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Schumer: "Real Momentum" For Health Care Reform Now
By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 23, 2009
Modified Nov 23, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 23, 2009
Modified Nov 23, 2009
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Now that the Senate will debate health care reform next week, the question is whether Senate Democrats can gain enough support to pass legislation. Senator Charles Schumer told Face the Nation, "Look, there are still many bumps in the road, discussions, arguments, disagreements. But I think now the wind is at our back. There's real momentum. And the good news here is we still have a very diverse caucus but every Democrat, from the most liberal to the most conservative, very much wants to get a bill."
Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer asked Senator Jon Kyl (R-Arizona), who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, "Orrin Hatch said the Republicans will launch a holy war of delay. Is that going to happen?" Kyle responded, "The object is not to delay for delay's sake but rather to have an opportunity for everyone to see what's in it, to understand it, to know how much it costs and to know how it's going to impact their lives." He also believes, "The best way to stop it is not to start it, but rather to go back and start over again with more Republican ideas in legislation than is currently the case. That's why you have every single Republican saying, 'No, not this.'"
Still, Schumer accused Republicans of not putting an alternative on the floor and also vowed Democrats would pass the bill with or without Republican support because the "system is broken." Referring to continued debate within the Democratic party about the public option, he said today, "We never expected the bill that Leader Reid put on the floor to pass exactly as-is. Everyone has their ideas on the public option, for instance."
Tagged
health care
health care reform
senate
senate democrats
senator charles schumer
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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