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Mass. Rep: Health Care Bill Not Good Enough

Southie's Lynch Says He Will Vote Against Legislation

POSTED: 7:02 am EDT March 19, 2010
UPDATED: 12:05 pm EDT March 19, 2010

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As President Barack Obama barnstorms the country, trying to rally enough votes to push through his controversial health care reform bill this weekend, cracks are appearing in the foundation of what once might have been considered unshakeable support from Massachusetts' congressional delegation.

Bay State Rep. Stephen Lynch is changing his vote, saying he is against the bill as it is now written.

The Southie Democrat is the only member of the delegation to say no so far, but his opinion may sway others who are on the fence. He says there's something wrong with the bill if health care industry giants want it so badly.

"This is about health care. This is about the quality of health care, and right now I've got insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies that are calling me to urge me to vote for this bill. It is a good bill if you're an insurance company or a pharmaceutical company, or you live in Nebraska," Lynch said.

Lynch had a 40-minute meeting with Obama Thursday, and said the president was courteous, but he said he doesn't think the bill can be fixed in the next few days, and he doesn't think there are enough reforms.

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"This basically feeds more people into the existing system, but does not present systemic reform that we were hoping for. No cost containment, that you can speak of," Lynch said.

The former iron worker said he was heavily lobbied by unions and former Sen. Ted Kennedy's widow, Vicki, to support the bill, but right now he said, if the vote comes on Sunday, he will vote against it.

South Shore Democrate, U.S. Rep. Bill Delahunt, who has said he is will not run for re-election this year, said he will likely vote for the bill.

"There's projections that if we don't do this, the health care costs in this country will almost double over the course of the next 10 years, and we just simply can't afford that," Delahunt said.

Of the other Massachusetts delegation members, U.S. Rep. Mike Capuano is still deciding, as is U.S. Rep. Ed Markey and U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas.

Those who said they will vote yes included U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, James McGovern, Richard Neal and John Olver.

U.S. Rep. John Tierney's office did not return calls. ( CLICK FOR LIST, REACH YOUR CONGRESSMAN)

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