President Obama seemed confident that the Senate will follow the House’s lead and pass the sweeping health care reform bill.
The House passed the legislation Saturday night by a narrow 220-215 vote. Obama acknowledged those representatives who voted yes as being “courageous” when considering the contentiousness surrounding the bill.
“Now it falls on the United States Senate to take the baton and bring this effort to the finish line on behalf of the American people,” Obama said."And I’m absolutely confident that they will. I’m equally convinced that on the day that we gather here at the White House and I sign comprehensive health insurance reform legislation into law, they’ll be able to join their House colleagues and say that this was their finest moment in public service.”
Obama’s confidence may not be shared by key members of the Senate, where Democratic numbers are not as overwhelming as in the House. Many believe that Senate Majority Harry Reid has an uphill battle and will have a difficult time meeting the president’s Christmastime deadline.
"The House bill is dead on arrival in the Senate," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said on CBS' "Face the Nation”.
Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman has also made it clear that he will also vote no if the public option remains in the legislation. “I will not allow this bill to come to a final vote because I believe the debt can break America and send us into a recession that's worse than the one we're fighting our way out of today,” he said today on “Fox News Sunday.”
The Senate has been debating its own version of the bill and is not yet considering the House version.
Comments
To all the business owners in America.
When these job killing programs begin to hit your business, and you are forced to reduce the size of your labor force, please put the liberals in your company at the top of the list. I think they should be the first to enjoy the fruits of their labor in destroying the US economy
Maybe business owners should have thought about providing health care.
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