THE HILL
 

New York's Bill Owens quickly sworn in ahead of House healthcare reform vote

By Eric Zimmermann - 11/06/09 01:49 PM ET

alt

Bill Owens (D) was sworn in Friday by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) after squeaking by Doug Hoffman in the N.Y.-23 special election.

Democrats are undoubtedly glad Owens is joining Congress just in time for Saturday's healthcare vote.

Owens honored the soldiers killed at Fort Hood during his first remarks as a congressman.

"The shooting at Fort Hood last night that claimed the lives of 13 fine Americans is a stunning reminder of how quickly the peace we enjoy here at home can turn to violence, and how heavily we rely on our brave men and women to keep us free from harm," he said. "My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, and with our soldiers to whom we owe our safety and our freedom."


Source:
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/66743-owens-sworn-in

Comments (17)

I hope he has the courage to represent his conservative district by voting against the Pelosie health care bill.BY Dane dog on 11/06/2009 at 14:37
Sorry Dane Dog, he has broken his campaign promise to vote against it. He is a yes.BY BC on 11/06/2009 at 15:08
Actually, he campaigned on the public option and campaigned for health care reform. Perhaps if the carpetbagging teabaggers actually lived in the district they were trying to influence, they might have known that Bill Owens was elected to support health care reform.BY mnike on 11/06/2009 at 16:04
Why the rush… Oh Yeah, Pelosi is still trying to throw enough Dem's under the bus to get her bill passed.Sad, these people won't pay attention to the American Voices demanding this Health Care Fiasco to cease.BY Dave on 11/06/2009 at 16:17
Tick tock.Start the clock.He has two years until he is punished for this, but nobody's going to forget. He's doomed.BY democratsarefascists on 11/06/2009 at 16:27
Those sneaky politicians. $2 million per word, 2000pages and none of them read the bill I bet. I know this new commie hasn't. THIS WILL NOT STAND. This will be like Bush with SS reform only far more of an embarrassment.BY Pete on 11/06/2009 at 17:14
I hope NY-23 is happy, they just voted in a congressman that has said he would vote for HC reform. I hope all those moderate GOPers in the district who voted for Owens are happy.BY Gabe on 11/06/2009 at 17:33
I am American with health care. But it could disappear at any time. Losing heath care has already happened to some of my friends and family and has already led to two fatalities. I fear my small business employer will no longer be able to afford it. I fear that I may not be able to afford it if I move, change jobs, or lose my job and have to go out on my own and get it. I fear I will not go to the doctor when I am sick due to high co-pays and high deductibles. We need to abolish the fears that restrain us, step up and do the right thing. We need a public option for us everyday regular middle class American folks that is a fair and affordable option and not an inaccessible one.BY JN7854 on 11/06/2009 at 17:43
He campaigned on an open promise to vote for a bill (clearly I mean the health care bill) scheduled for a vote shortly after he was elected. This was all completely out in the open and in a very closely watched and hard fought race.Logically, one would believe the voters of the district who elected him agree with him.BY Steve on 11/06/2009 at 18:27
What a low life this piece of cake already is . What was he promised to sell out the 23th so damn quick the echo of his swearing in is still in the cambers . Like a little kid he took back everything he told the citizens of NY . SLIME What the H___ was the matter with Mr.Hoffman ? STUPID is asBY TST on 11/06/2009 at 20:02

Add Comment

Name (required)

E-Mail (will not be published) (required)

Your Comments

Key Blogs

What they are saying today …
Drudge Report
"Punch will stun West," reads the headline above the fold on Drudge this Tuesday. The line refers to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent, vague promise this week to somehow "punch the arrogance" of the West on February 11. Also above the fold: A slew of weather-related links, including a report from the National Weather Service that predicts more snow for the already buried Capitol.… Read More »
The Huffington Post
"Healthcare theatrics" reads the banner atop The Huffington Post, which links to an AP story on the White House's struggle to bring GOP leaders to the table for a televised healthcare summit. The AP questions whether the event may have any utility outside of immediate personal politics. Below, reporter Sam Stein reports Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) plans to vote against the White House's nominee for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Craig Becker.… Read More »
Red State
Moe Lane this morning summarizes the latest back-and-forth between the White House and congressional GOP leaders over healthcare. The White House wants Republicans to join Democrats for a televised healthcare summit in the coming days, but GOP leaders do not want Democrats' bill to be the basis for those talks. Meanwhile, Brian Darling takes on NYT columnist Paul Krugman's latest piece, in which he rails on the filibuster (and the GOP's use of it). "He is clearly way outside of his area of expertise when talking about Senate procedure, because his analysis is laughable," Darling writes.… Read More »
The Washington Independent
Spencer Ackerman leads The Washington Independent this morning with a post about William Lietzau, a top Obama White House appointee first installed during President George W. Bush's tenure. Lietzau handled the military commissions the Supreme Court later found unconstitutional, and Ackerman reports that he will soon become Deputy Assistant Secretary for Detainee Affairs.Earlier, David Weigel shared Defense Secretary Robert Gates' thoughts on the passing of Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha (D). Noted Gates: "In our dealings over the years, Jack and I did not always agree, but I always respected his candor, and knew that he cared deeply about the men and women of America’s military and intelligence community." … Read More »
AMERICAblog
John Aravosis points out that Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) has dropped most of his unprecedented blanket hold on most of the White House's nominees -- except a few defense posts, which remain tied up as Shelby seeks two lucrative military contracts for his home state. Later, Aravosis reports that the Department of Health and Human Services has opened an investigation into the California Blue Cross health insurance program, following reports that premiums there have increased 39 percent recently.… Read More »
The Corner
News that Iran may have started enriching uranium has prompted The Corner's Mike Potemra to issue the Middle Eastern state a warnining: "It’s not too late for Iran to turn back from such a disastrous course: Even evil regimes — regimes that systematically violate the rights of their own people — have the use of intellect." Also, gues blogger Ralph Reed offers his thoughts on former Gov. Sarah Palin's national political aspirations. Ultimately, he calls her a "bridge" between Tea Party activists and the GOP establishment.… Read More »
Blog Summaries Archive »

