Pomeroy Plans to Vote for Health Reform

North Dakota's only congressman says he'll vote in favor of the health insurance reform bill that...  More »

North Dakota's only congressman says he'll vote in favor of the health insurance reform bill that could be voted on in the US House tomorrow. A spokesperson in Earl Pomeroy's office says the congressman supports the bill with the changes that were made to untie payments to medical providers from Medicare rates and allow negotiations on payment rates. The vote on the two-thousand page reform bill may happen Saturday and national media reports say it would be a very close vote. Republicans are expected to be unanimous in opposition - and dozens of democrats have said they'll oppose it. One argument made against the plan is its requirement for all Americans to buy health insurance. Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah says such a mandate is not constitutionally justifiable, but fellow judiciary committee member Patrick Leahy, a democrat from Vermont, says there's no question that congress has the authority. We asked Congressman Pomeroy is he sees language in the constitution allowing the government to require citizens to buy health insurance. (Rep. Earl Pomeroy, -D- ND) "I don't think there's any question about the constitutionality of the bill. Essentially, the Social Security program is a mandated retirement program. People participate at the workplace. Revenue is taken from their paycheck and put into Social Security. A lot of these laws that were passed under Franklin Roosevelt were tested and upheld at the Supreme Court level." If the bill passes the House, it would go to the Senate where a different version is being considered.  « Less