A Washington Post analysis of where federal lawmakers stand on health reform shows U.S. Rep. Chris Carney as one of the last undecided legislators as Democratic leaders scramble to get enough votes to pass the historic legislation.
With four vacancies in the U.S. House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi needs to round up 216 votes for a majority instead of 218. If the remaining Democrats vote the same as they did Nov. 7, the vote would be 216-215.
Carney is among 76 overall representatives and one of four in Pennsylvania considered to be undecided.
All four undecided lawmakers from Pennsylvania are Democrats who voted in favor of health care reform in November.
In addition to Carney, the undecided legislators are U.S. Reps. Paul Kanjorski, of Nanticoke, and western Pennsylvania lawmakers Michael Doyle, of Forest Hills, and Kathleen Dahlkemper, of Erie.
The Washington Post reports that of those four, Doyle has apparently received the largest amount from health industry campaign contributions, $330,000. Carney brought in $182,000 from health care contributors, compared with Kajorski’s $130,280 and Dahlkemper’s $61,000. The newspaper also found that the percentage of uninsured people in the districts of the four undecided lawmakers ranges from 11.4 percent in Dahlkemper’s district to 11.8 percent in Carney’s 10th District.
Statewide, Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District in Philadelphia, at 18.2 percent, has the highest percentage of uninsured people. U.S. Rep. Robert Brady, who represents that district, is poised to vote in favor of the health reform.
In nearby congressional districts, Glenn Thomspon, R-5, and William Shuster, R-9, are both expected to vote against the health care reform legislation.
U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire, from western Pennsylvania, is among 27 Democrats who may vote against the legislation.
Altmire, a former physician, is widely considered to the bluest of Blue Dog Democrats — a coalition of which Carney has been a proud member and received campaign funds from its political-action committee. Another Democrat poised to vote against health care reform is Rep. Tim Holden, D-17, of St. Clair.
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Carney undecided on health care
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