Klobuchar (and Harkin) supports reconciliation, public option

[ProSense]

Klobuchar supports reconciliation, public option

By Paul Schmelzer

Sen. Amy Klobuchar is joining the chorus of Democratic senators who support the use of reconciliation — a procedural tool that would allow a bill to pass with a simple majority vote, thereby circumventing filibuster attempts — to pass health care reform measures. In a statement prepared for the Minnesota Independent, Klobuchar indicated she essentially agreed with Sen. Al Franken and nine other senators (eight Democrats, plus Vermont independent Bernie Sanders), who signed a letter urging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to use reconciliation to bring about a Senate vote.

Klobuchar didn’t indicate she’d sign the letter, but said she supports “using reconciliation to pass the health reform bill with changes, such as getting rid of the Nebraska deal” — a reference to an addition to the bill to win conservative Nebraska Democrat Ben Nelson’s vote.

Klobuchar continued, indicating her support for the public option:

I would want to make sure that the bill contains the Medicare care cost reform measures included in the existing bill. I am also supportive of the President’s efforts to forge a bipartisan agreement. We must reduce health care costs for the people of this country.

I support the House bill version of the public option which is based on negotiated rates. I do not support a public option based on Medicare rates because it exacerbates geographic disparities that already hurt Minnesota.

In addition to Franken, the letter to Reid was signed by Democratic Sens. Michael Bennet of Colorado, Roland Burris of Illinois, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, John Kerry of Massachusetts, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, as well as Sanders.

Earlier Wednesday, the Iowa Independent reported that Sen. Tom Harkin, who chairs the powerful Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP), also supports the use of reconciliation.

[DrToast]

1. Hmmm....this is starting to look orchestrated

drip....drip....drip

[Pirate Smile]

2. It sure does. Perhaps a little momentum heading into the summit next Thursday?

:)

[YvonneCa]

3. Or, perhaps, a LOT of...

...momentum going into Thursday... :7

[Clio the Leo]

4. That's my hope.

And I also hope we are ALL pleasantly surprised next week.

[Robbins]

5. The Intresting thing to me

Is the fact of Bennet on this list.The MSM will tell you Senators In tough fights are running away from Health Care reform.

Of course the truth Is people out there like the public opotion not this waterdowned version giveaway to conservatives which no
Republican will vote for.

[spartan61]

6. I called Senator Bill Nelson's

office today to try to persuade him to also sign the letter. I doubt that he will because he is always disappointing.

[lamp_shade]

8. So did I. I'm hopeful.

[Arkana]

7. They're trying to scare Republicans.

If such a thing was going to happen, it might have happened by now.

[ProSense]

9. I don't think so. n/t

[OhioBlue]

10. I don't think that is what is behind the letter

I think they're tired of Reid's (lack of) leadership. If you look at the original sponsors - with Senator Sherrod Brown being one of them... this isn't just a political tool to scare Republicans. He's been fighting for health care reform his entire career. I am confident HE wants the house bill... he WROTE the Public Option for the HELP Committee Bill at the request of Ted Kennedy. He is FIGHTING for it. I'm sure that's the intent of the letter.. push Reid. I can't comment on each additional signature and their personal thoughts.. but I KNOW that the original intent isn't just to scare Republicans.

[freddie mertz]

11. I am still holding you to that public option promise, ProSense.

I hope this works out for us.

[asdjrocky]

12. If only the White House supported a public option.