U.S. Rep. Harry Teague (Photo by Heath Haussamen)
Contrary to what President Barack Obama’s group Organizing for America claimed earlier today, U.S. Rep. Harry Teague hasn’t made a decision on whether to support pending health-care reform legislation and has no related announcement planned for Thursday morning, Teague’s spokeswoman says.
“As you know, Congressman Teague has consistently stated that he will make a decision on health care when there is a final proposal on the table,” Teague spokeswoman Sara Schreiber wrote in an e-mail. “Since there is no final language and no CBO score yet, his position hasn’t changed.”
She said the claim being made by Organizing for America is “plain wrong.”
Earlier today, Organizing for America’s New Mexico director, Ray Sandoval, sent an e-mail to supporters stating that the group had “credible information” that Teague, D-N.M., would make the announcement Thursday morning. House leaders hope to vote on the legislation this weekend.
Moments ago, Sandoval sent a follow-up e-mail retracting that claim and blaming the situation on a “miscommunication.”
“Sorry for the confusion and I will keep you all posted as we move closer to a final vote in the House,” he wrote.
Teague has been under immense pressure from the left and right as the vote on the health-care reform bill looms.
Schreiber most recently said in an article published Tuesday that Teague, who voted against the House health-care bill last year, had not decided how he’ll vote on the Senate version of the bill. Schreiber did say Teague still had “serious concerns” about the legislation.
Schreiber reiterated that position today.
“Congressman Teague voted no on the House health-care bill and has expressed serious concerns about both the Senate bill and about using reconciliation instead of regular order to move this bill through the Congress,” she wrote.