TPMDC
Four Empty House Seats Mean Pelosi Only Needs 216 Votes to Pass Health Care
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
Share
Send to a friend!
Most of the time, the magic number for passing significant legislation in the House is 218--a simple majority of the lower chambers' 435 members. So that's the number House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is looking at to pass the Senate health care bill, right? Try 216.
Come March 8, when Rep. Nathan Deal's (R-GA) resignation goes into effect--and barring any surprises--there will be four vacancies in the U.S. House: Deal's seat, along with the seats of retired Reps. Robert Wexler (D-FL) and Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), and deceased Rep. John Murtha (D-PA).
The four empty seats brings the number of serving House members down to 431. Which means that--if everybody's present and voting, a health care bill can pass the House on a paper-thin 216-215 margin. That may sound like good news for Pelosi--and in some ways it is. But recall that all three of those Democrats--Wexler, Abercrombie, and Murtha--were "yes" votes. She needs two fewer votes than she'd need if the House was fully seated. But she's lost three.
Other Stories Featured at TPMDC
Comments (2) | Join the Conversation!
Leave a comment
Follow us!
TPM PollTracker
TPM Poll Averages
 Barack ObamaJob Approval |
45.5%Approve | 50.1%Disapprove | -4.6Spread |
 CongressionalGeneric Ballot |
42.1%DEM | 44.9%GOP | +2.8SpreadR |
Latest Polls
-
Approve 46.0%
Disapprove 54.0% -
Approve 46.0%
Disapprove 47.0% -
Favorable 62.0%
Unfavorable 32.0% -
Favorable 43.0%
Unfavorable 52.0% - More polls »
Most Popular
- Dems Call On GOPers To Renounce Phyllis Schlafly Over Remarks About 'Unmarried Women' (AUDIO)
- Evidence Mounts That Michigan Tea Party Is Democratic Front
- Anti-Mosque Protester To TPM: Muslims Hate Dogs And America Too
- Lindsey Graham: Birthright Citizenship Is A Mistake (VIDEO)
- It's Raining Glenn: TPM Braves Week Four Of Beck University
- Rand Paul: Controversial Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining Isn't So Bad -- It Enhances The Land!
- Colbert Lampoons TN Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey For Calling Islam A Cult (VIDEO)
- Dem Rep Fires Aide After Distribution Of 'Jewish Money' List
- Republicans block small business lending bill
- Gates And Mullen: Wikileaks Might Already Have Blood On Their Hands
- Dems Call On GOPers To Renounce Phyllis Schlafly Over Remarks About 'Unmarried Women' (AUDIO)
- Anti-Mosque Protester To TPM: Muslims Hate Dogs And America Too
- Opposition To Health Care Law Sinking
- Lindsey Graham: Birthright Citizenship Is A Mistake (VIDEO)
- Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Mosque? TPM Rounds Up The Latest In Right-Wing Fear-Mongering
- Rand Paul: Controversial Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining Isn't So Bad -- It Enhances The Land!
- Hayworth: Pregnant Women Are Flying Here So Their Kids Can Be Citizens! (VIDEO)
- It's Raining Glenn: TPM Braves Week Four Of Beck University
- Jan Brewer On Immigration Setback: Send Money So We Can Keep 'Fighting For America' (VIDEO)
- Expect: ELIZABETH WARREN to be NOMINATED for Consumer Agency
TPM Stories Now Surging on Digg.com
TPM Top News
© 2010 TPM Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Gator_fan
March 1, 2010 12:34 PM
Nancy has a vote in her pocket. She can do this if she can be sure of the senate and that's main thing; they want to see the package of fixes that will go foth IMO.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
philogratis
March 1, 2010 1:17 PM
That leaves me slightly less pissed off at my Congressman, Neil Abercrombie (D, HI), who couldn't wait a month to start running for governor. I was going to go down to his opening campaign party and kick his butt. Lucky for him that the event was canceled because of a tsunami warning...
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?