Democrat Makes No Apologies for Party Tactics

Democrat Makes No Apologies for Party Tactics
Democrat Makes No Apologies for Party Tactics

Democrat Makes No Apologies for Party Tactics

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A vote on major health care legislation is scheduled for Sunday in Washington. And one Chicago area Democrat is making no apologies for her party’s idea to pass the bill using procedural gamesmanship.

Some Democratic leaders have suggested they’ll use a tactic called “deem and pass.” That would allow them effectively to pass the $940 billion dollar health care bill without taking a direct vote on the bill itself.

Republicans have blasted the idea. But North Shore Representative Jan Schakowsky says reforming health care is too important to wrangle over legislative “sausage making.”

SCHAKOWSKY: I am not on the defensive about this, because I am willing to use any kind of legal, procedural move - moves that have been used many, many times … under Speaker Dennis Hastert - in order to stop the abuses of the insurance companies.

\Republicans maintain the bill is too expensive, and that Democrats are moving too fast.

Schakowsky warns that Republicans and Democrats alike vote against it “at their peril.“