Hoyer, Cantor Spar Over Health Care Plans

WASHINGTON (March 17) -- With the substance of proposed health care reform having long ago been talked to death, two top Republican and Democratic leaders appeared on television today to spar over the shortcut procedure Democrats plan to use to pass their sweeping legislation this weekend.

The Democratic House majority leader, Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, refused to say if the party had the 216 votes it needs to pass the final health care bill. "I don't have a precise number, and if I did I probably wouldn't give it to you," Hoyer told ABC's George Stephanopoulos on "Good Morning America."

Toeing the party line, Hoyer voiced optimism about the outcome. "We think we'll have the votes when the roll is called."

Hoyer, decked out in a green tie and clover pin for St. Patrick's Day, appeared alongside his Republican counterpart, party whip Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia.

Hoyer was pressed to defend a procedural shortcut Democrats plan to use, in which lawmakers would avoid a direct vote on the Senate health care bill that contains unpopular special deals like the "cornhusker kickback" and other measures that House Democrats oppose.

Instead, they would vote on a measure containing amendments to the Senate bill while simultaneously "deeming" the original legislation passed. The process would consolidate two separate votes into one, and if the measure passes, the Senate bill would become law while the amendments would go on to the Senate for approval.

"This is not an unusual procedure," Hoyer said, noting that it had been used hundreds of times by Republicans under Speakers Newt Gingrich and Dennis Hastert. He said the process would constitute "a clean up-or-down vote on the Senate bill."

Cantor, however, said it was all hogwash. "This is an attempt to hide the vote," he said.

Hoyer retorted that the only reason Democrats had to use the procedure was because Republicans have tried to stall the legislation all along and were preventing a simple majority vote in the Senate.

"The Republicans are a little bit like the boy who killed his two parents and then wants sympathy because they're an orphan," Hoyer said.

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