Senate Minority Leader: Reconciliation Will Bring Bipartisan Opposition

By Travis Martinez, University of New Mexico- Talk Radio News Service

Republican Senate Leaders warned Democrats Tuesday that if the majority party is serious about using budget reconciliation to secure a victory on health care reform, they better watch out.

“You think the American people were upset in August, you haven’t seen anything like they’re going to be if this device is chosen… to jam this proposal with very little debate,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-K.Y). “Budget Reconciliation has been used to raise taxes, but has never been used to restructure one-sixth of the economy.”

Budget reconciliation is a procedure in which legislation can pass with a simple 51 majority and avoid a filibuster.

Senator Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), a member of the Finance Committee, called the markup a work in progress. He also added that the Committee should not be constrained by artificial deadlines.