Harry Reid Says GOP Should "Stop Crying" About Reconciliation

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Congress

(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters Tuesday that Republicans "should stop crying" about the possible use of the parliamentary procedure known as budget reconciliation to pass a health care reform bill.

Reid said reconciliation had been used 21 times since 1981, mostly by Republicans when they were in control of the Senate for the passage of items like the Bush tax cuts. (Here's a handy chart of when the procedure has been used.)

Under reconciliation, Democrats would need a simple majority in the Senate to pass legislation, as opposed to the 60 votes needed to break a filibuster.

"They should stop crying about reconciliation as if it's never been done before," Reid said.

Following Senate Democrats' weekly luncheon, Reid said "nothing is off the table" but that "realistically, they should stop crying about this. It's been done 21 times before."

"The question is: Is reconciliation the only way we can do health-care reform?" he said. "The answer to that is no. But I've been told that my Republican friends are lamenting reconciliation, but I would recommend for them to go back and look at history."

"It's done almost every Congress, and they're the ones that used it more than anyone else," he added.

In his own press availability Tuesday, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said "it appears as if the administration has already made up their mind to go forward with a beefed up Senate version and to try to jam it through under a seldom-used process that we commonly refer to around here as reconciliation."

Republican Whip Sen. Jon Kyl told reporters that "it's hard for us to quite understand why, with reconciliation being planned, we're having a meeting [Thursday] which is allegedly designed to engender some bipartisan agreement for a way forward."

"It seems to me at least that, until the Democratic leaders take reconciliation off the table, it'll be very hard for Republicans to believe that they intend to engage us in good faith," Kyl added.

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Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by VotersOfNY April 11, 2010 11:50 AM EDT: No more blacks are getting elected except on local levels. Obummer and other crooked scumbags have ruined it for blacks. The only people that will be voting for blacks will be blacks. They have showed us what happens (Rangel, Waters, Obummer, DINKENS! etc.) when we put them in office. They think there's no end to money and they steal us blind. By the way, I could have told you that years ago. I have never voted for a black person in my life.

I'm a racist? No, I'm not, I'm a realist.; Reply to this comment


by run2jazz2 February 26, 2010 3:01 PM EST: The President and the Democrats since they have the majority in both houses need to pass the bill. All this drama regarding getting to a vote of 60 is nonsense. The Republicans know that they dont' have a vote of 60 since there members are not going to vote for it.

Since they were the party that held the majority in the first 6 years of the last 8 year debacle. They squandered their chance to make change in this country and are now trying to lay the blame of the entire country's problems on this President's shoulders.

If this process fails, it will be Democrats and this President who will be looking for a new address out of Washington DC.; Reply to this comment


by dennisall77 February 26, 2010 2:48 PM EST: The Republican Strategy:
1. Block everything in Congress
2. Midterm election claim government does not work, obviously Dems fault (enough idiots will believe it bcuz they love to HATE something)
3. Win back House and Senate, then WH in 2012 because Obama did not lead
4. Then go back to cutting taxes for only the wealthiest and for largest companies, cut regs for banks and insurance

Who pays them to do this? Coal, Oil, Insurance, Bankers... all the wealthiest... nice investment for them, too.. will become even filthier rich as the middle class disappears; Reply to this comment


by noloyalisti February 26, 2010 12:53 PM EST: The Bushoccio Crime Family passed tax cuts for the rich using reconciliation. That was also unfunded just like their Medicare Part D welfare for the drug companies and the immoral occupation of the Middle East.

How has all that worked out for the economy and for We the People?; Reply to this comment

by chitown639 February 26, 2010 9:11 AM EST

The Republicans aren't governing, they're obstructing....

Republicans are the enemy within our borders, they're doing everything in their power to stop our government from functioning, they root for and cheer on domestic terrorism and hope for destruction and distaster to hit our country. All so they could have a political advantage in the next election.

It's funny how Republicans who claim they love America so much suddenly want to destroy her when they're not in power.....

