Durbin: Senate Version Of Stupak Amendment Unlikely To Pass

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) stated Friday that an amendment to the Senate health care reform bill barring federal funding of abortion may not pass in the Senate.

“We do not believe that the Stupak language, if offered at this moment, is likely to pass,” Durbin said during a conference call with reporters.

The amendment is a key factor in securing the vote of Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), a center leaning Democrat who has voiced dissatisfaction with the bill’s current language on funds for abortion.

“At the end of the day we need Senator Nelson’s vote,” said Durbin. “We still don’t have a promise of a vote from the Republican side, so we would need his vote to make our sixty.”

Durbin noted that a compromise is currently being examined.

“We are trying to find if there is an alternative provision that is somewhat different than the current bill, that doesn’t quite reach the Stupak level, that would satisfy the needs of Senator Nelson and our pro-life Senators.”

Senate Democrats Put Family Focus On Health Care

By Courtney Ann Jackson - Talk Radio News Service

The health care debate has taken on many angles, but today the focus of Democratic leaders in the Senate was on uninsured families. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-N.V.) welcomed two families directly affected by health care issues to a press conference Thursday to represent the many families being affected everyday.

“Our opponents aren’t talking about the real families and the real problems these families have,” said Reid. “Reforming health care is not abstract because health care is not theoretical...It’s about people, real people.”

Reid was joined by Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill), Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.). The Senators noted that the families in attendance know the real costs of health care due to personal experiences. Reid repeated the phrase, “we’re talking about people,” multiple times in his opening statement.

Murray said she's asked constituents in her home state to share their personal stories about health care and why they feel health care reform is needed. So far, she said she's received over 5,000 e-mails in two weeks.

Murray highlighted the need to control the costs for family health insurance, noting that people with quality health insurance are paying more in premiums because the system as a whole does not cover everyone.

“Overcome the obstacles and get something done. We have to get something done,” said Schumer. “The system just isn’t working or it’s getting to the point that it won’t work in the next decade.”

Durbin said stories about ordinary Americans losing health insurance are not uncommon because 14,000 people lose health care everyday. He said that if nothing is done now, the problem won’t just go away, and that’s why health reform must happen this year.

The Senators said they will give the legislation more time so that Republicans who oppose the plan can review what Reid described as a “complex difficult issue." They said they would continue to work on the bill when they return from recess in the fall.

“I’ve had conversations with them [Republicans] and I’ll have future conversations to give them assurances that we’ll take everything they do and we’ll do what we can to make sure their issues aren’t buried,” said Reid.

Reid expressed confidence that all 60 Democrats in the Senate are prepared to vote for the legislation.

Senate Democrats Predict Republican Support For Sotomayor

By Justin Duckham-Talk Radio News Service

Senate leaders predicted Thursday that Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor will not only be confirmed by their fellow Democrats, but will also have a number of supporters on the other side of the aisle.

“There will be some Republicans voting for her. To not do so is to be blind to what qualifications and personality she has,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) during a pen and pad session with reporters.

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) agreed, noting that the attempts made by some Republicans to find grounds to oppose her confirmation have fallen flat.

“They have scant evidence to use against here, and I think she has handled [the hearings] so well.

“I know that some Republican Senators have spoken to me and said that many are starting to lean her way,” Durbin added.

The pen and pad session was also attended by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wa.).

Democrats’ Proposed Health Care Model Stresses Access, Affordability And Choice

By Courtney Ann Jackson-Talk Radio News Service

Health care access and better choice of doctors may be the new norm if Senate Democrats have their way. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was accompanied today by Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Democratic Conference Vice Chairman Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Democratic Conference Secretary Patty Murray (D-Wash.), for a discussion on health care reform plans. Reid said if reform was easy, it would have been done a long time ago.

Reid mentioned the health care related bills the Democrats have been working on, saying “It gives opportunity for the Republicans to add insight and ensure them an opportunity to be able to help negotiate a good deal. [We] always save the Republicans a seat at the negotiating table and we’ll continue to do that. All they need is to do is sit down and talk to us and I’m hopeful and very confident they will do that at the final time of getting a health care bill and all brought up.”

Proposed legislation covers health issues such as children’s health care, better access, affordability and the choice of what doctors and hospitals people can go to. Reid said he believes his colleagues have done an excellent job in creating legislation that reflects the core principals of the American people.

Despite the senators’ aforementioned reach across the aisle, Durbin said that it has become clear to him that, at least in the highest leadership, the Senate Republicans are going to oppose whatever is proposed. He said, “They are the ones who are motivating this opposition to change because they’re cashing in on this broken system.”

Sen. Schumer believes that there are some things that have to be worked out but that it seems the parties are beginning to agree on at least a basic structure. He said the top priorities are providing a public option and ensuring affordable health care for all Americans.

Sotomayor Meets And Greets Senators

By Annie Berman-Talk Radio News Service

Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor met today with ten U.S. Senators on Capitol Hill in the unofficial first step of her confirmation process.

“I asked her about the wise Latina statement,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) in reference to controversial statements Sotomayor made at Berkley in 2001 in which she implied that her experience as a Latina would give her better insight into legal decisions than a white male. According to Durbin, she said ‘it’s just one part of me.  I’m many different things.”

Sotomayor and Durbin talked about their similar backgrounds, Sotomayor’s education and experience as a litigator.  The Senator commented that he was “very impressed” by her qualifications.  

The meetings began at 10 o’clock this morning with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).