West Michigan lawmaker speaks about upcoming health care vote

(NEWSCHANNEL 3) – On Friday, President Barack Obama was in Virginia, making his final pitch for health care reform.

“We are going to make history,” said President Obama, “we are going to fix health care in America with your help.”

The House will vote on the $940 billion plan on Sunday.

From big public rallies to dozens of one-on-one phone calls, President Obama has been lobbying every House Democrat still on the fence on the issue.

In West Michigan, at least one lawmaker has promised that he'll vote yes.

Newschannel 3 spoke to Representative Mark Schauer on Friday. Schauer has said he will vote yes on the bill, but Republicans in his district are hoping there will be enough no votes to defeat the health care bill.

“Doing nothing is not an option,” said Schauer. “What that will guarantee is that health insurance companies will continue to enact double digit increases every year with no end is sight. What this legislation will do is control costs, health care costs, for families and businesses.”

Schauer's freshman term in Congress will see him casting a historic vote on health care, and while he says it's positive change for his constituents, not everyone agrees.

“They won't be dropped by their insurance company,” said Schauer. “Cost will be contained, they will be able to afford insurance, the same insurance I have as a member of Congress.”

“We have had many residents in Calhoun County that have actually called Congressman Schauer and asked him to please reconsider his vote,” said Elizabeth Fulton, Calhoun County Republican Party Chair.

Schauer says for his district, the health care bill will extend coverage to 30,000 uninsured and 167,000 families would get tax credits to help them afford coverage, as would 12,000 small businesses.

“This is real help for people to be insured, to be able to receive primary care, preventative care, and health care when they need it,” said Schauer.

Republicans, however, don't see the benefit.

“Mandating small businesses or businesses to have health care coverage for their employees is going to be a lose-lose situation for our business community,” said Fulton.

Schauer says the Congressional Budget Office's estimate that the plan will cut the federal deficit by $130 billion over ten years is what swung his vote.

“This bill may represent the biggest vote I cast on cutting the federal budget deficit so the CBO score, or analysis of this bill was very important to me,” said Schauer.

Fulton told Newschannel 3 that she's unsure about the CBO projections and thinks the plan could actually increase the deficit.