Congressman Frank Kratovil, a Democrat who represents Maryland's 1st District, plans to vote 'No' on the current version of the health care reform legislation. A final vote is expected Saturday.
A spokesman for Congressman Kratovil, Kevin Lawlor, said the Congressman believes the bill in its current form is too expensive. Lawlor said Congressman Kratovil has spent the past several months speaking with and hearing from constituents in the 1st District -- which includes the entire Eastern Shore and portions of Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Harford Counties --and he has concluded that the majority of his constituents would reject the bill as it is currently written.
The bill needs 218 votes in the House of Representatives to pass. There are 258 Democrats in the House, which means supporters of the health care reform package like President Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi can only afford to 'lose' 40 moderate Democrats like Congressman Kratovil. Several Republican Congressman have said that the proposal will get no votes from their side of the aisle.
Still, Speaker Pelosi is predicting that the nearly $1.1-trillion house bill will pass.
