Washington (CNN) – Senate Democrats huddled in the Capitol Thursday afternoon to hash out the issue of whether to include changes to student loan policies in the same reconciliation bill that will include fixes to health care reform.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid emerged from the meeting to say that while a consensus among Democrats is forming, he does not expect a decision on the controversial issue today.
Democratic Whip Dick Durbin said more Senate Democrats support adding the student loan language than oppose it.
"There are some who think it complicates the ultimate vote. There are others who think it helps the ultimate vote. It's an honest difference of opinion," Durbin said.
The student loan legislation is a priority of President Obama and many Democrats on the Hill. It would remove private banks from offering student loans in favor of direct lending from the government.
Many Republicans and some Democrats oppose a government takeover of student loans and say it will cost jobs in many states where those private lending institutions exist.
The reason Democrats are considering adding the student loan language to the bill is because when the budget was passed last year, the student loan legislation was given the same special reconciliation instructions that the health care bill got, meaning it cannot be filibustered in the Senate.
Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, a member of the Democratic leadership, was asked if lumping the two issues together would muddy the Democrats' message on health reform and fuel the pubic perception of a vastly expanding federal government.
"My own personal perception is, when we have thousands of kids on the street marching because they can't get into our universities and don't have the capability of pay for college, this is the best time for us to act," she said.
Despite marathon negotiation sessions to hammer out differences between the House and Senate visions of health care reform - that will be included the filibuster-proof reconciliation bill - Durbin said there are still "smaller substantive" items to resolve. He said senators were given a "general" presentation of what's expected in the reconciliation bill but some of those decisions can't be made until additional cost assessments come in from the Congressional Budget Office. It was not clear when those figures would be made available.
House and Senate Democratic leaders and White House aides are scheduled to continue their talks Thursday evening.
From CNN Politics
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A proper upbringing prevents me from expressing myself appropriatly here.
Thats the biggest problem with our government. Each piece of legislation should pertain to only the topic at hand. You want to change student loans, then create a bill that does nothing else.
Brilliant move! Add kevlar vests for soldiers in there too...the Republicans wouldn't DARE vote against it.
i'm sick and tired of the gov't subsidizing private companies. the student loans SHOULD
I am thrilled that they are going to take action on this item, too. It's about time. You know they would never be able to get it done with Republican cooperation. The student loan industry is about as sympathetic as Wall Street bonuses and the credit card industry. It directly affects the ability of people to financially afford to educate themselves in this country.
To add another controversial issue to the very serious and controversial issue of health care, and ram such a bill down Americans' throats through reconcilliation, is too irrational to contemplate, but I won't be surprised if Obama does it. Why not throw a copy of Chairman Mao's little red book for each citizen? The rich will pay for it.
big government at its worest....
Leave it to these idiots to start adding extras to a major bill. My God, why not add gun control and gay marriage to the health care reform bill also.
Wait just a minute!!!!!!? The Senate passed the bill already! Its up to the house now to vote for their bill. And THEN it can be changed again??????????? Holy crap, WE ARE BEING TAKEN FOR A RIDE by these criminals!
As Nancy Pelosi said, we will get to see the final bill AFTER it is passed and find out all the "good things" that are in it. Plain and simple, Congress.... this bill is GARBAGE, and will bankrupt us all.
To make college affordable for all why doesn't the United States trade two years of school for 2-5 years of community service to the country? At least everyone will have an Associates Degree and some life experience. This could also be used as a tool to revamp the welfare system.
i'm sick and tired of the gov't subsidizing the banks who screw over the average american anyway. the student loans SHOULD be handled by the gov't directly to save us a whole lot of money.
why not add if you vote democrat you get $500 and then add if you buy a GM car you get another $500 and then add if you have a high school education and work for a union you get another $500. Why not mention that anyone who works hard and dares to make over $40K/year gets taxed at 70% because we all know those people are trust fund babies who did not really earn their money while the union members who may have graduated HS work so hard.
