Reid Gets 60 Votes for Health Care Debate

Topics: Congress

(CBS)

This post was written by CBS News Producer John Nolen.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada secured the 60 votes needed to move forward with the historic debate on President Obama's overhaul of health care today. The future of the debate was in question until two remaining Democratic holdouts announced they would vote with their party to begin deliberations on the health care reform bill.

Reid needed the support of all 58 Democrats and two Independents to formally begin debate on the health care legislation. Republicans were unified in opposition to the bill, calling it too costly.

"Americans know that a vote to proceed on this bill is a vote for higher premiums, higher taxes, and massive cuts to Medicare," said Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. "That's a pretty hard thing to justify supporting."

During a rare Saturday session of the Senate, the last two wavering Democrats, Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas announced they would vote yes to move forward on the bill.

Landrieu said on the Senate floor that "doing nothing is not an option." But she cautioned her colleagues that voting to begin debate does not mean she would support them in a final vote.

"My vote today to move forward on this important debate should in no way be construed by the supporters of this current framework as an indication of how I might vote as this debate comes to an end," Landrieu said.

Later in the day, during a much anticipated Senate floor speech, Lincoln warned Reid that she would oppose any plan that contained the so-called "public option."

"Let me be perfectly clear, I am opposed to a new government-administered health care plan as part of comprehensive health care reform," she said.

Lincoln is not the only Democrat who has expressed concerns about a public option in the health care reform bill, setting up a tough battle in weeks to come.

After Saturday evening's procedural vote, Senators head home for a week-long Thanksgiving recess before returning to Washington to engage in a full-blown, contentious debate on health care. Senate leaders still hope to pass a bill by the end of the year.

But with only a few weeks remaining before Christmas, that's going to be tough.

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by ralea9 November 22, 2009 11:17 PM EST: Why isn't anyone talking about the high cost of prescription drugs? Prescription drugs is one of the most important elements of health care. The high cost of prescriptions that could be alleviated for every American if we could buy prescription drugs from Canada. Democrate or Republican, it doesn't matter, why isn't any politician putting prescription drugs on the table?; Reply to this comment

by ajvw November 22, 2009 5:00 PM EST

On the eve of Saturday's showdown in the Senate over health-care reform, Democratic leaders still hadn't secured the support of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), one of the 60 votes needed to keep the legislation alive. The wavering lawmaker was offered a sweetener: at least $100 million in extra federal money for her home state.

And so it came to pass that Landrieu walked onto the Senate floor midafternoon Saturday to announce her aye vote -- and to trumpet the financial "fix" she had arranged for Louisiana. "I am not going to be defensive," she declared. "And it's not a $100 million fix. It's a $300 million fix."

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by ralea9 November 22, 2009 11:17 PM EST: Why isn't anyone talking about the high cost of prescription drugs? Prescription drugs is one of the most important elements of health care. The high cost of prescriptions that could be alleviated for every American if we could buy prescription drugs from Canada. Democrate or Republican, it doesn't matter, why isn't any politician putting prescription drugs on the table?


by ramos1129 November 22, 2009 11:55 AM EST: The GOP (House and Senate) now have a choice. Either, get into the ball game or watch from the bleachers as history is being made. My guess is that they will continue watching from the bleachers.; Reply to this comment


by gramto8 November 22, 2009 10:46 AM EST: by CitizenMikeM November 22, 2009 9:51 AM EST
by PATANNC November 21, 2009 8:49 PM EST
No one dies from not having health insurance or being under-insured. Emergency rooms, ambulance- service are always available. It is up to the individual to be responsible.
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How dare you be callous enough to make an ignorant statement like that. Many people die from no insurance or being underinsured. The person developing cancer or another serious condition that goes undetected because they don't have the coverage to see a doctor for screening or early treatment. Yeah, they can go to the emergency room after its too late. Remarks like yours are why I got tired of reading these boards--ignorance.
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CitizenMike,

That Patannc creature is not only callous, they are also exceedingly WRONG!! As you pointed out, thousands die from not being able to have their problems discovered in time to treat them. Then the 'Pukes will complain that they have to pay for these people to go to the hospital for all this expensive care. Preventative care is SO much less expensive, but just try to get a Republican to understand this.....; Reply to this comment


by buildfences November 22, 2009 9:14 AM EST: Why do Democrats hate our own elderly citizens, and favor illegal aliens?
Amnesty = health insurance.

Health care bill = less treatments for elderly citizens.

