#NVSen: Berkley shifts on medical equipment tax

From Las Vegas Review-Journal:

As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., voted last month to repeal a new excise tax on medical equipment, an issue that has been lobbied heavily by device makers.

But by the time it reached a House vote on Thursday, Berkley shifted and ended up voting against repeal, saying a late change by Republicans made it unpalatable.

The bill to scuttle the tax passed anyway, 270-146, but the Nevadan’s change of heart — as well as her vote in favor of a tax — prompted flip-flop charges from Republicans and served as yet another example of how closely the parties are fighting for ground in the campaign for U.S. Senate pitting Berkley against Republican Sen. Dean Heller.

“Shelley Berkley thought about repealing the job-killing medical device tax, but once again Nancy Pelosi twisted her arm and convinced her to double-down on ObamaCare,” said Jahan Wilcox, a spokesman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.