Reply to this comment


by raydernation February 26, 2010 2:38 PM EST: You hit it right on the mark. They are very subversive, they aren't Americans. Its all about money. I was raised to respect your flag, respect your country, respect The President. These clowns are anything but Americans. Looking at that State of The Union I'm looking at them sitting there pouting, refusing to clap, mouths stuck way out. That was a disgrace. I've never seen nothing like that in my g o d d am life. Everyday you turn on the news its always Republicans don't like, don't like that. Every major country on Planet Earth has health care for its citizens, thats taken care of by the government, but these clowns are fighting that. Un freaking beleivable, they fought FDR when he proposed Social Security back in the 30's but Roosevelt fought back and prevailed. Obama will prevail to, they need to round up all Republicans put them in the cargo hold on the Space Shuttle when it takes its last flight in September and leave all of em up ther on the Space Station. These people are trying to wreck this country, I still cant believe these people in Massachusetts would fall for that subliminal b s from the networks and elect this guy to take Teddy Kennedys seat. They fell for it hook line and sinker. Get rid of all em, nothing but war mongers tax cutting CEO loving a z z holes.


by mhighland February 26, 2010 7:24 AM EST: I have a great idea why don't those so called leaders in Washington D.C. just pass a health care bill that gives everyone in the United States the same health care plan that they are all on, the tax payers pay for their health care any way so if it's good enough for them it should be good enough for every one else in this country. They seem to forget that they ae suppose to be working for the citizens of this country, and I don't understand how the employees ended up with better health care benefits than the employer.; Reply to this comment


by lakota2012 February 26, 2010 1:46 AM EST: by Empire-George:
"Reconciliation was only supposed to be used for Budget issues and was never intended to be used for legislation (Healthcare)"
---------------------------------

Proof that you republiCONS have a serious need to re-write history.

Reconciliation has been exploited by both sides to make policy changes without facing a filibuster:

What is the precedent for using reconciliation to enact major policy changes? Much more extensive than the architects of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 had in mind-or than Senate Republicans are willing to admit these days. Reconciliation was designed as a narrow procedure to bring revenue and direct spending under existing laws into conformity with the levels set in the annual budget resolution. It was used initially to cut the budget deficit by increasing revenues or decreasing spending but in more recent years its primary purpose has been to reduce taxes. Twenty-two reconciliation bills were passed between 1980 and 2008, although three (written by Republican majorities in Congress) were vetoed by President Clinton and never became law.

Whether reducing or increasing deficits, many of the reconciliation bills made major changes in policy. Health insurance portability (COBRA), nursing home standards, expanded Medicaid eligibility, increases in the earned income tax credit, welfare reform, the state Children's Health Insurance Program, major tax cuts and student aid reform were all enacted under reconciliation procedures. Health reform 2009 style would be the most ambitious use of reconciliation but it fits a pattern used over three decades by both parties to avoid the strictures of Senate filibusters.; Reply to this comment


by noloyalisti February 26, 2010 12:09 AM EST: The administration needs to put the public option back into the bill, then it will be extremely popular. Then the Republickan baby fools will look like jerks for standing against what it good for America. Again.

I watched the health care summit today. It was a bunch of rich folks who have socialist health care in a socialist building. They go there on our socialist roads and were being protected by socialist police and security forces. They were using stuff they got through the socialist post office using wood products from our socialist forests.

Oh no, socialism. Be afraid. Be frightened.; Reply to this comment


by SickoftheCONJOB February 25, 2010 10:31 PM EST: At some point, you have to realize that :
1. There's no point in debating those who don't have the capacity to recognize when they're dead wrong.
2. Shaking hands with a rabid dog will only get you bitten.
3. If you were confronted by a crazy person on the street, babbling nonsense, would you engage that person in conversation on our health care needs? No, you politely ignore them, and GO ON ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS.
It's time to stop wasting our breath on those that are too stupid to see what a mess the republicans have made of this country.; Reply to this comment

by mmvale February 25, 2010 9:18 PM EST

If this administration votes on this unpopular healthcare bill with only 51 votes, it will be toast!

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by Palin_for_Presidentess February 26, 2010 9:34 AM EST: Are you at all familiar with the concept of the separate "branches of government", moron?