Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) invokes a statement former President Harry S. Truman wrote to Congress 64 years ago today that said “we should resolve now that the health of this nation is a national concern, that financial barriers in the way of attaining health shall be removed, that is, the health of all the citizens deserve the help of all the nation.” (0:27)
Says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), “We have been working to reform health care since the first half of the last century.” (0:16)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expresses her approval of abortion language in Sen. Harry Reid’s health care reform bill. The Senate bill grants the secretary of Health and Human Services to decide if federal funds will be allocated for those under the public plan. It would also require that private insurers split premiums from subsidies used to pay for abortion coverage. (1:05)
By Marianna Levyash – Talk Radio News Service
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) along with Democratic leaders on Thursday unveiled their health care bill, complete with a state opt-out government-administered public option.
During the press conference, Reid invoked former President Harry Truman, who wrote to Congress 64 years ago today that “we should resolve now that the health of this nation is a national concern, that financial barriers in the way of attaining health shall be removed.”
The 2,074 page “The Patient Protection and Affordable Act,” ensures that over ten years, the $849 billion bill will produce a net deficit of over $130 billion, cut future Medicare spending and ban insurance companies that decline coverage to anyone with a “pre-existing [medical] condition.”
Coverage will be extended to 94% of eligible Americans, close to the 96% of Americans covered in the House Affordable Health Care For America Act.
When asked about the abortion amendment in the bill, Reid answered “This is a health care bill, not an abortion bill.”
Reid and his fellow Democrats now need 60 votes in order to pass the bill. When asked about the chances of that happening, Reid responded by saying, “We’ll find out when the votes are taken.” He added that he will not use reconciliation as a means of passing the bill.
TRNS Bureau Chief Ellen Ratner speaks with Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) about where things stand with the senate healthcare bill. Levin says he is hopeful that a final bill in the Senate will come to the floor by the end of the week. Calling it a “long, complicated bill,” Levin explains that folks have some time to read the full legislation online. Finally, Levin, one of the more liberal members of the Senate, says it is essential for the Senate’s version to contain a public option plan. Click on the audio icon below to listen to the entire conversation. (5:02)
TRNS Bureau Chief Ellen Ratner speaks with Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) about the status of healthcare reform legislation in the Senate. Merkley tells Ratner that he expects Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to release a merged bill later today, but adds that Republicans will attempt to block a vote on the bill, which he hopes will take place by this weekend at the latest. The Democrat from Oregon says he doesn’t think the bill will come out of conference until January. Merkley describes the whole process as being “painfully slow.” Click the audio icon below to listen to the full interview. (7:44)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) Tuesday said that the public option will continue to be included in the Senate’s health care reform legislation.
“We’re going to move forward, I believe strongly, with the public option,” said Reid. (0:23)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) Tuesday addressed major obstacles facing the Senate’s health care reform legislation, including a possible move by pro-life Senators to introduce language barring federal funding for abortions, similar to the Stupak amendment that made its way into the Affordable Health Care for Americans Act.
“We’re going to continue to work with the pro-choice folks and the pro-life folks in the Senate and come up with something fair and reasonable,” Reid said during a late-morning press conference.
The majority leader added that the public option will continue to be included in the legislation, despite the objections levied by Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), who has threatened to filibuster any legislation with the provision.
“We’re going to move forward, I believe strongly, with the public option,” said Reid. “I had a conversation with Joe Lieberman an hour ago, it was a good conversation and I’m confident we’ll work something out.”
Reid, and the Democratic Senators that joined him, appeared at Tuesday’s conference flanked by U.S. servicemen and women. They took the opportunity to highlight the Caregiver and Veterans Affairs Act, a piece of legislation Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Ok.) has put a hold on.
Coburn has stated that although he supports the aim of the bill, which would give families of wounded veterans the resources for home treatment, he is uncomfortable passing the legislation until payment is addressed.
“Where was he when we were spending a trillion dollars on the war in Iraq? That wasn’t paid for,” Reid argued. “I have no ability to comprehend the illogic of [Senator] Coburn.”
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced Monday that the public option, saddled with a provision that will allow states to individually opt-out, will be included in the final draft of the Senate’s health care reform legislation.
Although Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), the only Republican on the Senate Finance Committee to vote in favor of moving the legislation out of committee, does not support a public option, Reid stated that the Senate has to move on. The Majority Leader added that he hopes that Snowe and other Republicans will support health care reform after being given the chance to submit their own amendments. (0:24)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced Monday that the public option, saddled with a provision that will allow states to individually opt-out, will be included in the final draft of the Senate’s health care reform legislation.
“Under this concept states will be able to determine if the public option works well for them,” Reid said during a late afternoon press conference.
