Monday
Dec072009
Senate Public Option Plan To Be Finalized 'In The Next Few Days,' Says Stabenow
Monday, December 7, 2009 at 2:35PM
By Meagan Wiseley - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said Monday that final negotiations over a public option plan in the Senate health care bill will be completed “in the next few days.”
Most recently the Senate has debated the non-profit funded insurance plan; a plan which parallels the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. The proposed plan offers Americans a variety of private non-profit funded insurance plans, overseen by the Office of Personnel Management.
Expressing her support for public option in the final bill, Stabenow added, “the critical issue is not what we call something, it’s the end result.”
Stabenow said she does not support the amendment proposed by Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) to restrict federal funding for abortions. She said based on her understanding of the amendment it “parallels” Rep. Bart Stupak’s (R-Mich.) Amendment which also prohibits federal funding for abortion. The Stupak Amendment passed in the House last month.
“I don’t believe [the Nelson Amendment] is going to pass, I truly believe the votes are there to stop it in the Senate,” Stabenow said.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said Monday that final negotiations over a public option plan in the Senate health care bill will be completed “in the next few days.”
Most recently the Senate has debated the non-profit funded insurance plan; a plan which parallels the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. The proposed plan offers Americans a variety of private non-profit funded insurance plans, overseen by the Office of Personnel Management.
Expressing her support for public option in the final bill, Stabenow added, “the critical issue is not what we call something, it’s the end result.”
Stabenow said she does not support the amendment proposed by Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) to restrict federal funding for abortions. She said based on her understanding of the amendment it “parallels” Rep. Bart Stupak’s (R-Mich.) Amendment which also prohibits federal funding for abortion. The Stupak Amendment passed in the House last month.
“I don’t believe [the Nelson Amendment] is going to pass, I truly believe the votes are there to stop it in the Senate,” Stabenow said.
Senate Healthcare Bill Is The 'Framework' For Further Reform, Says Key Democrat
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) told reporters Tuesday that although the Senate healthcare bill may not contain a medicare expansion or a public option, she will vote for it.
Said Stabenow, "We’re in a legislative process where we have to bring everyone together and get the very best that we can, and then keep working.”
“This is about a framework...and that will change the debate going forward,” she added.
The Senator from Michigan advocated passing the healthcare bill rapidly so it can then be melded with the House bill and sent to the President's desk by the end of this year.
Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) said during the press conference that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) currently does not have the 60 votes needed to pass the bill.
“The goal here is to get the job done...to get 60 votes so that we can proceed and overcome the actions of the Republicans, that’s what we’re going to continue to focus on,” Cardin said.
Stabenow and Cardin denied to comment on Sen. Joe Lieberman's (I-Conn.) refusal to support the bill if it included a medicare expansion provision.