Dems choose up-or-down vote

WASHINGTON (AP) Victory within reach, President Barack Obama rallied House Democrats on Saturday for a final health care push, and party leaders appeared confident they had overcome a flare-up over abortion funding restrictions in the legislation.

Building on Democrats' momentum, House leaders decided on a straight up-or-down vote on Obama's top priority and the defining issue of his first year in office, backing off a much-challenged plan to vote on the bill indirectly.

With the vote scheduled for Sunday, the battle tilted in Obama's direction as more Democrats disclosed how they would vote.

The president made a final personal appeal with a Saturday afternoon visit to the Capitol. He spoke after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., reassured House members that the Senate will complete the legislation if the House approves it.

More than 50 Democratic senators have signed a pledge to do so, Reid's spokesman said.

“Is this the single most important step that we have taken on health care since Medicare? Absolutely,” Obama told lawmakers.

He said backing the bill is a tough vote but that it will end up being “the smart thing to do politically.”

“Don't do it for me, don't do it for the Democratic Party, do it for the American people. They're the ones looking for action right now.”

The legislation would extend coverage to an estimated 32 million uninsured, bar insurers from denying coverage on the basis of existing medical conditions and cut federal deficits by an estimated $138 billion over a decade.

Congressional analysts estimate the cost of the legislation would be $940 billion over a decade.

Republicans, unanimous in opposition to the bill, complained anew about its cost and reach.

White House officials and House Democratic leaders worked Saturday to gain the support of a small group of lawmakers who want the bill to include tighter limits on insurance coverage for abortions.

One option on abortion emerged Saturday an executive order from Obama that would reflect long-standing law barring federal aid for abortions except for cases of rape, incest or when the mother's life is in danger.

Party leaders saw that approach as crucial to winning the support of anti-abortion Democrats.

It was unclear whether the strategy would win support from Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., a leader of abortion foes who are opposing the health bill unless tight restrictions are included.

Along with eight Democrats and one Republican as co-sponsors, Stupak had introduced a resolution Friday that would insert his abortion restrictions as a “correction” to the underlying bill. That would add new complications to the Democrats' already complex strategy.

In a similar showdown in November, Stupak won approval of tight limits on insurance coverage of abortions in the House health care bill.

But the current package now includes language from the Senate-passed bill, negotiated by Sens. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Ben Nelson of Nebraska, who have built up solid credentials in their political careers as opponents of abortion.

Abortion opponents are divided over whether those restrictions go far enough.

On Saturday, Pelosi rejected the “correction” proposal.

Entering the House chamber on Saturday morning, Pelosi said she would not allow separate votes on abortion or other controversial issues.

“Not on abortion, not on public option, not on single payer, not on anything,” she said. Asked if she could win passage of the bill without Stupak's support, Pelosi expressed total confidence. “We will have the votes when we bring it to the floor,” she said.

The House Rules Committee worked through the day Saturday to set the terms for the vote. Democratic leaders dropped plans to “deem and pass” the bill with a vote simply on the rule, a procedure used by both parties but one that has been widely criticized for legislation as massive as health care overhaul.

Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said the House would vote on the fix-it companion bill and then the Senate bill. Hoyer said the latter would go to Obama for his signature while the companion bill heads to the Senate. The No. 2 House Democrat said he has seen the letter from Reid indicating he has the necessary votes.

The vote count seemed to be breaking in Obama's favor.

An abortion foe, Rep. Baron Hill, D-Ind., announced on Saturday that he would support the bill.

Reps. John Boccieri of Ohio, Scott Murphy of New York and Allen Boyd and Suzanne Kosmas of Florida, all Democrats, had said Friday they would vote “yes” after voting against an earlier version that passed last year. Their announcements Friday brought the number of switches in favor of the bill to seven.

On the other side of the ledger, Reps. Michael Arcuri of New York and Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts became the first Democratic former supporters to announce their intention to oppose the bill.

Also, the leader of a group of lawmakers who had threatened to oppose the overhaul because of a dispute over Medicare payments to some doctors and hospitals says the issue has been settled. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., said the administration has agreed to temporarily increase payments to health care providers in some parts of the country where there have been complaints about low rates.

He said the change will be in the health care bill when the House votes on it Sunday, and that administration officials have promised to make the changes permanent by 2012.

This report includes material from the New York Times.

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