On health care, now's the time to write

The House is inching toward big votes on a health care plan.

The long debate over how to overhaul the nation's health insurance system is about to get serious, as in vote time.

The House of Representatives has made preliminary plans to be in session a week from Saturday (on Nov. 7) and also on that Monday and Tuesday (Nov. 9 and 10), according to CQ Today and Roll Call.

It's not certain that lawmakers will use those days, which had been set aside as holiday time in advance of Veteran's Day on Nov. 11. But by simply giving themselves the option of being in session those days is a sign that the Democrats in charge believe a vote could happen soon.

It's still not clear what they will vote on, of course. The public option remains the big sticking point. House leaders have to decide what type of public option to include in their bill, the Senate has to decide if it wants to include one at all.

With the possibility of House and Senate votes closing in, lawmakers will be deciding where they stand in the days ahead. Find your lawmaker and write them a letter here.

--Scott Montgomery, Congress.org

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