November 5, 2009
Immigration a stumbling block for health care bill
Posted: November 5th, 2009 02:50 PM ET
Deirdre Walsh

Washington (CNN) - Disagreement among Democrats over immigration language in the health care bill is complicating efforts by House Democratic leaders to round up votes needed to pass a bill by this weekend.

Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus are pushing back against the addition of a provision to the bill that would bar illegal immigrants from buying health insurance using their own funds. This measure is already included in the Senate Finance Committee's version of the bill and is backed by the White House.

The House Democrats' bill already includes requirements for immigrants to verify their citizenship before getting federal subsidies to buy health insurance. But some conservative Democrats have indicated they support the Senate language.

Rep Charles Gonzalez, a leading Member of Hispanic Caucus, said he and other Latino members will make their case to President Obama in a meeting at the White House this afternoon. "We are going to ask him to revisit the manner in which they are approaching it and what's going on in the Senate."

"I understand the politics of it, but it is it very bad policy and I'd love for once the policy to trump the politics," Gonzalez told reporters.

Gonzalez said he and other members of Congresswant to keep the current version of the House bill - but if it's changed to add this stronger language, they could try to block it. "Members of the Hispanic Caucus alone, we believe we have enough members that would be willing to express their disapproval through a vote that could be the difference," said Gonzalez.

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