Senate begins healthcare debate with debate on having a debate
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The Senate today began debate on the next phase of healthcare reform, arguing over whether to bring the Democratic bill to the floor.
The vote to allow full debate is scheduled for Saturday night. The vote, called a cloture motion, requires 60 votes to pass, and if that hurdle is cleared, debate would begin after Thanksgiving.
Today’s debate, with Democrats and Republicans alternating every hour, is a strange mixture, with senators arguing their positions on healthcare reform but, more important, making a case on whether to bring the bill forward so that a full, and lengthy, debate can proceed.
“We will have a lot of opportunity in next few weeks to debate the issues,” Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico), said on the floor this morning.
“I very much urge my colleagues to rally around this effort,” Bingaman said. “I hope, frankly, we will get some Republican support for this. I think it is very unfortunate that we are going into this debate with reports that all Republicans are agreeing to oppose healthcare reform.
“Just to say no, to say we are opposed to reform is not a good option. The American people deserve better than that. I hope we will have a serious, substantive discussion,” Bingaman said.
Bipartisanship was a keynote for the first Democrats who spoke. Republicans will get their chance to argue against cloture later.
The real issue today is to begin to make the case for the public while the serious vote-counting takes place behind the scenes.
Democrats have 58 votes and can usually count on two independents who caucus with them, though one, Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, has said he opposes the bill but will vote to bring it to the floor.
Three centrist Democratic senators are also question marks on the bill but will likely vote to let debate to begin.
Republicans have insisted that all GOP senators will vote against bringing the bill to the floor, so the Democrats have no margin for mistake.
-- Michael Muskal
