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twitterReid clears major health care hurdle, daunting weeks ahead
AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., center left, gets a hug by Sen. Jay Rockefeller D-W.Va, as Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., left and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., right, looks on after the U.S. Senate voted to begin debate on legislation for a broad health care overhaul at Capitol Hill in Washington on Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009.
Published Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009 | 12:34 p.m.
Updated Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009 | 7:20 p.m.
WASHINGTON — With the Senate vote tonight to open debate on the Democrats’ health care reform bill, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid crossed one hurdle in the most profound test yet of his leadership skills but is about to face another.
After the final tally was announced, 60-39, visitors in the Senate gallery both cheered and booed, showing the divide the issue of health care reform has carved in the country.
For all the weeks of intense and delicate deliberations behind the closed doors of Reid’s second-floor Capitol office to arrive at this moment, the weeks ahead will prove equally daunting.
The difficulties could be heard in the floor speeches on Saturday afternoon. The hold-out senators, including Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, announced they would support starting debate but expressed opposition to the bill as written.
Reid must secure 60 votes again to pass the bill — votes he does not now have.
A particular concern remains the public plan option — the government-run insurance plan to compete with private insurers that critics denounce as socialism.
No sooner were tonight’s votes cast than Reid told reporters that several senators, including Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, who had been another of the hold-outs, were working on a public plan alternative to the one in the bill.
“They’re working together to find a public option acceptable to all Democrats,” Reid said, while reiterating that he personally supported a “strong public option.”
“We can see the finish line now,” Reid said after the vote, “but we’re not there yet.”
The vote tonight came a few minutes before 8 p.m. in Washington, with the gallery packed with onlookers. Reid requested that each senator be at their desk for the vote — a more formal process, as usually senators can stroll in and out of the chamber during the voting period.
Republican Sen. John Ensign, who had not been part of Saturday’s debate — he had made a presentation against the health care bill the night before — was among the early senators in their seats.
Ensign voted against advancing the bill.
Every other Republican senator also voted no, as expected, except Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio, who was absent.
Republicans warned that if Democrats did not halt the bill’s advance in tonight’s vote, they would be seen as giving it their approval.
Republican Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky called the 2,074-page bill a “monstrosity” and searched for “just one” Democratic senator to halt its momentum.
“The easiest time to change this bill would be right now,” the Republican leader suggested, offering a lesson in Senate strategy just hours before the vote.
As it became all but certain Reid had the 60 votes needed to advance the bill, McConnell took to the floor to denounce what he called a “massive monument to bureaucracy.”
But Reid, in his final speech before the vote, told his colleagues that the Senate, known as the world’s greatest deliberative body, should deliberate the greatest issue of the day.
“Be not afraid of debate,” Reid said. “It’s our job.”
And what a debate over the next several weeks it will be.
McConnell has promised a “freewheeling” and “extensive debate, with many amendments.”
“If we did anything less than that,” warned the minority leader, noting opposition to the bill, “the American people would storm the Capitol.”
Reid hopes to pass the bill by year’s end and will need 60 votes at various points along the way, including final passage of the legislation that is President Barack Obama’s top domestic policy priority — one that is now inextricably linked to Reid’s own re-election in 2010.
After the vote, several senators stopped to greet Reid at his desk at the front of the chamber, shaking his hand and patting his back. Reid accomplished a major feat in keeping his diverse caucus together on a pivotal vote.
But Reid had his own expressions of gratitude to deliver and made his way toward the middle of the chamber.
First he stopped off at Landrieu’s desk where, when they clasped hands, he kissed one of hers.
Then he continued to the back of the chamber to greet Lincoln with a hug.
Reid will need them, and the others, all over again in coming weeks.
Discussion: 34 comments so far…
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Are the Republicans worried that if the American people hear an actual debate of what's really being proposed, they might change their minds again and once more support the health care reform? If the bill is truly as bad as the conservatives claim, debate will prove that and they will have an opportunity to amend and change it. By blocking debate, they are saying they don't want the American People to really learn what is being proposed.
It takes 60 votes for any amendment. This bill is a done deal and harry Reid has ushered in a real step toward a socialist society. It wouldn't be so bad if they would just be honest and state their goals and reasons. It's all the lying that destroys all credibility for those pressing this.
The majority of Americans -- and slightly more than half of Nevadans, including 55 percent of the state's coveted independents -- support a government-run insurance plan as an alternative to private insurance, polls show. In other words, not only progressives but also ordinary Americans and Nevadans want the public option, the polls say. This according to PLAN.
The NEO-CON folks who tell you that "the majority of America is against reform" are, of course, lying, misinformed, & OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE U.S. citizenry!!!
shows the weakness of conservative talk radio...I bet we see a number of stations giving up on that format... markets with 2 and three stations will end up with one or two...
already one local hate-taker has gone with an oldies weekend format...abandoning the drone of silly conspiracy kook talk
Harry Reid has done it. Thank you Reid.
