WASHINGTON (CNN) – The Senate's top Democrat declined Tuesday to say when he would introduce a hotly anticipated health care reform bill.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said he was still waiting for a cost estimate of the legislation from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.
"We're going to be hearing from CBO very soon," he promised during a Capitol Hill news conference.
Reid accused Republicans, who have promised a filibuster, of trying to dodge a full Senate debate and rob "the American people of a historic opportunity."
Sixty votes in the 100-member Senate are required to overcome a filibuster and open Senate debate on the bill.
GOP leaders, meanwhile, expressed fears that the Democrats would try to spring the measure on the Senate with little advance warning to deny Republicans a chance to adequately review it before starting debate.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said he expects a vote to open debate on the measure would come Friday. He pledged Republicans would continue to strongly oppose a bill that they say will result in tax and premium increases while doing little to rein in spiraling medical costs.
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Waterloo, Harry
Republicans are on the wrong side of history on this issue – the reason they are so opposed to this reform is that they are afraid it will work too well and will be very popular.
When health care reform proves to save us all money the GOP will have to explain all their fear-mongering and exaggerated claims.
Most Americans do NOT trust the Democrats in Congress nor this president to keep their word on anything in regards to health care! Anyone can see that the end run of the Democrats is to get a public option, thus a complete government take over of health care in this country. This will in turn lead to health care rationing, increases in premiums for people that actually pay for their own health care and a massive increase to the national debt! Any/all efforts to stop these thieves must be made!
If the republicans can tear themselves away from their girlfriends and the cameras, they should be there to hear the entire bill being read.
Time to earn your pay GOP.
McConnell is the biggest obstructionist to absolutely any progress being attempted.
TERM LIMITS is the only solution to Hacks like this!
Most people do not trust the republicans and their culture of corruption.
The GOP senators have decided to work against the American people, but what about the Democratic caucus with the required majority to work for the American people?
Money and greed would be a common distingushing factor of who works for the American people and who does not rather than wether you are a GOP senator or a "blue dog" dem or a Liberman for that matter!!!
It's over for HCR. The bill is DOA. It won't pass the Senate with a public option, nor will it include taxpayer funded abortion. The longer it takes to come to a vote, the less likely there will be any HC reform at all. Let's see how many blue dogs vote for this mess next year? If they do, early retirement from public service is their destiny.
Odds are good that the CBO will have a trillion Dollar prive tag, but Harry will dispute it. Oh well, a trillion here, a trillion there, peanuts to the Liberals.
America can not spend $900 billion right now on something that does not create jobs and does not reduce the cost of health care. This is a lot of time and energy wasted, but for the Democrats it is a useful diversion fom the economic problems which they do not know how to fix.
"He pledged Republicans would continue to strongly oppose a bill that they say will result in tax and premium increases while doing little to rein in spiraling medical costs. "
Until the report comes from the CBO how can they say that?
So Blanche Lincoln leads most of the pack with the money she has accepted from lobbyist most health insurance. About 1, 500,000. Gee tell us something we dont know. Her state WANTS health insurance but the health industry doesn't so who does she favor GUESS.
The Dems need to stop making concessions to the Republicans. They lost the last election and people are dying for affordable healthcare. They don't want bipartisan anything. They have lied and misled the elderly. They have created astroturf townhall mobs. They do not care about the people, they are trying to defeat Obama in any way they can.
Don't water down the bill. Don't give up anything. Do what you know is right and you will be re elected.
The Democrats are subverting the will of the people by ramming this unilateral health bill through congress. This bill will raise taxes and health costs and result in critical health being delayed or denied. Some 233 years ago in this country the people rose up a tyrannical govermnent much like this one is becoming. Obama and congress would to well to reread the Declaration of Independence and pay heed to those words.
The GOP has no plans of their own all they can do is spread their fear thats all they have going for them.While they sit in the senate and congress with all the benifits of government insurance coverage,they can say that the people don't deserve the coverage they have because it is to much money but we pay for their insurance they need to go somewhere and sit down on their thumbs.
As a senior manager with the federal government for more than 30 years I have worked on many programs where the government says will save money. So far I haven't seen any that saved money. Government programs such as this health car package will cost far more than any senator can imagine. It will also cost more than the private insurance companies. I personally want to see it passed because that is a sure way to return the GOP to power in2010. This plan will become the great white elephant.
