TPMDC
Reid To Unveil Health Care Bill To Caucus At Evening Meeting
Brian Beutler | November 18, 2009, 9:36AM
Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)
Share
Send to a friend!
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will unveil and discuss his health care bill to Democrats at a special 5 pm caucus meeting tonight, leadership sources say. Reid hopes to brief the caucus before the bill is publicly unveiled, and that could happen late tonight. A CBO analysis of that legislation is expected to be unveiled publicly somewhat earlier in the day, and despite some last minute road bumps, Reid is very pleased with the report.
Reid may give the public 72 hours to review the bill before holding a cloture vote on a motion to proceed this weekend, though he may call for that vote slightly earlier.
Republicans, led by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) are expected to call for the entire bill to be read aloud before debate can begin in earnest after the Senate returns from a week-long Thanksgiving recess at the end of the month.
Other Stories Featured at TPMDC
Join the Conversation!
Leave a comment
Follow us!
Most Popular
- Jon Stewart: Obama's Teleprompter Is No Match For Palin's 'Mavericky Notecard Hand-Scribbled Buzzwords' (VIDEO)
- At A Whole New Level
- History
- Colbert: 'Sarah Palin Is A F--king Retard' (VIDEO)
- Palin Advocates War With Iran After Apparently Misunderstanding Buchanan Column (VIDEO)
- Cheney, Ridge Pioneered Miranda Attack On Obama
- Backhanded Compliment
- What's the Deal with The Ryan Budget?
- Gibbs Mocks Palin And Writes Shopping List On Hand (VIDEO)
- Is Ryan's Social Security Slashing Budget Like Contract With America?
- Gibbs Mocks Palin And Writes Shopping List On Hand (VIDEO)
- Palin Advocates War With Iran After Apparently Misunderstanding Buchanan Column (VIDEO)
- House GOP-ers: Start Over And We'll Come To The Table. White House: No.
- Bachmann: 'Wean Everybody Off' Social Security And Medicare
- Ben Nelson Helps GOP Block Obama NLRB Nominee
- Jon Stewart: Obama's Teleprompter Is No Match For Palin's 'Mavericky Notecard Hand-Scribbled Buzzwords' (VIDEO)
- Allegations Against Leader Cause Turmoil In CA GOP
- Cheney, Ridge Pioneered Miranda Attack On Obama
- Deconstructing Rush Limbaugh
- Bachmann: 'If We Reject Israel, Then There Is A Curse That Comes Into Play'
- Backhanded Compliment
- What's the Deal with The Ryan Budget?
- At A Whole New Level
- Gettin' His Dialectic On ...
- Give The Man A Hand
- History
- Let's Talk
- Inevitable: New Republic Calls Former Editor Andrew Sullivan An Anti-Semite
- Super Bowl Commercials Throw Women to the Wolves
- Cheney, Ridge Pioneered Miranda Attack On Obama
TPM Stories Now Surging on Digg.com
TPM Top News
© 2009 TPM Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Steaming Pile
November 18, 2009 9:40 AM
One warning for Harry - don't fuck this up.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Indie Pro
November 18, 2009 3:36 PM in reply to Steaming Pile
I'm reading we may be looking at Carper's trigger. I hope these sources are wrong.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
btbradley86
November 18, 2009 4:03 PM in reply to Indie Pro
The Carpet trigger isnt too terribly bad. Not the greatest compromise by any means, but a reasonable one and Ide rather take reasoned argument against ideological purity any day!
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
btbradley86
November 18, 2009 4:04 PM in reply to btbradley86
"Carper"
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
neesy08
November 18, 2009 9:47 AM
what is a cloture vote? somebody told me one, but i don't remember what it is?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
sparrowskate
November 18, 2009 11:01 AM in reply to neesy08
Cloture is the vote to bring a bill to the floor for debate and once upon a time some boneheads in the senate thought that it would be a good idea to have to need 60% to get a bill to the floor. Obstructionists!
