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08-01-2009, 01:02 AM
Washington » In a triumph for President Barack Obama, Democrats narrowly pushed sweeping health care legislation through a key congressional committee Friday night and cleared the way for a September showdown in the House.
The 31-28 vote in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, mostly along party lines, was weeks later than either the White House or Democratic leaders had hoped.
As part of a last-minute series of changes, the committee agreed to cap increases in the cost of insurance sold under the bill, and also to give the federal government authority to negotiate directly with drug companies for lower prices under Medicare.
The new provisions were part of an intensive effort Democrats made in recent days to satisfy the conflicting demands of liberals and conservatives on the panel, unity necessary to overcome a solid wall of Republican opposition.
"We have agreed we need to pull together," said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., the committee chairman who presided over hours of private negotiations and public committee meetings. Five Democrats opposed the bill.
The measure is designed to extend health insurance to millions who now lack it, at the same time it strives to slow the growth in medical costs nationwide -- Obama's twin goals.
read more here http://www.sltrib.com/ci_12972034
The 31-28 vote in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, mostly along party lines, was weeks later than either the White House or Democratic leaders had hoped.
As part of a last-minute series of changes, the committee agreed to cap increases in the cost of insurance sold under the bill, and also to give the federal government authority to negotiate directly with drug companies for lower prices under Medicare.
The new provisions were part of an intensive effort Democrats made in recent days to satisfy the conflicting demands of liberals and conservatives on the panel, unity necessary to overcome a solid wall of Republican opposition.
"We have agreed we need to pull together," said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., the committee chairman who presided over hours of private negotiations and public committee meetings. Five Democrats opposed the bill.
The measure is designed to extend health insurance to millions who now lack it, at the same time it strives to slow the growth in medical costs nationwide -- Obama's twin goals.
read more here http://www.sltrib.com/ci_12972034