Tulsa World: Reid suggests health-care bill delay possible

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Reid suggests health-care bill delay possible
The debate might go into 2010, the senator indicates.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid meets with reporters Tuesday on Capitol Hill following the weekly caucus luncheons. Harry Hamburg/Associated Press

By DAVID ESPO Associated Press
Published: 11/4/2009 2:26 AM
Last Modified: 11/4/2009 4:40 AM

WASHINGTON — In a blow to the White House, the Senate's top Democrat signaled Tuesday that Congress may fail to meet a year-end deadline for passing health care legislation, leaving the measure's fate to the uncertainties of the 2010 election season.

Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., spoke as Democratic officials said it could be December before Senate debate begins in earnest on the issue atop President Barack Obama's domestic agenda, months after senior lawmakers and the White House had hoped.

The drive to pass legislation has been plagued for months by divisions within the party's rank and file.

House leaders, on a somewhat faster track, pointed toward a vote this weekend on a bill to extend coverage to tens of millions who lack it, ban insurance industry practices such as denying coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions and generally slow the rate of growth of medical spending. The 10-year, $1.2 trillion legislation is estimated to expand coverage to about 96 percent of eligible Americans.

The measure includes an option for consumers to purchase a government insurance plan, an attempt to put pressure on private firms.

While Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and other House leaders weighed final changes to their version of the bill, Reid for the first time publicly raised the possibility that lawmakers would not be able to meet their — and Obama's — self-imposed deadline of completing work on health care by year's end.

"We're not going to be

bound by any timelines. We need to do the best job we can for the American people," he said after the weekly closed-door meeting of rank-and-file Democrats.

A few hours later, Reid's office revised his remarks. "Our goals remain unchanged. We want to get health insurance reform done this year, and we have unprecedented momentum to achieve that. There is no reason why we can't have a transparent and thorough debate in the Senate and still send a bill to the president by Christmas," Reid's spokesman Jim Manley said.

A White House spokesman, Reid Cherlin, sought to put the best face on the developments. "We're moving on the same timeline. The House plans to vote on the health reform bill within days, and as Senator Reid said today, he shares the White House's commitment to passing meaningful reform by Christmas and will be moving swiftly once the Senate hears back from CBO," he said.

The Congressional Budget Office is preparing cost estimates on a draft bill Reid completed last week.

Despite the late-afternoon statement, numerous other officials said it could be early December before the Senate begins work in earnest on long-delayed health care legislation.

It has long been obvious that Reid would need 60 votes to overcome a threatened Republican filibuster. As late as last week, when he announced his intention to include a government insurance option in the bill, he avoided saying that he had enough support to prevail.

Democrats in both houses have been plagued all year by internal divisions on the issue, a problem more difficult for Reid to manage because he must have unanimous support as he tries to overcome solid Republican opposition.

Pelosi, by contrast, leads a caucus of 256 Democrats. She can afford more than two dozen defections and still be assured of passing legislation when the roll is called in the House. She projected no concern about a possible delay in final action. By DAVID ESPO Associated Press

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	Report Comment oldrustytulsa, Tulsa (11/4/2009 8:29:13 AM) Yeah, Ol milk Toast Reid, get it, you and Pelosi, the American people do not want your style of health care insurance reform, How about truth in advertising?
	Report Comment oldrustytulsa, Tulsa (11/4/2009 8:29:54 AM) Yeah, Ol milk Toast Reid, get it, you and Pelosi, the American people do not want your style of health care insurance reform, How about truth in advertising?
	Report Comment zzx375, BA (11/4/2009 6:34:30 AM) Oh no, Harry! Say it isn't so! The earth will stop revolving around the sun if this legislation isn't passed by year-end. Of course it may take that long to read the entire bill and figure out what it means. But that won't matter to you, the rest of Congress and the prez since you don't have to eat your own cooking.
	Report Comment my view, Sand Springs (11/4/2009 11:48:43 AM) I think what Senator Reid is looking at is his standing in the polls back home in Nevada.
	Report Comment ajohnb, Jenks (11/4/2009 7:45:30 AM) What????? Nooooooooooo! Tell me it isn't so!!!! I thought this was the demoncrats idea of a "perfect" plan. Yiou are failing your supremem leader. obama will have to take the democrats out behind the woodshed to bring them back into line. Or, maybe some demoncrats are starting to worry about their re-election chances. Maybe some of them understand the majority of the US population do NOT want this type health care reform. Gee, what a concept in the US. Majority rules. Hmmm, ism't that what the demoncrats told America one year ago? And Mr. Reid has his own re-election chances on the chopping block. One year down and 3 to go.
	Report Comment parksport, (11/4/2009 9:46:37 AM) I am relieved to hear someone on Capitol Hill say "We're not going to be bound by any timelines. We need to do the best job we can for the American people", even if the remarks were later revised.
	Report Comment parksport, (11/4/2009 9:48:05 AM) Also, I will wait to see if cutting off my nose will be covered before acting in haste.
	Report Comment flyingtheo, Broken Arrow (11/4/2009 11:46:36 AM) Just a few of the things that are hanging up this Health Care Bill by level headed people: 1.Prohibit abortion funding by the government. 2. Ensure that illegal immigrants cannot receive government (read tax payer) sponsored health care. 3. Eliminate State line barriers for the sale of Health Insurance, thus making it more competitive. 4. Get the lawyers out of the Health Care Industry by initiating tort reform. 5. No government option that will destroy private insurers and put a government bureaucrat between you and your health care provider.
	Report Comment D R Sparks, Yukon (11/4/2009 9:30:39 AM) My goodness, some of you would cut your nose off to spite your face and are doing so each time you post. Try backing off and thinking about things. Do you really believe the world will end if all the citizens of America had reasonable access and affordability to healthcare. Obviously, change doesn't suit you even when it would be an improvement. Tsk, tsk!

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