Health care will probably get E & C committee vote by Friday

Blue Dog Democrats Announce Deal on Health Care Reform
After days of intensive negotiations, the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats have announced a health care reform compromise.

FOXNews.com
Wednesday, July 29, 2009

DEVELOPING …

After days of intensive negotiations, a group of key moderate Democrats on Wednesday announced that they reached a health care reform deal with the White House and congressional leaders.

The compromise would cut the cost of the $1 trillion-plus package by $100 billion, according to one member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition. The deal would also ensure that the proposed government-run insurance program would not be forced on anyone.

Seven Blue Dogs had held up passage of the bill on the House Energy and Commerce Committee over concerns about cost and the speed at which Democrats were advancing the legislation. The committee is the only House panel that hasn’t voted on the bill.

Blue Dog Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., said four of those seven agreed to the compromise Wednesday.

With the announcement, the committee is set to meet Wednesday afternoon for a mark-up of the bill. A mark-up is where lawmakers finalize legislation.

Ross said the deal includes an assurance that House leaders won’t bring the package to the floor until September.

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