—a feat that eluded each of her predecessors. More»

Majority leader bemoans 'delay tactics'

(NEWSER) - The House may not vote on its health care reform bill tomorrow after all, thanks to Democrats' squabbling over abortion and spending, Steny Hoyer said today. “We’re very close,” the majority leader insisted, but “clearly things happen. Delay tactics can be employed.” Hoyer acknowledged that right now, Democrats don’t have the 218 votes they need to pass the bill. More»