Reid Suggests Health Care Reform May Not Come This Year

(AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)

Asked if health care reform legislation will pass this year, Senate Majority leader Harry Reid told reporters today that "we're not going to be bound by any timelines."

"We need to do the best job we can for the American people," he said. "We want quality legislation, and we're going to do that."

President Obama had set a deadline of the end of the year to pass health care reform, and advocates fear that further delay could hamper the legislation's chance of passage.

"We're going to do this legislation as expeditiously as we can, but we're going to do it as fairly as we can, also," Reid said. He later added that the Senate Democratic Caucus wants "Democrats to do this the right way, not the fast way."

Health Care Progress Report

Reid made the comments after meeting with Democrats at a policy luncheon. He complained Senate Republicans were using stalling tactics to keep health care and other legislation from passing.

The Democratic leader said the opposition party had included numerous unrelated amendments, including votes related to ACORN, designed to draw out the legislative process.

"They have a strategy, one they're proud to admit, the Republicans, of doing everything they can to derail health care reform," he said.

Reid also told reporters that he was waiting for the non-partisan Congressional Budget office to complete its analysis on the legislation, "a time-consuming process that makes it unlikely the Senate would begin debate before Veterans' Day, Nov. 11," as the Associated Press notes.

The House is expected to vote on that chamber's version of the legislation by early next week. After both chambers pass their versions of the bill, they must be combined before being sent to Mr. Obama for his signature.

Special Report: Health Care Reform

[purelies]

regardless of when they pass this reform we are going to have to deal with this http://www.typobounty.com/Funny/Health_Care_Reform3.htm just be prepared

[raperian]

The healthcare bill is really, not give and take, do this or that. Its we DON'T want big government running our lives. Do you really want government telling you that you can not have this or that operation because it's too costly?? Think what you are giving up for a small given. Freedom is priceless. Don't give it away without a least an argument. Doctors know whats best not some politician. Did they go to med school??? or did your doctor?? besides we are still paying for it in taxes right???

[raperian]

It appears to me, MS Pelosis Does not represent any Americans. We want smaller government not larger. Why would she push this so hard? It has to be a power thing. It's time has past for them anyway, so I guess they don't care if they ruin this country of ours. When the dust clears they will eat 2000 pages of garbage. Sleep in the bed you have made.

[qpublic]

It doesn't change the fact that 50 billion could be saved from tort reform according to the non partisan CBO. Why is it that the Dems won't act on this? Because this was never about universal health, it's about increasing governments grip on all of us and protecting their pet interest groups at ALL our expense.

[gboyd41]

qpublic-it's because they don't want to make their former law school classmates "mad", but of more importence is they DO NOT WANT the trial attorney's $ to go away-those $ belong in the appropriate place, the freezer.And you are correct-this administration will accept nothing less than Federal ownership of business; get with the program!

[yetunlin]

Instead of spending million of dollars each days on war, let spend our money for our own good which is health care. what make Republicans stupid??? look at what BUSH DO in his term. WASTING a lot of money for nothing and only revenge will get back and more Terriost attack from them.

[hungry1968-17]

by endurorob_5 November 3, 2009 7:23 PM EST
And how much did the trial lawyers spend on Pelosi to inusure the bill prevents any kind of sensible tort reform?







Why is it that "tort reform" MUST be attached to health care reform?

Frivolous lawsuits dominate ALL AREAS of our society, not just health care.

So why are you trying to use THIS stall tactic to try and delay the passage of necessary health care reform?

And if "tort reform" is so critically important, why didn't the republicans do something about it when they had control of Washington for 6 years?

[jsd330]

Why do the dems insist on not having interstate competition, when their public option will compete in every state? To me it looks like they don't want true competition.

[hungry1968-17]

by endurorob_5 November 3, 2009 7:25 PM EST
Reid complains repubs try to add inrelated amendments to the bill. Although I feel adding unrelated amendments to bills is bad business they did just pas a defense bill that contained a hate crime ammendment and I am pretty sure Reid voted for that.







Was that hate crime amendment added on to the legislation, as a stall tactic to try and delay passage of the bill?

No?

So it really WASN'T the same tactic, now was it?

[hungry1968-17]

Obama's going to be president for ONE YEAR on 1/20/2010, and they STILL won't have health care reform drafted and passed by then, effectively WASTING 25% of his presidency?!?!

Why are the democrats so afraid of standing up to the republicans?!?!

GET MOVING!!!!

[johnlloydsch]

If health care is the problem, insurance is not the cause and government is not the answer.

Of those "50 million," that lack insurance there were 45,000 who died without health care. With health care, 98,000 died FROM health care because of malpractice.

The question is do we want to trust that largest corporation in the world, the U.S. Government.

Do not expect house calls anytime soon.

We have seen how well the government delivers on its promises and its bureaucracies pursue the money without giving us benefits on so many levels. Imagine another organ of the government that only ultimately must listen to the Secretary of the Treasury - another "service" of which is the IRS.

http://theprogressivecapitalist.blogspot.com/2009/10/affordable-health-care-for-america-act.html

That blog of mine above has several .pdf connections (HR. 3962 and two summaries, a few videos, and page references for new taxes and other mandates). If you cannot use the link, google "Progressive Capitalist H.R. 3962."

If you believe the promises of this bill, you have to deal with the lie that it fosters competition with a government option called the "Public Option" and establishes the government as a monopoly making its own rules.

Don't worry. You'll run out of "rich" soon enough. We have at least a$12 trillion economy of which at least $1.8 trillion is spent on health care. If you read the bill, there are plenty of opportunities to soak the middle class, if you do not mind the 1.6 million made jobless.

[endurorob_5]

Reid complains repubs try to add inrelated amendments to the bill. Although I feel adding unrelated amendments to bills is bad business they did just pas a defense bill that contained a hate crime ammendment and I am pretty sure Reid voted for that.