KTVN Channel 2 - Reno Tahoe News Weather, Video - Moderates Under Pressure in Saturday Health Care Vote
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WASHINGTON (AP) -- Four moderate Democrats joined the Senate's Republicans in voting for an amendment to the health care overhaul that would have eliminated $42 billion in cuts to providers of home care to seniors under Medicare.
The measure still failed, on a vote of 53 to 41. It did, however, underscore the pressure on the chamber's moderates when Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln swapped from a "no," siding with Democrats, to a "yes" in the course of the 15-minute vote.
Lincoln, who faces a difficult re-election next year, says she made the change after considering how important home health care is to Arkansas.
Behind closed doors, Democrats are struggling to find a compromise on a proposed government insurance plan. Sen. Mary Landrieu (LAN'-droo) says she's "optimistic" something will settle the debate.
President Barack Obama will visit Capitol Hill tomorrow in hopes of doing just that.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
