February 15, 2010

The battle is not over. As we've been reporting to you, President Obama and leadership in Congress are plotting to move forward with the health care takeover that the American people have repeatedly and vehemently rejected.

Even the loss of the 60th U.S. Senate seat by Senate Democrats in Massachusetts was not enough to get legislators to put the brakes on health care reform. Instead, it's full speed ahead with the focus on a strategy to circumvent the regular legislative process by forcing through a health care reform bill using a technical budget rule called 'reconciliation.'

When it comes to 'reconcilation' — the key to this approach is that it would only require a simple majority of 51 votes in the Senate instead of the usual 60 votes needed to end a filibuster.

In order for this tactic to be viable, the House would have to first approve the bill passed by the Senate without amending it. This would result in the Senate bill becoming law. As you know, this is extremely problematic for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that it allows massive federal funding of plans that cover abortion. This is still an option despite the fact that so many of you have stood up and loudly objected to the bill and the federal funding of abortion.

Fortunately, this bill can still be stopped. It is more important now than ever that we make our opposition to this plan very clear to those Members of Congress who are on the fence — who are undecided.

First, all 64 Democrats who supported the pro-life Stupak/Pitts Amendment in the House-approved health care bill should vote AGAINST the Senate bill because the pro-life protections were removed.

Those 64 House Members are listed below:

Altmire
Baca
Barrow
Berry
Bishop (GA)
Boccieri
Boren
Bright
Cardoza
Carney
Chandler
Childers
Cooper
Costa
Costello
Cuellar
Dahlkemper
Davis (AL)
Davis (TN)
Donnelly (IN)
Doyle
Driehaus
Ellsworth
Etheridge
Gordon (TN)
Griffith
Hill
Holden
Kanjorski
Kaptur
Kildee
Langevin
Lipinski
Lynch
Marshall
Matheson
McIntyre
Melancon
Michaud
Mollohan
Murtha
Neal (MA)
Oberstar
Obey
Ortiz
Perriello
Peterson
Pomeroy
Rahall
Reyes
Rodriguez
Ross
Ryan (OH)
Salazar
Shuler
Skelton
Snyder
Space
Spratt
Stupak
Tanner
Taylor
Teague
Wilson (OH)

Next, there were 39 House Democrats who voted against final passage of the health care bill in the House. Each of these Members should certainly OPPOSE the Senate bill, especially since the final product is likely to be very similar to what they opposed the first time.

That list of 39 is below:

Adler (NJ)
Altmire
Baird
Barrow
Boccieri
Boren
Boucher
Boyd
Bright
Chandler
Childers
Davis (AL)
Davis (TN)
Edwards (TX)
Gordon (TN)
Griffith
Herseth Sandlin
Holden
Kissell
Kosmas
Kratovil
Kucinich
Markey (CO)
Marshall
Massa
Matheson
McIntyre
McMahon
Melancon
Minnick
Murphy (NY)
Nye
Peterson
Ross
Shuler
Skelton
Tanner
Taylor
Teague

It is vital that the Democrat Members of the House who are on one or both of these lists must be called upon to OPPOSE the Senate bill if and when it comes to the House Floor for a vote.

That is the goal. That is our demand.

All of this against the backdrop that the newly elected Senator from Massachusetts — Scott Brown — has yet to be seated. That's right — he is not yet a member of the Senate and can't participate in the critical legislative process. Add your name to our petition demanding that he be seated immediately.

We'll keep you posted as developments occur and as this health care process continues to unfold. As always, get the latest information on this issue and other key topics on our daily radio broadcast, Jay Sekulow Live!