Wednesday
Jan202010
McConnell ‘Sure Hopes’ Democrats' Health Care Reform Push Is Dead
Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 12:16PM
Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown’s victory Tuesday night could kill Democrats’ chances of completing their months-long effort to reform the health care system, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell seems just fine with that.
When asked at a press conference Wednesday whether he believed if Brown’s long-shot victory meant the legislation in its current form was dead, McConnell replied “I sure hope so.”
“This was in many ways a national referendum, principally on the major issue we’re wrestling with here in the Congress,” the Kentucky Senator explained.
According to McConnell, Brown’s victory could also impede a number of other items on the majority party’s agenda, including climate change legislation.
“There is minimal enthusiasm, to put it mildly, for cap and trade,” McConnell said, but noted that the decision to pursue climate policy would ultimately be left with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
McConnell expressed confidence that neither Democrats in the Massachusetts state legislature or the U.S. Senate will make any moves to pass the legislation prior to Brown being sworn-in, but conceded that the House could still adopt the Senate’s version of the legislation as-is, and thus pass reform.
“I can’t speak for the House,” McConnell said. “There has been discussion on the House side.”
When asked at a press conference Wednesday whether he believed if Brown’s long-shot victory meant the legislation in its current form was dead, McConnell replied “I sure hope so.”
“This was in many ways a national referendum, principally on the major issue we’re wrestling with here in the Congress,” the Kentucky Senator explained.
According to McConnell, Brown’s victory could also impede a number of other items on the majority party’s agenda, including climate change legislation.
“There is minimal enthusiasm, to put it mildly, for cap and trade,” McConnell said, but noted that the decision to pursue climate policy would ultimately be left with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
McConnell expressed confidence that neither Democrats in the Massachusetts state legislature or the U.S. Senate will make any moves to pass the legislation prior to Brown being sworn-in, but conceded that the House could still adopt the Senate’s version of the legislation as-is, and thus pass reform.
“I can’t speak for the House,” McConnell said. “There has been discussion on the House side.”