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Connecticut Man1
November 18, 2009 11:12 AM in reply to neesy08
Cloture:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloture
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
VictorLH
November 18, 2009 10:04 AM
Cloture is a delay tactic used by losers such as the GOP to obstruct and deny people a good life. Unless of course those people make up the top 5% of the economic strata who they are the representatives there of.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
peterboy
November 18, 2009 10:28 AM in reply to VictorLH
that is a filibuster. Cloture is the vote that CLOSES the filibuster.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
LeaningLeft
November 18, 2009 10:35 AM in reply to peterboy
I thought I remember reading that, with all bills, there has to be a vote to start debate (I don't know how many votes that needs), a vote to end debate (the cloture vote needing 60 votes), and then a vote to pass the bill (50 votes). And, I thought I remember reading that the vote Reid planned for this weekend was the one to start debate. So, I'm confused by the article saying, "Reid may give the public 72 hours to review the bill before holding a cloture vote on a motion to proceed this weekend, though he may call for that vote slightly earlier." Is my understanding completely wrong? Is using the word cloture a misprint? Is the vote to start debate also called a cloture vote?
I’m confused.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
agio
November 18, 2009 10:46 AM in reply to LeaningLeft
You are correct: they need 60 votes to bring the bill to the floor and 60 votes to bring the bill to a vote. They only need 51 votes to pass the bill.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
agio
November 18, 2009 10:47 AM in reply to agio
Added: regarding "Is using the word cloture a misprint?" No, because the "cloture" (French for "closing") closes the debate on whether to bring the bill to the floor, not the debate on the bill itself.
And yes Senate rules are quite byzantine!
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
masanf
November 18, 2009 11:25 AM in reply to VictorLH
Used by losers like the GOP? Yeah, evidently you forget the unprecedented filibuster of judicial nominations by the Democrats, their filibuster of Social Security reform, and their filibuster of pretty much everything they didn't like back when the Republicans were in charge.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
obamaman
November 18, 2009 12:53 PM in reply to masanf
pretty impressive argument, no numbers, no stats on use of the filibuster, just whatever you pull out of your ass.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
obamaman
November 18, 2009 1:09 PM in reply to obamaman
p.s. here are the real numbers. You lose!
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/31/republican-filibusters-skyrocket/
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
obamaman
November 18, 2009 1:00 PM in reply to masanf
oh, and let's not forget that Bush's Social Security "reform" consisted of privatizing it and forcing people to hand over their money to the same criminals who caused the whole financial crisis.
and the funny thing is, morons like masanf probably still think it's a brilliant idea.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
BearDog
November 18, 2009 2:14 PM in reply to masanf
What Democratic filibuster of Social Security reform? The whole SS privatization idea was so unpopular that the Administration never brought a bill.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
masanf
November 18, 2009 11:27 AM in reply to VictorLH
Yeah, that majority of the country that has stated they don't want Obamacare must make up 5% of the country, although it is hard to figure out how 50%=5%. And those polls showing that independents favor the GOP by large numbers, kind of hard to make the 5% argument with that as well.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
obamaman
November 18, 2009 12:55 PM in reply to masanf
over 50% want a public option. I guess you only use "polls" that fit with your braindamaged world view.
better scurry back to Michelle Bachman so she can tell you what to think and say next.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Publishermike
November 18, 2009 3:31 PM in reply to masanf
Dude, those words you put together right there don't make any sense at all.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
hollywood
November 18, 2009 1:45 PM in reply to VictorLH
Repubs represent the top 5% ??? When did their tent get so big ???
I have been getting used to thinking they just suck ass for the top 1% and are completely blind to what the interests of the other 99% of our democracy might need.
I was just reading something on the rethuglican mindset of reverence to wealth and authority. It has been consistent in the psychological profiling of political personalities that hardcore conservatives just melt into little puddles when someone with obscene wealth or military-like authority enters the room. Like highschool whores they all try to hike up their skirts to show the money/authority figure that they aren't wearing any underwear and would be a good loyal little bitch. Just like the K Street Kristians ran around the world licking the balls of every wealthy dictator, they all just can't control these deep seeded longings. This pathology needs more study if average people ever want to get control of their democracy back.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Odel Roo
November 18, 2009 3:52 PM in reply to VictorLH
Dude... really?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
obamaman
November 18, 2009 10:36 AM
I'd have more confidence without a picture of Reid, Dodd and Baucus staring me in the face. Not exactly inspirational.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
robbie
November 18, 2009 10:37 AM
Cloture or whatever, nothings is going to come out of Senate that will be any better than House bill. So, if you're not happy with House bill then forget about it. I'm one of those who is absolutely pessimistic about the whole thing. This is all Washington circus, waiting to see the "big elephant" shows his soccer kick in the end. Big Elephant, i.e. the insurance companies are the big winners.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
mans_best_friend
November 18, 2009 11:01 AM in reply to robbie
Does the PO cover head injuries? Because I hear the sky is falling.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
masanf
November 18, 2009 11:29 AM in reply to mans_best_friend
There isn't going to be a "PO". Evidently you didn't read the piece about Carper... or Nelson, or Lieberman, or Lincoln, or Landrieu, or Conrad or....
