Teague votes 'No' on health care bill

WASHINGTON (KRQE) - Rep. Harry Teague is the only of New Mexico's House members to vote against the historic health care reform bill that cleared the U.S. House Saturday night.

The final vote in the U.S. House of Representatives was 220 to 215, with nearly every Republican voting against the measure.

New Mexico's entirely Democratic delegation did not entirely vote along party lines as Teague broke away to vote No.

Teague said the bill did not go far enough to reign in the insurance companies. In a statement, he said he's concerned the bill puts the nation further in debt.

"Health insurance reform is too important to settle for a bill that appears to be a temporary fix that guarantees more money for insurance companies and a bigger national debt, but in the end doesn't lower the cost of health care for New Mexico families and businesses," Teague said.

Rep. Martin Heinrich and Rep. Ben Ray Lujan voted for the bill.

"It will level the playing field between insurance companies and consumers. And while the final public option may not be perfect, I believe it will be an important tool to increase choice and competition," Lujan said.

"The legislation will bring peace of mind to New Mexico's working families, seniors and small business owners by guaranteeing stability, lowering costs, improving quality and providing a greater choice of plans," Heinrich said.

The New Mexico Democratic Party and political analysts said there could be several reasons why Teague voted against the bill.

"I think what is important to remember is every democratic member of congress support affordable health care reform, they may differ on what they believe if the best way to get there, but at the end of the say they all want to pass reform this year," Josh Geise with the New Mexico Democratic Party said.

Political analyst and blogger Joe Monahan said he believes Teague may have been motivated by political reasons.

"Even if he liked a lot in this health bill, it would have been very difficult for him to vote for it because the Republicans are just poised like a jaguar to jump all over him the second he did so to use that to their political advantage," Monahan said.

Next year, Teague will run for reelection in a very conservative district.