Interesting comments so far. We haven't seen anything from the Senate yet, but already the GOP is wrong? "When" the reform saves money? What part of 1.x trillion didn't D Tree read from the Congress "bipartisan" passed bill (1 republican voted, so per Pelosi that constitutes bipartisan) and who is going to pay for it? When I see the AMA, Trial Lawyer, Unions, and Pharmacy companie sit down at the table to put in writing what they will give up to reduce costs, then I will consider Congress doing something. It isn't the health care of lack or lack of it, it is the cost that is the problem. You want social medicine, join the military service. While you are there, ask a veteran how life has changed in the past 20 years for the medical corps and outsourcing and impact on communities and availabiilty of services.
Those who call yourselves "American people" shall not rob American people. No one is rich enough to take care of you and everyone else in your family. I came to America 15 years ago with no money and senior parents who speak no English. And we stood on our own feet. We take care of ourselves and our family with our hard earned money. You "American people" shall not ask others to pay for your health insurance. Shame on you.
Vote NO to public option. Vote NO to self entitlement.
Vote YES to small government. Vote YES to hard work.
Nam.
Reid = Failure
Obama = Colossal Failure
I want BOTH of them fail – Vote for Palin 2012
Why is it that every time a bill is introduced, republicans complain about not being able to read it? Are they truly that incompetent that they are moronically slow at reading?
Do your jobs you dirt bags and READ the bill when it's released. The whole lot of republicans are worthless flesh. We need to vote them ALL OUT!
I hope the Senate don't go home for Thankgiving until they get this thing going......who is sitting on this now......and are they trying to pull a political surprise.....
The government can be fiscal responsible, but the politics get in the way.......good government is when everyone suffers....not just your party......bad government is when you suffer and I don't.......
Get over and do your HEALTHCARE debate for a VOTE.....
Having been in healthcare for about 40 years and dealt with Medicare and Medicaid for all that time, I can assure you that the government is not the answer to our healthcae woes. The forecast for fraud in the Medicare system alone for 2009 is estimated at about 60 billion dollars. Yeah, let's put the fox in charge of the hen house. If the Dems want to start somewhere with reform, how about Tort reform. If the physicians didn't need to pay the exhorbitant malpractice rates, or didin't have to order all the diagnostic procedures to cover their rear ends, we wouldn't be seeing the the meteoric rise in health care costs but, alas the Dems are controlled by the attorneys so you won't see those changes nor will you hear discussions about them from the mainstream liberal press including CNN.
After removing the anti-abortion clause in the Senate version of the Health Care bill, the Democratic Majority needs to stop giving the GOP Senators any further ability to dilute or destroy the remaining Health Care Bill.
Gag Order?
EPA workers warned after criticizing 'cap and trade' plan
When the GOP was in power they always criticized filibusters. They advocated "straight up or down" votes. It is sad that they won't do the same now that they are not in power.
To anyone who thinks health care could possibly save money did you not just see that the USPS run by the government just posted a $3.8 billion loss in the 2009 fiscal year. Guess who gets to pick up the slack for that; thats right the American Taxpayer. If the government can't run the mail service correctly how can they possibly run health care efficiently at all?
President Obama needs to act more forcefully on the Health Care debate. A country as wealthy as ours should be able to provide free medical care for everyone. If Obama can make this happen and also get amnesty for the current undocumented workers in this country, the Democratic Party would have the rapidly growing and powerful Hispanic and African American vote locked up for decades to come. Heck, He might even siphon off some of the poor white Republican votes. Now if he throws in extended Unemployment benefits until the Unemployment figures dip below 4-5%, then His loyal base will consider him almost a God. How can the Republicans compete with free money and all their silly talk about responsibility and how working peoples taxes are going to go sky high. These thinks are meaningless to Obama's core group of supporters.
I'm soooooooo sick of Republicans. They have become worthless to the American people.
One more time, for all the deaf liberals, especially "Speaking for Liberals", in this country!
The Democrats have a filibuster proof majority in the Senate... the bill is not being held up or watered down by the GOP... it is your own party doing this... what a bunch of whiny babies Democrats are, led by the Reid. They cannot accept the fact that there are those within your own party that do not want this legislation... so they sit there like a bunch of two year olds pointing fingers at others
Stop..... taking..... my...... money..... and...... giving.... it..... to.... lazy.... people.
