Talk Radio News Service: News, Politics, Media

By Marianna Levyash - Talk Radio News Service

In a news conference on Wednesday, Senators Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) said that they are fully prepared to block any Democratic efforts to end debate on the Senate's healthcare reform bill.

"It looks like the next vote will be a vote to move to the bill and that will be the first vote for or against the bill that will, as presently constructed, raise premiums, raise taxes, cut medicare...and create a new government-run insurance program," said Alexander.

The Tennessee Republican stated his belief that each member of the Senate "will be looking at this vote in terms of having consistency...and whether they'll vote for the final bill."

"60 votes would end the debate...and that is an important thing to keep in mind," added Johanns.

Both Alexander and Johanns repeated the GOP's message that the Democratically-backed legislation is "fundamentally flawed."