Key Pelosi Deputy Lynch Calls Dem Strategy “Disingenuous,” Leans ‘NO’

March 18, 2010

From BostonHerald.com: “Even one of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s floor whips, U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, says a proposed parliamentary move to pass health-care reform would be ‘disingenuous’ and harm the credibility of Congress.  In a sign of how tough it’s been for Pelosi to round up votes for the massive bill, Lynch – a South Boston Democrat who supported a House reform package last year – said he’ll probably vote against a key Senate version of the legislation, unless unexpected major changes are made soon.  Lynch, who serves as one of Pelosi’s key vote counters, said he also can’t support a proposed ‘deem and pass’ procedure that would allow Democrats to vote to strip out controversial portions of the Senate bill and then “deem” that the entire package has passed without a second, direct vote.  ‘It’s disingenuous,’ said Lynch, who considers unfair a Senate provision to tack a surcharge on higher-end health plans. ‘It would really call into question the credibility of the House.’” By Code Red