House panel passes health care bill after marathon session

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The House Ways and Means committee passed the House Democrats health care bill out of committee early Friday morning after a marathon markup that started Thursday morning.

The vote on the so-called "tri-committee bill" was 23-18, with three Democrats voting with all of the committee's Republicans against the bill.

The three Democrats voting against the bill were: Ron Kind of Wisconsin, Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota, and John Tanner of Tennessee. Pomeroy and Tanner are blue dogs and Kind is a leader of another group of moderate Democrats, the "New Democrats."

Two other House committees are still marking up the bill. The Education Labor Committee is expected to vote Friday.

But a key challenge will come next week at the Energy and Commerce Committee where a group of blue dogs who oppose the bill could block it.

Rep Mike Ross, D-Arkansas, said Thursday the group is drafting several amendments to make major changes to the bill. He also said right now leaders do not have enough votes to pass the bill on the House floor.