Rep. Ben Lujan (D-NM) defends new house procedural plan to pass health care overhaul

By Jim Williams

Albuquerque, NM – With the vote on a health care overhaul package looming in Washington and the margin expected to be razor-thin, House Democratic leaders are now pushing to pass the package using an infrequent process that essentially avoids a vote on one element of it.

Known as "deem and pass", the procedure allows lawmakers to vote on changes to a bill first, which then deems the bill itself already passed.

KUNM's Jim Williams spoke with one of New Mexico's House members about it, and has this report.