Local Pols Weigh In On Healthcare Reform

Congressman Danny Davis caught an early flight home to Chicago on Sunday, after casting his vote late Saturday in favor of a sweeping overhaul of American health care.

In an interview at a West Madison Street catfish restaurant, Davis said he was elated by the victory.

"It's not going to be everything that everybody wanted," Davis said of the bill, "But I can tell you, I feel just great having been a part of it."

Davis was among the 219 Democrats and one Republican who approved a bill to extend insurance to 30 million Americans without it.

At times over the past week, it appeared the majority party would not have enough votes.

Davis says that changed when President Obama came to Capitol Hill and made his case in person.

"There's always a little bit of knee bending, elbow twisting you know, that's what we call it in the business," Davis said. "I think the President came to reassure people who were uncertain."

West suburban Congressman Peter Roskam was one of the Republican no votes. He said people in both parties were clearly worried the plan -- estimated to cost $1.3 trillion over the next decade -- is too expensive.

"There were 39 Democrats that voted no," Roskam said. "I sense that the reluctance people are having today is about the cost."

Roskam believes there's not enough public support to move the reform plan through the Senate.

"I think Democrats who voted in favor of it are going to start hearing from the public in ways they haven't," he said.

Senate majority whip Dick Durbin will help lead the next push to pass health care reform.

At a Sunday news conference outside the Kluczynski Federal Building in downtown Chicago, Durbin said the House's public option may not stand as passed.

But he's optimistic some form of government-run health care will be in the bill that reaches the President's desk.

"It's hard to argue against a public option if we allow the states to opt out of it," Durbin said. "I think it's one of the ways we may resolve this whole public option issue."