Grijalva: Progressives Will Push For Changes To House Bill

[cal04]

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/10/grijalva_progressives_will_push_for_change_to_house_bill.php

Liberal Democrats in the House of Representatives can get behind the health care bill Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled today, but they'll press Democratic House leaders to make changes to it, according to one of the leaders of the House Progressive Caucus.

Progressive lawmakers are "obviously disappointed" that Pelosi's bill didn't include a stronger public option, Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), one of two co-chairs of the House Progressive Caucus, said in a phone interview.

"There's a level of satisfaction that we've brought back from the dead, but a level of disappointment that it's not what we think the mechanism should have been," Grijalva said.

"We're gonna ask the leadership in the House to make some imrpovements on it," Grijalva said. "Obviously the most difficult issue is, something that people are requesting, is that we have an up or down vote on the robust public option as an amendment."


Liberal caucus leader criticizes Pelosi plan
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/65461-liberal-caucus-leader-criticizes-pelosi-plan
Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz) blasted the plan for not including a strong enough public option. House liberals wanted the public option to reimburse doctors at a rate tied to Medicare payments. (5% higher than Medicare, to be exact.)

Progressives And Single Payer Advocates Disappointed With House Health Care Bill
http://newsjunkiepost.com/2009/10/29/progressives-and-single-payer-advocates-disappointed-with-house-health-care-bill/

[Ardent15]

1. Thank you. At least *some* people in Washington care

K and R

[John Q. Citizen]

2. Since the progressive caucus has already retreated from their original guidelines

as to what would constitute an acceptable public option, I expect they will just keep retreating, but not without making a lot of noise first.

i am writing them and asking that they vote against the bill.

I hope they do. Because it's a bad bill.

[saracat]

3. I am too.It is a bad bill.