Nov 5, 2009 11:15 am US/Pacific
Thousands Protest Health Care Bill At Capitol
AARP, American Medical Association Endorse House Version Of Legislation
WASHINGTON (CBS) ―
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Members of the Health Access protest group stage a crime scene-like "body pile-up" as part of their campaign against what they say is the poor state of the U.S. health care system on Oct. 6, 2009, in Los Angeles, Calif. (File)
Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images
Thousands of conservatives are rallying at the Capitol against the Democrats' health care overhaul plan.
Protesters chanted, "Kill the bill," as they awaited speeches by Republican leaders on Thursday. The campaign-style event kicked off a daylong, GOP protest against the legislation, which Democrats hope to pass in a historic vote Saturday.
The protesters gathered on the lawn near the West Front of the Capitol. One carried a sign reading, "Waterboard Congress." Other signs said, "Vote no to government-run health care."
Inside the Capitol, legislative action continued in the House and the Senate.
Meanwhile, President Barack Obama made a surprise visit to the White House briefing room Thursday as Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was about to begin the daily press briefing.
The president commented on the AARP's endorsement of the House version of the health care bill.
"I am extraordinarily pleased and grateful to learn that the AARP and the American Medical Association are both supporting the health insurance reform bill that will soon come up to vote in the House of Representatives," Obama said in an unannounced visit to the White House briefing room.
AARP is "no small endorsement," Obama said of the 40-million-member strong seniors' lobby.
"We are closer to passing this reform than ever before," Obama said. "Now that the doctors and medical professionals of America are standing with us, now that the organizations charged with looking out for the interests of seniors are standing with us, we are even closer."
The AMA, however, qualified its support of the bill. The organization's president, Dr. James Rohack, said the bill is not perfect, but it meets enough of the organization's goals to deserve its support. But he also said it's also critical for Congress to fix a Medicare payment formula that if left unchanged would lead to a 20 percent cut in fees to doctors next year.
The organization released a statement Thursday on its
Web site:
After carefully monitoring developments in Washington and studying the various legislative proposals, AARP's all-volunteer Board of Directors — made up of working and retired doctors, nurses, business people, and teachers — has decided to endorse the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962/H.R. 3961) because it delivers on key priorities we've been fighting for.
Obama spoke as House Democratic leaders sought to resolve final
disputes before bringing their 10-year, $1.2 trillion health bill to
the floor on Saturday. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said leaders
expect to have the 218 votes needed to pass the sweeping bill, which
would extend coverage to tens of millions of uninsured people and ban
insurance companies from turning people away.
Hoyer acknowledged the vote could be tight, though, and timing of action in the Senate is uncertain.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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