This is exactly what is wrong with Washington. Why can they not get a clean bill without attaching all these extras? The republicans have done it also, so don't even go there. It has been like this for years just to get any legislation past. As a lifelong democrat, I am truly questioning the two party system and seeing it as a complete failure. The independent party is looking better and better every day.
Stop it! Vote on the darn bill already and don't add stuff to it to make it harder to pass than it already has been! Sheesh . . . . my thrird grade grandchild knows better than guys!
It would be a good move. Student aid is the best investment this government can make. Educate our young and the dividends will flow back in greater productivity for years!!
I don't understand the connection??????????
Can we PLEASE leave well enough alone Democraps?
Don't bog down things at the last moment. I agree the student loan effort is worth it by itself. It can happen separate from this in very short order.
If you wanna see how fast the repubs can change course, throw some tax breaks to the rich in there.
"Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, a member of the Democratic leadership, was asked if lumping the two issues together would muddy the Democrats' message on health reform and fuel the pubic perception of a vastly expanding federal government."
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Believe me, Patty, the democrats message on health reform couldn't get any muddier and the "public perception of a vastly expanding federal government"? Seriously? You think that's a "perception"?
I guess the Dems are trying to get those last few ear marks in before they pass the bill to abolish them. Unbeleiveable how the Dems work to get things passed under the works of a huge HC bill.
What does student loans have to do with health care? OH I get it., they can become a doctor or nurse, silly me.
2010/2012 REAL Change is coming
What do you know...yet another goverment takover by the democrats. People we need less goverment in our lives not more. Can't you see how much money this is costing us having the government run and control everything?
Don't do it guys. Make it a separate issue. Keep health care health care. don't confuse it with this or abortion or any other issue.
Just have a vote and be done with this and go onto jabs,energy etc.
Student loans have nothing to do with health care. Horrendously bad idea, Dems.
Why shouldn't private for-profit banks be able to charge made-up loan fees and interest at whatever rate they want? Hey maybe we should even have an unregulated usurious Pay-Day loans for students.
I support student loans and I also support health reform, but they are two separate issues. Congress should keep things nice and clean by treating them independent of each other.
Dar obviously paid no attention to what Republicans did when they were running the show.
Student Loans? Didn't I just read where half of the schools in Kansas City, Mo. are closing? Higher Tution at many Universities? I think that comes under Economics 101. It is PART of those students education! If you want to go to school be prepared to WORK for it! The Gravy Train has run out of track! If you want to get back on that track you are going to have to re-build it. Of course with all the huge deficits now in place where will you get a position, er a job.
GOOD GRIEF!!!!!!!!!!! We MUST vote these idiots out of Washington...
Student loans have nothing to do with health care...
I simply cannot believe what I am reading...Get rid of them all !!!
No wonder there are 290 US Congressional bills waiting to be voted on in the US Senate before becoming law.
Its time to replace the do-nothing Harry Reid with a Democratic US Senator that will break the logjam of 290 US Congressional bills by going to a simple UP or DOWN vote on each and everyone of them.
Harry Reid is wasting valuable time with his tip-toeing around the Republican obstructionism which has threatened to grind all Senate business to a halt. Replace Harry Reid with a Democratic US Senator that will get the job done as quickly as possible. Forget who's Republican toes you step on, push the bills thru the Senate Chambers by a majority vote.
I support both, but I don't understand why they need to be put together. Make the party of NO vote against heath care reform, thus allowing health insurance companies to continue to make medical decisions for American citizens, and against student loan reform, thus allowing big banks to continue to charge outrageous rates for kids who just want an education. Let's see which side (average people or big corporations) each politician is on.
From this Democratic Administration and congress, you will see very messy bills containing things that don't relate to one another. This is all about buying votes. Imagine if there was a Democratic Senator who doesn't support health care reform by a reconcilation vote but supports federal government takeover of student loan programs. Put student loan programs on the health care bill and force him not to vote against the student loan program.
This is exactly what needs to be fixed in Washington politics. This does not serve the needs of the country, just the politicians.
The demo's cannot stop this uncontrolled spending. Our country will be totally bankrupt and destroyed before they stop. Vote them out in Nov. please for the sake of our country.
