Pat Dollard

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Urgent — Rep. Stupak to CNN producer Lesa Jansen: “I’m still a no…There is no deal yet. Its a work in progress.” – 10:24 pdt less than a minute ago via web

The Hill:

House Democratic leaders are struggling to gain the 216 votes they need to win a healthcare vote on Sunday.

House Democratic leaders struggling to gain the 216 votes they need to win a healthcare vote earned two more crucial supporters on Sunday.

Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) announced she’d support the bill, saying she was convinced it would prevent federal funds from being used for abortion services.

Separately, MSNBC reported that Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) would vote for the bill.

Stupak earlier on Sunday had said he was close to a deal with the White House on an executive order on the abortion issue. The order would specify there would be no public funding for abortions in the healthcare bill.

“We are close to getting something done,” Stupak said in an interview with MSNBC.

Stupak and his allies are crucial votes for the Democratic leaders. Without their support, it is unclear whether Democrats can cobble together the 216 votes they need to pass their legislation.

It is unclear precisely how many Democrats are alligned with Stupak, who has said he has around a dozen supporters.

A whip count kept by The Hill suggests Democrats have more than 200 votes in favor of healthcare, but Democratic leaders on Sunday acknowledged they don’t have the 216 votes. They did say they expect to have them today.

“We don’t have a hard 216 right now,” Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday.”

“I firmly believe we will have 216.”

The Hill’s whip count shows 37 Democrats remain as firm no votes or are leaning against the bill. That total includes Stupak and a few other members who could move to the yes column based on the abortion issue.

Democrats can lose no more than 37 members given unified GOP opposition to the legislation.

Thirteen other Democrats remain undecided, according to The Hill’s whip count. They are likely to be the focal point of Democratic whipping efforts on Sunday.
Those members include Rep. Lincoln Davis (Tenn.), who voted against the House healthcare bill in November and has avoided public comments in the issue.

The group also includes Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.), who is retiring this year and has been targeted by Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.).

Three other key votes are Reps. Alan Mollohan (W.Va.), Paul Kanjorski (Pa.) and Loretta Sanchez (Calif.).

Mollohan is in a tough race for reelection, and Kanjorski is also vulnerable. Both voted for the House healthcare measure in November, so no votes would be significant losses for the Democrats.

Sanchez, a liberal California lawmaker, would be an even bigger loss. It’s unclear whether she’ll be at the House for the vote, as she missed all of Saturday’s votes. She’s also been critical of the Senate bill.

The first vote on healthcare reform is expected at around 2:45 p.m. That vote would set the rules for debate.

It would be followed by a vote on the Senate version of the healthcare bill around 7 p.m.

At approximately 7:30 p.m., the House will cast a vote on the GOP motion to recommit. If that fails, the House could proceed to vote on the packages of changes to the Senate bill, known as the reconciliation package.

However, it is likely the vote could be extended until late Sunday night or even Monday morning. Democrats will not move to a final vote until they have secured the necessary 216 votes.

In addition, Republicans plan to do everything they can to extend the schedule.

Rep. Mike Pence (D-Ind.) the chairman of the Republican Conference, said Sunday that they GOP was still trying to convince Democrats on the fence not to support the bill.