Sen. Bond

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats looked to be on the verge of advancing legislation to overhaul the nation’s health insurance system despite spirited protests today by Missouri Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond and a unified Republican Party.

With a a key procedural vote scheduled for…

Hoyer

WASHINGTON — House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said this morning that Democrats are closing in on the votes needed for the U.S. House to pass a bill with historic changes in health insurance.

But lacking 218 votes, Hoyer said Democrats were continuing to persuade members in his party nervous about…

John Shimkus

WASHINGTON — Rep. John Shimkus., had an update for us today on his progress in reading the 1,990-page Democratic health-care reform bill: He’s on page 1,219.

What he has read thus far hasn’t changed his mind.

“This public option is really…

Kirk

WASHINGTON — Did somebody say government-run?

That’s the refrain sounding from just about every Republican in Washington, and the GOPers who would like to get to D.C., in response to the latest version of a Democratic health insurance plan, this one offered by…

WASHINGTON — Families USA, a national organization pushing for health-care reform, released a report this morning estimating the loss of health insurance due to rising unemployment.

Extrapolating from recent Census data, the group released reports for Missouri and Nebraska,  concluding that the number of uninsured…

Sen. Roland Burris

WASHINGTON — Illinois Sen. Roland Burris served notice a short time ago that Democrats might have problems other than the Republican variety in getting health-care reform legislation out of the Senate.

Burris, a Democrat, announced that any legislation lacking provisions establishing a…

President Obama

WASHINGTON — Speaking so Americans can understand what’s being said may not seem like a significant goal.

But given confusion, skepticism and downright hostility toward his health-care reform proposals, speaking clearly about what’s at stake for people is precisely what President Barack Obama hopes…

President Obama

WASHINGTON — So what happened to the message maestro?

Polls since last night showing a nation distinctly dubious about health-care reform speak to the stern challenge ahead not just for President Barack Obama but for a divided Democratic Party.

According to an…

Rep. Clay

WASHINGTON — Could this have simply been a ploy to get liberals as riled up as conservatives?

Whatever the motivation, the Obama administration’s suggestion that they might drop the drive for a public option from health-care reform has left the impression…

Nancy Pelosi

WASHINGTON — In the blowback to the shifting health care debate, many progressives were wondering today what kind of reform would be left if Democrats back off the demand that any package contain a government entity to compete with insurance companies.

Some…