AND THEN THERE WERE FOUR…. If the House is going to pass health care reform, proponents are going to need to convince some lawmakers who voted against it in November to support it now. This morning, reform got another boost with its fourth “no” to “yes” switch.
Democrats picked up another crucial healthcare vote Friday after Rep. John Boccieri (D-Ohio) announced he’d vote for the package.
Boccieri, who had voted against the healthcare bill before the House in November, said this morning that he would now support the healthcare measure set for a vote on Sunday. […]
“Yes, I will be voting yes for the bill,” Boccieri said, adding that a score on the bill’s budget impact was key to switching his vote. “I was very encouraged by the budget results that came back from the Congressional Budget Office.”
This is a pretty big one — Boccieri, a pro-life freshman Dem, was considered a key swing vote on the legislation. His announcement gives the bill a significant boost.
Also this morning:
* Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), who’d been threatening to oppose the bill after having supported it in November, announced on MSNBC that he’s “satisfied” with the final package and will vote for it.
* Rep. Charlie Wilson (D-Ohio), who voted for the bill in November but had been wavering, officially declared his support for the legislation.
* Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-N.Y.) seems to have dug in on opposing the bill, despite having voted for it in November. The SEIU has said it’s pulling its support for the lawmaker and a search is underway for a primary challenger. (Arcuri’s rationale for opposition is incoherent, and he’s making the biggest mistake of his career.)
* The Congressional Black Caucus has officially endorsed the legislation, but its membership will not unanimously support — Rep. Artur Davis (D) will vote with Republicans as part of his effort to impress voters in Alabama, where he’s running for governor.
