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US official: â€œNot enough votes to OK health billâ€

21 January 2010 19:31 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Ziya Agazade â€“ APA. Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that she lacks the votes to quickly move the Senate’s sweeping health overhaul bill through the House, a potentially devastating blow to President Barack Obama’s signature issue, APA reports quoting â€œAssociated Pressâ€.

Pelosi, D-Calif., made the comment to reporters after House Democrats held a closed-door meeting at which participants vented frustration with the Senate’s massive version of the legislation.

Her concession meant there was little hope for a White House-backed plan to quickly push the Senate-approved health bill through the House, followed by a separate measure making changes sought by House members, such as easing the Senate’s tax on higher-cost health plans. Such an approach would be "problematic," she said, though Democrats haven’t completely ruled out pursuing it.

"In its present form without any changes I don’t think it’s possible to pass the Senate bill in the House," Pelosi said, adding, "I don’t see the votes for it at this time."