Pence Mum On Health-Bill Court Challenge

Rep. Mike Pence said Tuesday he and fellow Republicans will exhaust every method to keep House Democrats from passing health care reform without a vote but declined to say whether they would appeal to the courts if the legislation reaches President Obama's desk.

"Republicans are going to use every means at our disposal to make sure the Constitution of the United States of America is specifically enforced on the floor," Mr. Pence, Indiana Republican, told The Washington Times' "America's Morning News" radio show.

Democrats purportedly are considering two tactics to pass the president's reform plan without the necessary votes from Republicans and some Democrats. The "reconciliation" strategy would allow the House to pass the Senate bill, then pass amendments to resolve the differences. Democrats also are said to be considering the use of the "self-executing rule," or "Slaughter rule," which allows House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to "deem" the House has passed the Senate bill.

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