House Committee Approves Health-Care Package

By Paul Kane and Perry Bacon Jr.
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, August 1, 2009

The House Energy and Commerce Committee Friday night approved a sweeping package of health-care measures, clearing a critical hurdle that sets the stage for a five-week battle for both Democrats and Republicans to define the legislation in voters' minds before the full House votes next month.

The final pieces of an intense two-week negotiation came together Friday morning, when rank-and-file liberals on the Energy and Commerce Committee struck a deal with conservative Democrats that could lead to larger subsidies for lower-income workers to pay for health insurance. Late Friday evening, the committee approved the 1,000-page legislation on a 31 to 28 vote, with five Democrats joining all 23 Republicans on the committee opposing the measure. That agreement, Democrats said, gave them the votes they needed to pass their legislation.

The committee's vote on the bill was the last thing keeping the House from adjourning for its August recess.

While lawmakers return home to their districts, Democratic leaders in the House plan to spend the next month weaving together what three committees have passed on health care, preparing the 1,00o-page bill for a post-Labor Day vote.

(More here.)