Reid Gets 60 Votes for Health Care Debate
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.