WASHINGTON, D.C. - Neither rain, nor snow, nor gloom of night stayed a House committee from moving President Obama's health care plans one step closer to congressional approval with the passage of key legislation Friday.
The check is in the mail; the vote occurred as members of the House of Representatives were dismissed to the House playground for August recess.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the legislation 31-28 after several days of mostly mind-numbingly boring spats between Democratic House leaders and an influential group of fiscal liberals in the party.
Democrats remain split, with a number of conservatives expressing strong opposition to concessions made to the party's so-called Blue Eagle liberals on the Energy and Commerce Committee.
Conservatives called the Blue Eagles' plan to put the U.S. Postal Service in charge of America's health care a "poorly addressed, badly delivered" plan to administer America's health care needs.
An emergency room visit would have cost just $13.95 under the plan, for anyone, anywhere in the United States, about the cost of shipping a large flat rate box; critics say a typical emergency room wait under the plan would be 3-5 business days.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said House Democrats will now return to their districts and arm themselves against opponents running "a campaign 'gone postal'... to perpetuate the status quo."