More gov takeover. Appropriate to add. yes Comrade Obama please let me know what my job will be, what you will pay me, and where you will give me a house. I worship you for you are the great and wise one.
Can't pass the health care bill? Hey let's make it more confusing to people. Maybe that will help or at least fool enough people.
I support the health care bill because it's better than nothing, but in the long run single payer is the only way to go. If private enterprise worked the U.S. would have the best system in the world instead of one of the worst, that costs tons of money and literally makes us sick. My friends in Europe feel desperately sorry for us - I hate that. The U.S. *should* be number one - we have the best doctors & hospitals, but many can't afford to use them. Take out fat cat greedhead insurance corporation profits and there is plenty of money for health care. And yes, I'm calling for socialism in health care - deal with it. Private enterprise works great for making cool new iPhones but it sucks in providing health care.
What's student loans got to do with health care? Just another addition to government take over. We need to lynch the fools in DC!!!!
Just stop it! This thing is a monstrosity now, stop adding more to it! Especially stop adding things that are of no relevance! If this passes we'll all be worse off than before; don't think we won't. We certainly need to do something to rein in the costs of insurance and actual healthcare costs but this does NOT address the root causes. It simply puts a bandaid, or rather many bandaids on it. The bleeding just pops out elsewhere.
THe Dems and You liberals are absolutely NUTJOBS....you support more gov't control of your lives...the gov't doesn't have the money to support it own budgets but now they think they can borrow more money from China to provide for student loans!!!! What a bunch of ignorant morons you have elected....
Lard that overstuffed thing up libs. But pull a special trick, make it only available to union and Acorn members and then tell America how good it will be for them. What the heck is a little more theft for you buddies. And of course the dope smoking wizard of rush, a libitoad, agrees with this corrupt crap.
Maybe they should add giving us all ponies too. How many bribes, backroom deals and threats will the White House use to try to get this passed?
Here we go again. The nutjobs with their "government takeover".
Funny, cause if you look at Helath Care, government is about 40-45% involved already.
Taking a deeper look will show you that government intervention in the private sector increased every single year that Republicans were the majority.
But those are facts, and I know that sickens you.
So lets go back to talking points. Government take over is evil....rawr raaaaaawwr. Scary government
@ I support both.....Move your sorry @ss to Europe or where ever you want to practice your socialist beliefs. If you pay taxes, which I bet you don't and I'd bet I pay more in taxes than you make if you do work, you wouldn't have that opinion. I give to a lot of charities, but I don't view our government as one of them. They are nothing but a thieving bunch of idiots who couldn't run a corner lemonade stand.
Hey Democrats, do you want the government to wipe your behind too?
What a bunch of loosers you are.
Stop it!!! That is creating a monopoly on student loans. Exactly what you are supposed to fighting against. My son is in college and he got a better rate from a bank than a government loan.
I support both, but pass them separately March 11th, 2010 5:23 pm ET
... Private enterprise works great for making cool new iPhones but it sucks in providing health care.
_____________________________________________________
You can buy iPhones across state lines. There is plenty of competition in the handheld phone industry and lots of money to be made.
If we had a single provider like AT&T before they were broken up, we would all still be leasing phones on the wall with rotary dials. Once competition kicked in and other companies saw plenty of opportunities, telecommunications came to life. Look at the industry now. Look at the great products, low prices and universal access.
Let's not go backwards with something as important as health care.
...your racism is showing. It's okay not to like the bill, but that's a racially charged word.
Ah yes, the loons on here angry that US tax dollars are once again being spent on the United States.
The nerve of these people who WE elect to spend money on US.
This money we are spending should go to Haliburton, Exxon and Iraq.
NOT the American people.
We should only be providing billions of dollars in tax relief to big corporations. What in the world is wrong with these democrats, helping middle calss citizens.
Americans DO NOT contribute anything to the United States, and so we should never spend tax money on US.
What they really need to do is increase the ceiling limits on student loans for undergraduates, especially since at many schools one can not complete their degree in 4 years. It averages almost 6 years at Arizoina State to get a BA or BS in a lot of majors simply because they can't get the classes when they need to take them.
