Friday
Dec042009
Health Care For The Holidays
Friday, December 4, 2009 at 2:14PM
As the debate over the Senate’s health care bill moves into it’s fifth day Friday, whether the Senate will spend Christmas with their constituents or their colleagues has come into question.
Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) reiterated the Democrats’ desire to pass legislation by Christmas.
“Our goal is to finish this bill before Christmas. There are other things that need to be done in addition to the health care reform bill, but we are going to stick with this and get it done,” said Durbin during a telephone conference with reporters Friday.
However, several Democrats have hinted that if the bill is not voted on by the 25th, the Senate may spend Christmas eve in their chamber.
“We’ll be asking a lot of young men and women in uniform to be serving in Christmas eve in Afghanistan and Iraq and elsewhere,” said Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) Wednesday. “Is it too much to ask this body on an issue like health care to stay around if we have to on a Christmas eve?”
Added Dodd, “I’m prepared to stay however long it takes to get this done.”
While the Connecticut Democrat portrayed staying on Christmas eve as a noble endeavor, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fl.) seemed to have cast the notion as a warning to lawmakers.
“The Republican leadership is stalling us,” said Nelson. “We go through as long as it takes, including Christmas day."
The Senate has currently voted on four amendments while additional amendments pertaining to abortion funding and the public option are still pending.
Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) reiterated the Democrats’ desire to pass legislation by Christmas.
“Our goal is to finish this bill before Christmas. There are other things that need to be done in addition to the health care reform bill, but we are going to stick with this and get it done,” said Durbin during a telephone conference with reporters Friday.
However, several Democrats have hinted that if the bill is not voted on by the 25th, the Senate may spend Christmas eve in their chamber.
“We’ll be asking a lot of young men and women in uniform to be serving in Christmas eve in Afghanistan and Iraq and elsewhere,” said Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) Wednesday. “Is it too much to ask this body on an issue like health care to stay around if we have to on a Christmas eve?”
Added Dodd, “I’m prepared to stay however long it takes to get this done.”
While the Connecticut Democrat portrayed staying on Christmas eve as a noble endeavor, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fl.) seemed to have cast the notion as a warning to lawmakers.
“The Republican leadership is stalling us,” said Nelson. “We go through as long as it takes, including Christmas day."
The Senate has currently voted on four amendments while additional amendments pertaining to abortion funding and the public option are still pending.
Reader Comments