Reid Says GOP Obstructing Health Reform Passage

By Courtney Costello-Talk Radio News Service

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-N.V.) criticized Republicans Thursday for setting up road blocks during Senate floor mark-ups on the Kennedy-Dodd health care reform bill.

“Republicans come to the floor and all they do is give you buzzwords for maintaining the status quo regarding health care, we can’t maintain the status quo. Right now 1/6th of every dollar we spend in American is on health care, if we don’t change the curve… by the year 2020, ten years from now, the cost of health care will be 35% of every penny we spend in America,” said Reid.

Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill) argued that the longer American goes without health care reform, the more Americans pay for, or loose their health care.

“We are hoping that a number of Republican Senators will step forward and join us in trying to address some of these national issues,” said Senator Durbin.

Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) struck down Republican accusations that their party has not had a say on the issue, “They are being allowed to offer amendments and this talk that they aren’t allowed to offer amendments to me is surprising. So let’s bring that to the health care debate…Republicans filed more than 381 amendments just on the first several titles,” said Senator Murray.

Senator Reid praised Senator Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Senator Max Baucus (D-M.T.) on their “remarkably good work” bringing attention to the issue of health care.

“If we’re going to make history, then we have to make it together, we need Republican help to get this done,” said Senator Durbin.