Key committee delays healthcare reform meeting

With some moderate Democrats not yet onboard, a key session is delayed so members can hear from the president

Published July 21, 2009 4:45PM (EDT)

In the frenzied atmosphere that is the debate over healthcare reform right now, even a delay of a day gets noticed. That's not just because it puts the president's timeline for getting something done in further jeopardy, but because it's another signal of the trouble Democrats are having with members of their own party.

The latest delay came when Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., pushed back a scheduled meeting of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which he chairs. The committee was scheduled to markup the legislation, but Waxman wants more time to win over moderate Democrats. The meeting was supposed to be held Tuesday, but will now take place on Wednesday.

In the meantime, that delay's going to be used for other purposes: Calling in the big guns. On Tuesday, Democrats on the committee will head up to the White House to meet with President Obama.


By Alex Koppelman

Alex Koppelman is a staff writer for Salon.

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