Black Caucus members switch votes on bailout bill

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus voted 31-8 in favor of the financial rescue bill that passed the House of Representatives on Friday, with several members switching their votes. The vote was a dramatic turnaround for the Caucus from Monday, when most members of the group voted against the plan.

The bill passed the full House of Representatives 263 to 171, just one day after the Senate approved the measure, 74 to 25. Senator Barack Obama personally called members of the CBC, some of whom credited him for changing their minds in favor of the bill, according to the Associated Press.

Thirteen CBC members -- Andre Carson (IN), Emanuel Cleaver (MO), Elijah Cummings (MD), Donna Edwards (MD), Al Green (TX), Jesse Jackson Jr. (IL), Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX), Carolyn Kilpatrick (MI), Barbara Lee (CA), John Lewis (GA),  Bobby Rush (IL), David Scott (GA) and Diane Watson (CA) -- who had voted against the bill on Monday switched their votes in favor of it on Friday. Many who switched their votes cited the changes in the proposal made since the Senate passed the measure on Thursday.

Despite tremendous pressure from House Democratic leadership, eight members of the Caucus -- Reps. G.K. Butterfield, William Clay, John Conyers, William Jefferson, Hank Johnson, Donald Payne, Robert Scott and Bennie Thompson -- voted against the final bill on Friday.

Rep. Elijah Cummings and Donna Edwards, both of Maryland, told AP that Senator Obama had contacted them and pledged to help homeowners facing foreclosure on their mortgages if he wins the White House and promised to support changes in the bankruptcy law to help consumers.

"It's not too often you get the future president telling you that his priority matches your priority," Cummings said in the AP story.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus were divided on the first bill, which failed 228 to 205 in the House on Monday. In total, 21 members of the CBC opposed the first bill while 18 members supported it. 

Of the 42 members of the Congressional Black Caucus, 39 are eligible to vote in the House of Representatives. Two members -- Donna Christian-Christensen (USVI) and Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC) -- are delegates and cannot vote. The 42nd member is Barack Obama, who voted for the bill on Thursday in the Senate.

How CBC Members Voted On Monday And Friday

(Members who switched their votes are shown in bold.)

G.K. Butterfield (Monday-Against/Friday-Against)
Sanford Bishop (GA) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
Corrine Brown (FL) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
Andre Carson (IN) (Monday-Against/Friday-For)
Yvette Clark (NY) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
William Clay (MO) (Monday-Against/Friday-Against)
Emanuel Cleaver (MO) (Monday-Against/Friday-For)
James Clyburn (SC) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
John Conyers (MI) (Monday-Against/Friday-Against)
Elijah Cummings (MD) (Monday-Against/Friday-For)
Artur Davis (AL) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
Danny Davis (IL) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
Donna Edwards (MD) (Monday-Against/Friday-For)
Keith Ellison (MN) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
Chaka Fattah (PA) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
Al Green (TX) (Monday-Against/Friday-For)
Alcee Hastings (FL) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
Jesse Jackson Jr. (IL) (Monday-Against/Friday-For)
Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX) (Monday-Against/Friday-For)
William Jefferson (LA) (Monday-Against/Friday-Against)
Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
Hank Johnson (GA) (Monday-Against/Friday-Against)
Carolyn Kilpatrick (MI) (Monday-Against/Friday-For)
Barbara Lee (CA) (Monday-Against/Friday-For)
John Lewis (GA) (Monday-Against/Friday-For)
Kendrick Meek (FL) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
Gregory Meeks (NY) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
Gwendolynne Moore (WI) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
Donald Payne (NJ) (Monday-Against/Friday-Against)
Charles Rangel (NY) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
Laura Richardson (CA) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
Bobby Rush (IL) (Monday-Against/Friday-For)
David Scott (GA) (Monday-Against/Friday-For)
Robert Scott (VA) (Monday-Against/Friday-Against)
Edolphus Towns (NY) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
Bennie Thompson (Monday-Against/Friday-Against)
Maxine Waters (CA) (Monday-For/Friday-For)
Diane Watson (CA) (Monday-Against/Friday-For)
Mel Watt (NC) (Monday-For/Friday-For)