Pelosi Promises To Post Health Care Bill For 72 Hours Before Voting

Accepting Republican demands, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has promised to post health care reform legislation online for 72 hours before a final vote on the bill, The Hill reports.

House Republicans, including Minority Leader John Boehner, have introduced a petition to require three days for lawmakers to read the final bill before voting. Two Democrats, Brian Baird and Walt Minnick, have also signed on. At today's press conference, Pelosi said she would "absolutely" support the petition.

A discharge petition forces a bill onto the floor without the support of leadership and needs 218 signatures to do so. But with Pelosi saying she supports legislation that would require the 72-hour window, its backers might not need the discharge petition at all.

A Senate Republican, Jim Bunning (R-KY), introduced an amendment to the Senate Finance Committee bill that would have required the same thing. It was voted down.