Narrow Health Care Vote Portends Battle Ahead

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LIANE HANSEN, host:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Liane Hansen.

Late last night, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 220 to 215 in favor of the health care bill President Obama calls the centerpiece of his agenda. The vote was close, and conservative Democrats joined all but one Republican in voting no. The vote capped an unusual Saturday session in which the president went to Capitol Hill to press for passage of the bill.

For analysis we turn now to NPR's senior Washington editor Ron Elving. Good morning, Ron.

RON ELVING: Good to be with you, Liane.

HANSEN: So they finally did it. Give us some historical context.

ELVING: I think it's worth noting the House has been considering some kind of systemic changes in health care and health insurance since the days of the Truman administration in the 1940s. Last night they had the votes, although they lost 39 Democrats. And they had to accept an amendment banning the funding of abortion under any health insurance plan that includes public subsidy.

HANSEN: Now that the House has passed the bill, where does this stand in the Senate?

ELVING: Senate Democratic leaders are still trying to fashion a bill out of the products of two of their committees and something that can attract the 60 votes they will need just to begin debate on the floor to hold off a filibuster on going to the floor. So, the timetable there remains uncertain.

HANSEN: You know, no doubt the president wanted to have this vote behind him before he left the country this week for a trip to Asia.

ELVING: It was a big relief to the White House to get this behind them, in part for that reason. It's a tough time for the president to be going overseas to China and Japan and Korea, other countries, when unemployment has broken through 10 percent at home and there's a big decision pending on the U.S. mission in Afghanistan.

HANSEN: The other big story we're following this weekend is the tragedy at Fort Hood. Do you think that's having any kind of political impact?

ELVING: The president and the first lady will be going to Texas on Tuesday with the defense secretary for the memorial services there. And there will of course be more observances on Wednesday, Veterans Day. The president has ordered all the flags in the country flown at half mast until then. And all of this is going to be under the shadow of these shootings.

And the president is expected, in fact, to delay his departure for Asia as a result of this. He won't be arriving there now until Friday. And as for the impact on this rampage is having on the eventual decision with respect to Afghanistan, it's got to be a reminder of the human cost and the human tensions created by these long-running contests - and that's hard to measure, but it's harder still to dismiss.

HANSEN: And there's still a lot on his plate. I mean, it's the kind of thing where even though this centerpiece of his agenda has passed, you can't dwell on it. You have to move on.

ELVING: The president still has a big battle facing him in the Senate. There's absolutely no clear date for when that's going to happen. And from the discussions last week, it's not even clear whether or not the Senate will be able to finish it this year.

HANSEN: NPR's senior Washington editor Ron Elving. Ron, thank you very much.

ELVING: Thank you, Liane. Congratulations on the big 2-0.

HANSEN: Oh, thank you.

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