An effort to save President Barack Obama's health care reform found a significant slowdown on Thursday.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that there were not enough votes in the House to pass the Senate's bill through to Obama's desk. That announcement came after a closed-door meeting where participants showed their frustration with the Senate legislation.
"I think they have finally heard the American people and they are trying to deal with that," said Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kansas, who represents the state's 4th Congressional District. "They have had a wake up call like they have never seen before."
The wake up call started on Tuesday when Massachusetts voters elected a Republican, State Sen. Scott Brown to fill the seat vacated by the death of longtime health care overhaul supporter Edward Kennedy.
"The message from Massachusetts and across the country is that Americans overwhelmingly oppose the Democrats' current health care reform proposals," said Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, representing Kansas' 3rd District. "Americans are fed up with the secrecy, backroom deals and personal handouts by which these bills have been written."
With Republicans gaining their 41st seat in the Senate, the GOP would have the ability to stall the health care measure if it were passed by the House and returned to the Senate for a cloture vote. House leadership were hoping to avoid that measure and send the bill straight to Obama for his signature.
Now, it has left Democrats talking about a more modest health legislation that could have bipartisan appeal, despite the fact that could be just as complicated of a process.
"The President and those in the majority could have health care reform tomorrow if they took a more targeted approach on issues where both parties and the American people agree on the solutions, like: medical liability reforms, state based solutions to insuring those in need, and insurance market reforms," said Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kansas.
Members of the Kansas delegation seemed to embrace an approach that would include Republicans in the discussion process.
"She [Rep. Lynn Jenkins R-Kansas} also thinks that this is the perfect opportunity to work with Republicans on a responsible, incremental plan to bring down health care costs without a government takeover of health care," said Jenkins' spokesperson Mary Geiger.
As of Thursday, Democrats made no indication as to a decision on their options, which included breaking health care into smaller bills and the White House has said that they are not opposed to a "scaled-back bill."
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama supports "letting the dust settle" to give lawmakers time to search for the best way forward, and does not believe health care legislation is dead.
Tiahrt said that health care could be just the start of more 'right-thinking' moves by House and Senate Democrats on other issues.
"I think you will see a significant turn to the right on talks, even from the President," Tiahrt said. "It goes well beyond health care and even reaches to cap and trade, borrowing from China and spending."
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Augusta, Kan. —