Reid 2010!!!
In his column in today's Washington Post, well-known liberal pundit David Broder called Reid's legislation a "budget-buster" and futher reported that it is roundly opposed by Republicans, Independents, and Democrats because it is so financially irresponsible. This will be Harry's Waterloo.
Obama gonna pay my mortgage and my health care! Wooooooooooooooooooooh! Party in North Las Vegas! Wooooooooooooooooooh!
First the insurance companies are telling Doctors what to do, Now Washington and the major news networks are telling Doctors how to treat patients, God help us!
Comment removed by staff.
Yes, down with Harry Greid and up with the benevolent, altruistic, and just plain good-hearted private insurance companies! They always have my best interests in mind...now if only they could teach others how to spell...pease out!
Can we have a cunsumer bailout?
The insurance companies pay big bucks to the politicians to persuade them to vote against this health care amendment. Unfortunately, a majority of them are in their pockets. I love the cry of socialism....what would we call our police and fire departments and school districts, then? We're all paying into that, aren't we? I've never personally needed the fire department or the police department's services, but that doesn't mean I don't want to pay into them both to have that option when needed.
This bill is quite DEAD.
If Gried leaves the PO in he MIGHT get 55 votes losing Landrieu, Lincoln, Nelson, Liebergirl, and Sanders. If he removes the PO, he gets less than 50 and it would never, ever move out of the House-Senate conference committee.
In ANY hands other than Gried's - something might have passed to improve healthcare along incremental baby steps but Gried so bastardized the thing is it impossible to get any agreement among the Dummocrats.
Leaving him as SML was Obama's BIGGEST mistake ever.
judgesmales: don't forget the low octane Obanana methane mercaptan fuel for your gas tank.
Ah, another person prematurely announcing the bill dead.
LarryVegas declared it was dead months ago, now it's going to be debated on the floor of the Senate after passing the House.
I think SgtNance's defective crystal ball has been shared with the rest of the chorus of haters.
gmag39 - You can spin the poll results any way you want it to end up. This is a quote from an extensive ABC News / Washington Post poll:
Among insured Americans, 82 percent rate their health coverage positively. Among insured people who've experienced a serious or chronic illness or injury in their family in the last year, an enormous 91 percent are satisfied with their care, and 86 percent are satisfied with their coverage.
Harry Reid has personally let us know where he stands. Early on, he was boasting that he would have no trouble raising $25 million for his campaign. His recent TV ads say that with Harry we have the most powerful senator Nevada has ever had.
Conclusion: Harry Reid has told us what's important to him - Money and Power (his money and his power.) This man belongs in prison, not the U.S. Senate.
Why do the Democrats want to spend America into financial oblivion? Who is going to pay for this irresponsibility?
Go Harry Go!! I join all all Nevadans in thanking our Majority Leader @ most important time in our country's history.
LVL: yeah, let's write checks against a negative balance. You better start learning Chinese.
After the incredible failure of the stimulus package why in the world would I trust the current government with my health care? Harry Reid needs to be voted out of office, how in the world a senator from Nevada, a state with 13% unemployment, can talk about anything other than job creation and helping the economy is beyond me. Time for Harry to lose his job as well.
These criminals make Benard Madoff look like a saint.
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I wonder what the rest of the people in the trailer parks are thinking?
Abortion debate and public option debate will doom health care reform...and I'm OK with that.
When King Louis XVI of France was led to the chopping block during the French Revolution they asked him if he had any last words, he shook his head from side to side. They then forced him to kneel and place his head in the stock, he looked down and said "Hey! Whats the little basket for?"
Congratulations to Harry Reid for accomplishing what the nattering nabobs of negativism said he couldn't accomplish. Let them continue whining about "socialism" and crying crocodile tears for the poor little GREEDY insurance companies that have screwed the public over for years in the name of profits! Health care reform will pass in Congress, so let these "enemies or progress" keep spewing their lies and venom while offering NO SOLUTIONS for America. They look like worthless fools right now. Good job!
Reid has proven himself maestro of the theatre of the absurd.
This charade reminds me of pepole who think they still have money in their bank accounts because they still have unused checks.
The insurance companies will make less money and lay people off. The government will hire all the people that the insurance companies fired. What a country!
Comment removed by staff.
The only thing Harry Reid has done was get his cronies to debate the bill on the floor. This is merely payback for some and favors due to the rest. After debate (including reading that huge document) they will vote on it. Lieberman of Connecticut has publicly said he will not vote for the bill. Plus other Democrats have expressed their opinions that the bill is bad.
It just won't pass. Bet the house on it. Or the farm.
Way to go Reid You are going to cost this country billions if not trillions Instead why dont you do something to help this states unemployment besides your claim of saving City Center Why did you not help Fountainbleau Oh thats right they didn't pay you off.Harry Reid is evil and needs to be voted out