The new mammogram guidelines is just the beginning of rationing under Obamacare. Be very worried!!
Mitch McConnell and the rest of his party of parasites would love nothing more than to stall this out for as long as humanly possible, just so they can say that Obama wasn't able to accomplish anything and try to make themselves somehow relevant again by 2010! Oh and also to allow the Health Insurance Empire and the Big Pharma monopoly all the time they need to jack up their prices, rates, and premiums before it all comes to an end! Thats whats really going on here people, so WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really think the Republican's idea of a healthcare bill would a 3 – 4 sentence bill with their ideas scribbled on a napkin.
If the Democrats have the majority vote to pass this, they should vote NOW and cram it right down the Republicans' pie hole...you are either with us, or against us.
GOP: Evolve or die
As an independant that has put into the system during my adult life, I am praying for health care reform. While I hear those concerned about those that abuse the system and are lazy bums that does not describe our situation. My husband who was working as a temporary employee until he could be converted to a permanent position and did not have benefits was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Now that his disability has kicked in he has lost the medicaid that he qualified for and now has to wait a yr and a half for medicare. Cancer will not wait as it has now spread to his brain and had to have emergency surgery. Sure I could now after being a housewife work if I were to have someone else care for him but that will still not get him coverage now that he has a precondition.
The system is so flawed and we the american people deserve better and in the long run I think a public option will be best for our country.
Get it done already as lives depend on it.
So even before government rationed no-health care criminal bill is passed the government death panels is already limiting care.
What's Harry afraid of? This Administration says it will pay for itself by cutting fraud from Medicare, but they can't even stop fraud in the stimulus money. If any one wants to know what that's about you have to go to ABC or FOX to find out. CNN isn't reporting about how millions of dollars of stimulus money has been sent to non-existing districts throughout the country. Check the government's own website. Money given to Arizona's 15th Congressional District to help create jobs. The problem of course is that Arizona only has 8 districts. Interesting that there's no word from the White House about that.
The GOP does not want reform at any cost, they only care about making themselves and their Insurance partners richer.
Why doesn't this administration stop focusing on useless bills and $1.1 trillion monstrous bills and focus on the one thing needing attention: the economy? Is it that they want this country to collapse? They need to fix the issues at hand and stop spending money like water. I think that once they fix the economy, they can proceed with health care reform. They need to focus on a cheaper bill that stresses tort reform rather than a total and expensive reconstruction of the system. If they pass this bill, it will add greatly to the national debt, which will be passed to our children and grandchildren. Liberals do not seem to care about this: they care about cramming this down our throats and attacking the prior administration. Passing a bill as large as this without reading it then criticizing those who tell them to read it? It seems like a ongoing nightmare to me. 2010 cannot come soon enough so we can get these clowns out of power.
You never know what is up the sleeve. Elections have consequences, unfortunately the Republican's don't like the consequences. Maybe if Republican Bush and his Republican hadn't taken the country down rat hole they wouldn't have to live with the consequences of the election.
Also, people need to actually look at neutral polls instead of CNN or liberal-run polls. The truth is that the majority of Americans do not want a government-run healthcare plan. The government cannot run anything: does the post office, medicare/medicaid, or Social Security ring a bell here? How can we be sure that they won't screw up health care? I could not even trust the government to handle one dollar; how can I trust them to handle 1.1 trillion of them. I am surprised that people still trust the government here. Oh, wait: most that do are Obama kool-aid drinkers that still get a chill up their leg every time their "messiah" speaks. People need to get their heads out of their butts and realize what is going on here. If not, we may have a long and very bumpy road ahead. This is from someone who hated what Bush and the Republicans did to this country as well, so I am not a paid blogger. I wish I was so I would not have to hang on to every bit of "change" I have left.
"Reid accused Republicans, who have promised a filibuster, of trying to dodge a full Senate debate and rob "the American people of a historic opportunity."
Most sane people would read that and say "huh?"
Reid is hiding the bill, not letting anyone see, not giving people any time to read it....and he says the Republicans are trying to dodge a full Senate debate.
How bad to you think it's going to be?
Oh, and howie and Steve Martin... GREAT POSTS.
You can blame the Republicans all you want, but bipartisanship isn't saying this is what we want! We aren't listening to your ideas! Now vote for our bill or we will Demonize you. There's nothing wrong with debate on the bill. Don't just be a sheep research what's in the House Bill