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Deal postpones resignation

In a sop to the House Republican leadership, Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) agreed to postpone his resignation until after any potential health care reform vote.

Deal, in the midst of a competitive Republican primary for governor, announced this week that he planned to resign from his House seat on March 8. But today, Deal announced that he would remain to help block any future Democratic-led health care legislation. He did not set a new resignation date.

"Just two days after I announced my intentions to leave Congress, the majority party stepped up the schedule for the proposed health care bill. Having been deeply involved in all health care legislation for the past decade, I knew it was important to stay and vote down this bill,” Deal said in a statement.

“Yesterday, as I listened to President Obama's aggressive push for a quick vote on 'Obama-Care,' it was clear that I must stay in Congress and continue to fight against the most liberal health care agenda ever proposed.”

The move means House Speaker Nancy Pelosi now need 217 votes to pass health care legislation, one more than if Deal had resigned before the vote.

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