Briefing Room Blog Roll

The Hill
ABC News: The Note
AMERICAblog
Barack Obama
Beat The Press
Bill Press
BuzzFlash
Capitol Briefing
Capitol Games
The Caucus (NYT)
Clive Crook
Comments From Left Field
CNN Political Ticker
The Corner (NRO)
Crooks and Liars
The Daily Beast
Daily Caller
Daily Kos
DCCC: The Stakeholder
DNC: Kicking Ass
DSCC: From The Roots
Drudge Report
Eschaton
Extreme Mortman
Ezra Klein
firedoglake
FishbowlDC
The Fix (WashPost)
The Foundry
Gkenn Greenwald
Hendrik Hertzberg
Hillary Clinton
Hot Air
Hotline on Call
Huffington Post
Human Events
Instapundit
James Fallows
John McCain
Judicial Watch: Corruption Chronicles
Kaus Files
Left Coaster
Lefty Blogs
Majority AP
Marc Ambinder
Matt Lewis
Matthew Yglesias
Megan McArdle
Michelle Malkin
Minority Report
The Moderate Voice
MSNBC First Read
MyDD
The Nation
National Review
The New Republic
NewsBusters
Newsmax
The NRCC Blog
NRSC Blog
Open Left
Page (Mark Halperin)
The Plank (TNR)
Political Animal
Political Wire
Politicker
Politico's Ben Smith
Politico's Jonathan Martin
Politico's The Crypt
Power Line
Reason
RedState
Right Wing News
RNC Blog
Ross Douthat
Rush Limbaugh
SCOTUSblog
Senate Guru
The Stump (TNR)
The Swamp (Tribune)
Swampland
Swing State Project
Talk Left
TalkingPointsMemo
TAPPED
Tech Policy Summit
techPresident
TechRepublican
The Right Angle
Think Progress
Top of the Ticket (LA Times)
Townhall
TPMCafe
TPMMuckraker
The Trail (WashPost)
Truthdig
USA Today On Politics
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blog
VF Daily
Washington Wire (WSJ)
Weekly Standard
Wonkette
Yeas and Nays

Briefing Room Blog Topics

 Blog Summaries »   Technology »
 Day's End Round-Up »   Telecom and IT »
 Energy & Environment »   Trade and Agriculture »
 Midday Blog Roundup »  Lobbying »
 Morning Read »   Administration »
 News »   Campaigns »
  Campaigns »   Civil Rights »
   Administration »   Corporate Governance »
   Civil Rights »   Defense »
   Congressional Campaigns »   Economy & Budget »
   Corporate Governance »   Energy & Environment »
   Defense »   Foreign Policy »
   Economy & Budget »   Healthcare »
   Foreign Policy »   Homeland Security »
   Healthcare »   Immigration »
   Homeland Security »   Labor »
   Immigration »   Lobbyists »
   Labor »   Technology »
   Law and Courts »   Telecom and IT »
   Lobbyists »   Trade and Agriculture »
   Presidential Campaigns »  Other »
   Technology »   Administration »
   Telecom and IT »   Campaigns »
   Trade and Agriculture »   Civil Rights »
  Energy & Environment »   Congressional Campaigns »
  Lawmaker News »   Corporate Governance »
   Administration »   Defense »
   Campaigns »   Economy & Budget »
   Civil Rights »   Energy & Environment »
   Corporate Governance »   Foreign Policy »
   Defense »   Healthcare »
   Economy & Budget »   Homeland Security »
   Energy & Environment »   Immigration »
   Foreign Policy »   Labor »
   Healthcare »   Lobbyists »
   Homeland Security »   Presidential Campaigns »
   Immigration »   Technology »
   Labor »   Telecom and IT »
   Lobbyists »   Trade and Agriculture »
   Technology »  Oversight »
   Telecom and IT »   Administration »
   Trade and Agriculture »   Campaigns »
  Legislation »   Civil Rights »
   Administration »   Corporate Governance »
   Campaigns »   Defense »
   Civil Rights »   Economy & Budget »
   Corporate Governance »   Energy & Environment »
   Defense »   Foreign Policy »
   Economy & Budget »   Healthcare »
   Energy & Environment »   Homeland Security »
   Foreign Policy »   Immigration »
   Healthcare »   Labor »
   Homeland Security »   Lobbyists »
   Immigration »   Technology »
   Labor »   Telecom and IT »
   Lobbyists »   Trade and Agriculture »
You need Flash Player 8 (or higher) and JavaScript enabled to view this content

Get latest news from The Hill direct to your inbox, RSS reader and mobile devices.