The chance of a "PO" being included in the Senate bill is pretty much nil.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
newpantaloons
November 18, 2009 2:00 PM in reply to masanf
Where in the world does the GOP dig up intellectually challenged people like you, to post on progressive websites. The least they could do is pick someone with some brains and not some idiot parroting talking points they've been give by Dick Armey, of all people. I know they like to pull their trolls from the likes of Pat Robertson University, but the least they could do for their own image is choose someone that can fashion a legitimate and coherent argument.
I guess it's like McCain/Palin said in the campaign, "We're ALL Joe the Plumber now".
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
NY Dem
November 18, 2009 11:06 AM in reply to robbie
But aren't you being a little too pessimistic? I would bet money that we are on the same page with what we would like to see in HCR (single payer advocate here), however, can't you see this in terms of history? Isn't this at least a decent start seeing that we've literally been nowhere on reform for 50 years? Does it really have to be all or nothing?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Shoto
November 18, 2009 11:13 AM
If Reid is comfortable, then I'm nervous. His version of reform is very likely to be a Big Steaming Pile...
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
A Missouri voter
November 18, 2009 11:18 AM in reply to Shoto
That was exactly my thought. Am I supposed to be reassured by the fact that Sen "Reid is very pleased with the report"? It is hard to have comfort from Reid's reassurances by this point.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Walter Mitty
November 18, 2009 11:22 AM
Cloture is what Democrats must meet, Republicans need a 50%+VP majority. Republicans cry for an up or down vote when in power with much less than 60 votes, Democrats accept that Republicans force them to need 60 votes.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
numediaman
November 18, 2009 12:32 PM
This story that is now on the front page of the NY Times has me truly concerned:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/us/19unemploy.html?hp
The thought that the extension of unemployment benefits does not extend past January 1 has implications that are wide ranging.
Read it: it turns out the recently passed extension does not go past December 31st.
You can not have unemployment over ten percent with benefits cut off and talk about health care, Afghanistan . . . or anything else for that matter.
If the President wants to prevent the rise of "Obama towns" (or whatever they will call the modern version of Hoovervilles) then the Congress and the President better act.
If not, you can tuck the HCR bill away for another day.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Tanjaoui
November 18, 2009 1:49 PM in reply to numediaman
The President will get pretty much what he probably promised health insurers. So he's happy. It just has to say 'Health Care Reform' on the cover. The health insurers will get what they want. And even if there is a public option, you watch: it will have no effect on cost, either for the government or for end users. Prices will continue to rise, for individuals, for states and the federal government. As unemployment continues to rise, more and more people will suffer. And yet, and yet...it usually takes a crisis to pull people together, force them to act. So in a few years, single payer might be back on the table. Keep at it at the grass roots. There are state based proposals with a some serious backing in PA and CA. Financing is an issue - states have to balance budgets - but it's how Canada started, province by province.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Odel Roo
November 18, 2009 4:04 PM in reply to Tanjaoui
Never waste a good crisis huh... now that is sweet. Let em suffer until he gets what he wants. but it's for the best. I guess we gotta have a little collateral damage.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
hollywood
November 18, 2009 5:03 PM in reply to Odel Roo
We already have tons and tons of collateral damage..... sickness, death, and bankruptcies. The sad lesson of all this is that the corporations run this country like Gods. The banks tell the Feds they want all their bad debts paid off and truckloads of cash moved into their banks ..... DONE!
The drug and insurance companies tell congress that they want 40 million new customers with taxpayer subsidies .... no price controls, no strings attached ..... DONE!
Socialism for the rich, bankruptcy for the poor.
This experiment in Democracy is OVER. The filthy rich have won.
United States of America 1776-2009 R.I.P.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?