Posted by
Gabrielle Cusumano on Saturday, July 25, 2009 12:57:36 AM
"... Blue Dog Democrats saying they were “lied” to by their Democratic leaders."
| House healthcare talks break down in anger |
| By Jared Allen, Mike Soraghan and Lauren Burke Excerpted from The Hill at: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/house-healthcare-talks-break-down-in-anger-2009-07-24.html |
| Posted: 07/24/09 03:27 PM [ET] |
|
House healthcare negotiations dissolved in acrimony on Friday, with Blue Dog Democrats saying they were “lied” to by their Democratic leaders.
In advance of a subsequent press conference called by House leadership, Blue Dog liaison Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.) said the healthcare bill should be staying in committee.
"I expect the committee process to proceed," Cardoza said.
The seven Blue Dogs on the Energy and Commerce Committee stormed out of a Friday meeting with their committee chairman, Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), saying Waxman had been negotiating in bad faith over a number of provisions Blue Dogs demanded be changed in the stalled healthcare bill.
“I’ve been lied to,” Blue Dog Coalition Co-Chairman Charlie Melancon (D-La.) said on Friday. “We have not had legitimate negotiations.
“Mr. Waxman has decided to sever discussions with the Blue Dogs who are trying to make this bill work for America,” Melancon said.
Although those Blue Dogs were supposed to be headed back into another meeting of the Energy and Commerce Democrats, their anger was visible.
If the two sides cannot reach an agreement, the only hope for passage of the bill in the House will be to go straight to the floor, an option leaders shied away from endorsing but said was an option.
But the Blue Dogs issued dire warnings to leaders contemplating that approach. More of article from THE HILL at: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/house-healthcare-talks-break-down-in-anger-2009-07-24.html
|
Blue Dog Democrats:
Bart Gordon (TN 6th), (202) 225-4231
Jane Harman (CA 36th), (202) 225-8220
Mike Ross (AR 4th), (202) 225-3772
Jim Matheson (UT 2nd), (202) 225-3011
Charlie Melancon (LA 3rd), (202) 225-4031
John Barrow (GA 12th), (202) 225-2823
Baron Hill (IN 9th), (202) 225-5315
Zach Space (OH 18th), (202) 225-6265