The year-long debate over health care reform could enter its final stages Sunday as the House prepares to vote on the reform legislation passed by the Senate in December, coupled with a reconciliation bill to add key amendments.

Democrats expressed optimism Saturday that they will have the 216 votes needed to pass the legislation, despite wariness exhibited by a number of those within the party and virtually no Republican backing.

“We’re on the threshold,” President Barack Obama told the Democratic Caucus during an afternoon trip to the Capitol to shore up support. “After a year of debate, after every argument has been made, by just about everybody, we’re 24 hours away.” 

However, some Republicans are less convinced that Sunday’s vote will favor Democrats.

“We still have yet to see an official whip count that they have the 216 needed to pass,” a senior Republican aide told Talk Radio News. “Until [Democratic] leadership confirms the vote and/or the vote happens, it is still losing.”

Republican Conference Chair Mike Pence (R-Ind.) conceded that the majority party may pass the controversial legislation, but argued that Republicans could still ultimately benefit.

“I don’t know … whether victory will come on the third Sunday in March or on the first Tuesday in November, but victory will come,” Pence said, referencing November’s mid-term elections.

If the legislation passes, the Senate health care legislation will become law. The upper-chamber will then hold a vote to approve the reconciliation bill.

By Chingyu Wang
Talk Radio News Service

U.S. Gen. David Petraeus, Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), said on Tuesday that he is open to a review of the military’s controversial “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

“I believe the time has come to consider a change to DADT,” he said.

Regarding Iran, he said CENTCOM is networking with other countries that are concerned about Iran’s nuclear project and who hope to prevent it from growing.

“The Iranian regime continues its nuclear program. Indeed, Iran is assessed by many analysts to be engaged in pursuing nuclear weapon capability,” said Petraeus. “[Iran] is likely to spur a regional arms race.”

To prevent a nuclear war, Petraeus said CENTCOM has been working on building regional security architecture in that region to establish “security relationships and partnerships” between nations that share concern over Iran.

On Afghanistan, Petraeus said that in roughly 18 months from now, the total number of American troops in Afghanistan will top 139,000.

Meanwhile, American forces in Iraq are expected to be reduced from 97,000 to 50,000 by the end of August 2010, he said.

By Monique Cala and Sofia Sanchez
University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) announced Tuesday at the Tea Party “Code Red” Rally in Washington, D.C. that Republicans are winning the debate on health care reform.

With the crowd chanting ‘Kill the Bill” in the background, Bachmann called for the Tea Partiers to ‘stand their ground until Sunday’. Pointing to the Capitol behind her, Bachmann said, “They came back to the bubble dome and forgot about you. But, you’re still here.”

On Sunday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said he believed in a week the bill would be passed in the House.

Bachmann responded to Gibbs by saying, “It will be past tense all right, because we are going to kill that bill before Sunday… they want you to think they won this, they want you to think it’s over.”

It is widely believed that the bill will be voted on at the end of this week. The Tea Partiers said they will continue protesting against health care reform until that day comes.

The Washington Bureau will also be covering the following:

-The American Grassroots Coalition and The Tea Party

-Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s (D-Md.) weekly pen and pad session.

-Senate Armed Services committee hearing on “U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S. Central Command in review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY2011 and the Future Years Defense Program.”

-Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) and Sen.Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) news conference on student loan provision in Reconciliation.

-House Appropriations committee hearing on “FY2011 Budget and Economic Outlook.”

-Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on “Department of Justice FY2011 Budget Overview.”

-Peace activist Cindy Sheehan’s anti-war protest at the Washington monument.

By Laurel Brishel Prichard University of New Mexico/ Talk Radio News Service

White house officials voiced the serious nature of President Barack Obama’s upcoming diplomatic visit to Indonesia, Guam and Australia during a conference call with reporters Monday and stressed that the focus of the trip is to strengthen both political and economic relationships with the countries.

“This trip to Indonesia and Australia is an important opportunity to advance Americas’ security and economic interests in a very vital part of the world,” said Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes during a conference call with reporters. “The Asia Pacific region is of growing importance.”

Obama will first make a one day visit to Guam, where he will host a public with military personnel posted in area. Obama will then be off to Indonesia, which, according to Rhodes, has been critical to the United States’ direction in the war on terror.

