Wellstone mental health bill divides Minnesota delegation

posted by Edward Felker, P-B Washington Bureau

When the House on Wednesday passed the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act, named for the Minnesota Democratic senator who died in 2002, it fell short of winning the backing of the eight-member Minnesota delegation.

Despite co-sponsorship by retiring Rep. Jim Ramstad, R-Minnetonka, his two Republican colleagues, Reps. Michele Bachmann of Stillwater and John Kline of Lakeville, voted against. Kline represents areas just south of the Twin Cities in the 2nd Congressional District.

The 268-148 vote on passage included 221 Democrats and 47 Republicans in favor. Kline and Bachmann were among 145 Republicans and three Democrats to vote against.

Wednesday evening, Kline took the House floor to offer a Republican alternative via a motion to recommit. A motion to recommit technically sends the bill back to committee and for practical purposes kills it, but in this case the Kline amendment sought to substitute the Senate mental health insurance parity bill (passed last year) and offer it for immediate passage. That bill has the support of the insurance and business lobby, along with a number of mental health advocacy groups. Kline called the substitution a common sense approach that would ensure a bill is passed and sent to the president this year based on the coalition behind the Senate bill.

The move was defeated on a 196-221 vote, largely along party lines. Today, Rep. Tim Walz, D-Mankato, told reporters today he found it a "pretty specious argument" to say that the House should pass the Senate's version to ensure enactment. "I'm obviously disappointed that it was put up by a Minnesotan," he said of Kline's motion. "Obviously Republicans put it up because they disagree with this bill."

Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, who is running for re-election, said today that he considers the House bill to be the stronger version between the two chambers, but expects it to be watered down in any final bill. "The House bill, in its pure form, wouldn't pass the Senate," he said.

Notable: the lead sponsor of the Senate bill, Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., is the father of the lead sponsor of the House bill, Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I.