By John Whitesides and Donna Smith
WASHINGTON, March 21 (Reuters) - Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives said on Sunday they were confident they had votes to pass a sweeping healthcare reform bill and deliver President Barack Obama a landmark political victory.
With a final vote looming on Sunday night, the White House and a small band of anti-abortion Democrats struck a deal to have Obama issue an executive order reaffirming a ban on using federal funds for abortion.
The deal won over anti-abortion leader Bart Stupak and a handful of other Democratic holdouts on a Senate-passed healthcare overhaul, clearing the way for House Democrats to reach the 216 votes they need for final passage.
'We're well past 216,' votes for the healthcare bill, Stupak said in announcing the agreement. He also will get floor time to discuss the ban on federal funds, which is the current law.
The deal followed two days of intense negotiations with Stupak and a dwindling band of undecided members as House leaders tried to nail down the 216 votes needed to pass the bill over unified Republican opposition.
'We have the votes now,' Representative John Larson, head of the House Democratic Caucus, said on ABC's 'This Week,' before the Stupak deal.
Other House leaders were more cautious in their assessment.
House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer told NBC's 'Meet the Press' the number of votes still needed for passage were in the 'low single digits.'
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Take a Look on healthcare
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The legislation, Obama's top domestic priority, would usher in the most sweeping changes to the $2.5 trillion U.S. healthcare system in decades. It would expand coverage to millions of uninsured people and bar insurance companies from denying coverage in certain cases.
Democratic Representative Brian Baird said he would switch from his 'no' vote in November, when the overhaul passed with three votes to spare, to 'yes.' He is the ninth Democrat to announce a switch to a yes vote since the middle of last week.
BLOCK THE BILL
Republicans voiced doubt about the Democratic claims of impending victory and vowed to keep fighting the measure.
Hundreds of conservative 'Tea Party' activists rallied outside the Capitol, waving yellow 'Don't Tread on Me' flags and chanting 'kill the bill.' Many entered the Capitol, wandering the hallways to buttonhole lawmakers and at one point disrupting House proceedings.
The House will vote on the Senate-passed version of the bill, which, if approved, would become law once signed by Obama. It also will vote on a second package of revisions to the bill sought by House Democrats.
If the House approves the package of changes to the Senate bill, the Senate would take it up next week and would need just a simple majority in the 100-member chamber to pass it.
(Additional reporting by Susan Heavey, Thomas Ferraro and Paul Simao; Editing by Deborah Charles and Chris Wilson) Keywords: USA HEALTHCARE/ (john.whitesides@thomsonreuters.com; +1 202-898-8300; Reuters Messaging: john.whitesides.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
WASHINGTON, March 21 (Reuters) - Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives said on Sunday they were confident they had votes to pass a sweeping healthcare reform bill and deliver President Barack Obama a landmark political victory.
With a final vote looming on Sunday night, the White House and a small band of anti-abortion Democrats struck a deal to have Obama issue an executive order reaffirming a ban on using federal funds for abortion.
The deal won over anti-abortion leader Bart Stupak and a handful of other Democratic holdouts on a Senate-passed healthcare overhaul, clearing the way for House Democrats to reach the 216 votes they need for final passage.
'We're well past 216,' votes for the healthcare bill, Stupak said in announcing the agreement. He also will get floor time to discuss the ban on federal funds, which is the current law.
The deal followed two days of intense negotiations with Stupak and a dwindling band of undecided members as House leaders tried to nail down the 216 votes needed to pass the bill over unified Republican opposition.
'We have the votes now,' Representative John Larson, head of the House Democratic Caucus, said on ABC's 'This Week,' before the Stupak deal.
Other House leaders were more cautious in their assessment.
House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer told NBC's 'Meet the Press' the number of votes still needed for passage were in the 'low single digits.'
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Take a Look on healthcare
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The legislation, Obama's top domestic priority, would usher in the most sweeping changes to the $2.5 trillion U.S. healthcare system in decades. It would expand coverage to millions of uninsured people and bar insurance companies from denying coverage in certain cases.
Democratic Representative Brian Baird said he would switch from his 'no' vote in November, when the overhaul passed with three votes to spare, to 'yes.' He is the ninth Democrat to announce a switch to a yes vote since the middle of last week.
BLOCK THE BILL
Republicans voiced doubt about the Democratic claims of impending victory and vowed to keep fighting the measure.
Hundreds of conservative 'Tea Party' activists rallied outside the Capitol, waving yellow 'Don't Tread on Me' flags and chanting 'kill the bill.' Many entered the Capitol, wandering the hallways to buttonhole lawmakers and at one point disrupting House proceedings.
The House will vote on the Senate-passed version of the bill, which, if approved, would become law once signed by Obama. It also will vote on a second package of revisions to the bill sought by House Democrats.
If the House approves the package of changes to the Senate bill, the Senate would take it up next week and would need just a simple majority in the 100-member chamber to pass it.
(Additional reporting by Susan Heavey, Thomas Ferraro and Paul Simao; Editing by Deborah Charles and Chris Wilson) Keywords: USA HEALTHCARE/ (john.whitesides@thomsonreuters.com; +1 202-898-8300; Reuters Messaging: john.whitesides.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.