The president will be giving a speech directed to the Indonesian people during his stay to relay his personal sentiments with the country stemming from the time he spent in the country as a child.

“This is an opportunity for [Obama] to discuss the comprehensive partnership that we’re developing with Indonesia and the Indonesian people,” said Rhodes.

After the two day stay, Obama will travel to Australia, which has become an increasingly strong ally to the U.S. in recent years.

According to Rhodes, Australia has been pushing with the U.S. to help forward action to decrease environmental factors that damage the planet

“In many ways its a model alliance for the United States. We have very robust cooperation with the Australians on security issues, economic issues and environmental issues,” said Rhodes.

The president was initially supposed to leave Wednesday, but has re-scheduled the trip for Sunday amid Congressional action on health care reform.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Monday that she has not yet decided whether she will pursue a rule that will automatically deem health care reform legislation passed following a reconciliation vote.

“When we have the substance, then we will decide on the process,” Pelosi said during an afternoon press conference. “[The self-executing rule] would be one option, but there are others that we may use.”

The rule, widely called the “Slaughter Solution” since it was put forward by House Rules Committee Chairman Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.), will allow Democrats sidestep an up or down vote on the Senate version of health care reform legislation, which has proven to be unpopular in the House.

Pelosi said that a report from the Congressional Budget Office on the legislation’s cost and input from the Senate’s parliamentarian will help influence the final decision.

By Benny Martinez
University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Texas) called the Tea Party movement an effort to return the Republican Party to its grassroots spirit, and chided lawmakers for passing “panic legislation” in the more than eight years since the attacks of September 11, 2001.

During a luncheon Monday at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Armey, CEO of the organization FreedomWorks, defended the Tea Party movement at length, criticizing the leadership of the Democratic party for failing to earn the support of the public. He blasted the Democratic agenda, especially healthcare reform, saying “[Democrats] will get politically bounced” if their bill passes.

For good measure, Armey used the word “inept” to describe the leadership style of current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)

Responding to criticism that his organization has helped create an environment of obstruction over key legislative items, Armey attributed the failure to get health reform done to Democrats “accustomed to doing sloppy work.”

“I don’t think they have left within them the skills to do the disciplined, hard work that such ventures require,” he added.

While the former Congressman did say that he believes President Barack Obama will get the votes necessary to pass health reform, he criticized the undertaking.

“They are ineptly trying to do the wrong thing.”

By Laurel Brishel Prichard University of New Mexico/ Talk Radio News Service

The National Governors Association (NGA) urged governors Monday to prepare for changes in how health care is delivered in their states, regardless of reform legislation’s final language.

“If something does pass, states are going to need to quickly move into action,” Andrea Maresca, the Legislative Director for Health Care at the NGA, said during the organization’s winter conference in Washington, D.C.

Added Maresca, “As the process has moved farther along we’ve seen a growing interest from federal policy makers about what states’ role is and clearly a shift in thinking about how governors and key leaders within the states are going to be involved in the implication process.”

NGA Director for the Health & Human Services Committee Matt Salo, who also spoke at the conference, said many governors have been extremely concerned on how the reform will effect Medicaid programs, and explained that while the temporary financing for Medicaid from the recovery act will eventually run out, Congress has been open to extending $26 billion over 6 months to help ease the states in moving into a new era of health care.

Pentagon spokesperson Brian Whitman would not tell reporters Monday if there will be a formal investigation following the release of a New York Times story on a Defense official who hired private contractors to gather information and kill militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Instead, Whitman repeatedly stated that the allegations contained in the article “warrant further review,” but would not elaborate as to how the review will be performed.

The New York Times story comes amid considerable controversy surrounding contractors in the country. In February, information surfaced alleging that employees from a subsidiary of the company formerly called Blackwater stole 500 AK-47s from Afghan National Forces.

-Assignment Editor/Correspondent Geoff Holtzman will be covering Rep. David Dreier, R-Calif. news conference on the health care process.
The Washington bureau will also be covering.
-The National Governors Association holds a State Summit on Health Reform.
-Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey, R-Texas, delivers an address on “the future of the Republican party and the need to return to its roots in fiscal conservatism,” as part of the National Press Club Newsmaker Luncheon Program.
-Committee Full committee markup of the “Reconciliation Act of 2010,” a bill to make corrections to the Senate health care legislation.