Taxing everything, losing jobs right & left, borrowing from China constantly, massive debt will result in our losing our sovereignty...yes read what the new President of the EU just stated...global governance!

Why didn't our elite crooks in D.C. just require insurance companies to cover those with pre-existing illness', why didn't they allow us to buy from any other state, and why didn't they allow tort reform?

If a normal citizen had done some of the things our politicians are doing to us...they would be in jail!; Reply to this comment


by gohogs44 November 22, 2009 9:07 AM EST: I assume someone has to pay for this mess and all this savings stuff is nothing more than pie in the sky:
1. CBO says 10 mil new folks will be placed on Medicaid. The one research firm the Dems love estimates closer to 100 mil (little high I think). Point is, the states will pick up the tab (hope your state is richer than mine). So, Reid and Dodd pat themselves on the back while the states suffer.
2. The Doc Fix is only for 1 year. Another 200 bil next year? Convenient how this money was NOT included in the overall costs.
3. After the Doc Fix runs out, how many docs opt out, especially the Primary Care givers? Get in line folks, rationing is coming. No way another 30 million folks can be handled.
4. How many new govt workers to run this monster?? Deficit spending??
5. Comparing us to other countries. What other country has an obesity rate of 43% at an annual cost of $8500/obese vs $2500/not obese? Just keep throwing money at the problem instead of taking some common sense approaches.
6. How do you strengthen Medicare by cutting it $450 bil?

Finally, the smartest bunch in the whole group. Those from Louisiana. Wow, did they play it smart. But, what's another 300 mil amongst friends. Deficit. What deficit?; Reply to this comment


by hungry1968-17 November 22, 2009 7:18 AM EST: by TickedOff2 November 21, 2009 8:49 PM EST
You got to be kidding..is this a joke? How is a simple man going to catch a break with 237 millionaires in congress? What makes you think they speak for us or even know what the typical American family is going through? The majority of America opposes Obama's health care plan! Who thought it WOULDN'T pass congress? Please!

The "majority" opposes health care reform?

Since when is 25% considered to be the "majority"?; Reply to this comment


by TickedOff2 November 21, 2009 8:49 PM EST: You got to be kidding..is this a joke? How is a simple man going to catch a break with 237 millionaires in congress? What makes you think they speak for us or even know what the typical American family is going through? The majority of America opposes Obama's health care plan! Who thought it WOULDN'T pass congress? Please!; Reply to this comment

by PATANNC November 21, 2009 8:49 PM EST

I don't think THIS debate should continue based on what the most reliable economists have stated regarding the damage done by 2 1/2 trillion dollars spent that the gov't does not have.

A debate SHOULD occur. But the debate should be a new one, a bipartisan one. Only when the representatives of ALL taxpayers are involved in the debate is this going to be democracy. This is about ALL the people.

All Americans should be contacting their representatives -- easy to do by email -- and asking the hard questions. When the examples used of health issues experienced are HAND-PICKED in order to support a point, the results are skewed, not legitimate.

It's still about the money. This is not the time to spent it when we don't have it.
No one dies from not having health insurance or being under-insured. Emergency rooms, ambulance- service are always available. It is up to the individual to be responsible.

There are possible reforms -- one is tort reform.
Another is opportunity for increasing competition between insurance companies by allowing buying insurance across state lines.
OUR "leaders" are not answering these possibilities with valid or truthful responses.
This becomes very political. Trial lawyers win -- more than the "victims" with unreasonable lawsuits when tort reform is not addressed.

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by retm-w November 21, 2009 10:10 PM EST: Why bother, my representatives both Dems, just send a form letter back. They have their own agenda, that's why I have been voting for Independents.


by CitizenMikeM November 22, 2009 9:42 AM EST: by PATANNC November 21, 2009 8:49 PM EST
I don't think THIS debate should continue based on what the most reliable economists have stated regarding the damage done by 2 1/2 trillion dollars spent that the gov't does not have.

It's still about the money. This is not the time to spent it when we don't have it.
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Only the Republicans are throwing around the 2 1/2 Trillion dollar number. The CBO denies that number. Believe what you want--I'm tired of trying to argue with you folks that take one side with no proof. We are spending 17 Billion dollars per month in Iraq/Afghanistan, yet I don't hear one peep from the whiners! Thats 204 Billion per year. Way more than the cost of Healthcare. Where is your concern over that, and the 4500 American lives lost in a futile civil war with no end?