Blue Dogs threaten to bring down Pelosi’s healthcare bill Centrist Democrats are threatening to oppose their party’s healthcare legislation unless House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) accepts changes that make the bill more to their liking.
Seven Blue Dogs on the House Energy and Commerce Committee have banded together to draft amendments that they’ll co-sponsor in the committee markup, which starts Thursday. Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.), the Blue Dogs’ point man on healthcare, says if those changes aren’t accepted, they’ll vote down the bill.
“We cannot support the current bill,” Ross said. “Last time I checked, it took seven Democrats to stop a bill in Energy and Commerce.”
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The group includes all the Blue Dogs on the committee except for Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.). They are Reps. John Barrow (D-Ga.), Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.), Baron Hill (D-Ind.), Jim Matheson (D-Utah), Charlie Melancon (D-La.), Ross, and Zack Space (D-Ohio).