..these Obamaidiots are totally confused.. what has the student loan to do with the health care reform.
What do student loans have to do with Healthcare? Just like the corrupt stimulous bill they will spend trillions and trillions to fill the pockets of the special interests and to buy votes. Trillions and trillions in additional debt that could explode the economy of this country. When have we ever seen so much arrogance and corruption. The Democrats are totally corrupt and totally out of control!!!
I ALMOST forgot to add that if we do backroom deals, it should only be with big corporations. Republicsn did it right when they pushed the Iraqi war and they supported the free market by borrowing $800 billion to fund contractors in Iraq.
NOW THAT'S HOW YOU MAKE BACKROOM DEALS. ANY BACKROOM DEALS THAT BENEFIT AMERICAN PEOPLE IS COMPLETEY INSANE!!!!!
Albeit I am in favor of the Health Care Bill(s) (MERGE THEM FAST!!), I must agree that Student Loans (while necessary) have nothing to do with it.
The problem with the private student loans by banks is that these guys were loaning money to by cars and dope..... No one ever checked.
Worse, many loans were allowed to default and because the banks had federal guarantees – they simply collected from our tax dollars.
This isn't a "government takeover", the banks were irresponsible to start.
I am still a supporter of the President and am wanting this Health Care Reform to pass, however, I do not agree with adding Student Loans to the bill. Student loans have nothing to do with health care and it should be dealt with on a seperate basis.
The dems already had the Gov. take over the loan industry late last year....and secondly, what do student loans have to do with healthcare?
What a bunch of morons!!!!!!!!!!
Can we print enough money to keep up with this government we have? Doesnt matter that the money will be worthless but as long as we can keep printing it it will be OK! Sarcasm off!!!
Student loans don't have anything to do with healtcare!!
@ stop using the word lynch....It doesn't have anything to do with racism. It was an effective tool in the old west and it didn't work to bad on Saddam Hussein either. Not everyone is a racist that dislikes Obummie. I couldn't care if he was purple if he was doing what he said he would do. He isn't and therefore he needs to get some thick skin or get out of the office. Same goes for his band of fools. I'm tired of the lies. If they can't deliver then shut up!!!!
Do you people even understand what the student loan bill will do? The loans are already government loans. They then pay the bank to distribute them as a middleman. All they want to do is distribute the money themselves. Its not a government take over.
Putting the bills together will let the Senate get more done. The Repubs are wholesale against anything regardless of it being good policy.
Republicsn did it right when they pushed the Iraqi war – I guess you missed the fact that Hillary Clinton, Daschle, Reid, Pelosi, John "I was against it before I was for it" Kerry, etc. all pushed for the invasion of Iraq saying it was an immediate threat and we must intervene now!!! But I guess you missed those congressional hearing and haven't seen them on youtube either...it is all their for your to see....But as lib, don't ever let those pesky little facts get in the way of your silly little arguments....
Surely, after this idiotic idea, any Democrat in Congress will realize that if he desires even a faint hope of being returned to office by election, he will have to distance himself CLEARLY from Obama.
By the way, you can't tell American citizens not to say the word "lynch." Anyway, we've already lost too many words and awareness of usages of words to laziness and ignorance.
Sneaky Democrats
Don't the Democrats realize how ridiculous they look tacking every thing but the kitchen sink on a bill that's supposed to reconcile minor differences in budgets and spending on healthcare.
Why not throw in some earmarks and maybe a dash of don't ask, don't tell reform and a few grants for ACORN and a pay raise for Congress and amnesty for illegal immigrants and ..................................
First of all, it's ridiculous to call it a "government takeover" of student loans. They are guaranteed by the government already. Second, it's absurd to say this will increase the cost, since it's almost always cheaper if you cut out the (for-profit) middleman. I find it pretty lame and disingenuous for the teabaggies to squeal "government takeover!" every time the government tries to recover efficiencies that were lost when certain lawmakers decided to outsource so many government functions. They should make up their minds. Are they for outsourcing or are they for fiscal responsibility? As long as those outsourced companies are making profits, it ain't a cost-saving thing.