Harkin: No GOP input on merged bill

[Ruby the Liberal]

Yes, its Politico quoting the DesMoines Register, so take that for what its worth.

HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin said in a conference call today that Republicans will not have a seat at the table when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid merges the HELP and Finance bills into a single piece of legislation. Harkin's comment carries weight because, as chairman, Harkin will presumably be at the center of the negotiations to merge the bills.

“No, this will be a proposal by the Democrats to bring a bill on the floor. And that’s what I have said before, that the people of this country — I keep saying — the people of this country pretty overwhelmingly elected Barack Obama last fall and to make changes,” he said. “The people of this country overwhelmingly elected Democrats to the House and Senate,” Harkin said, according to The Des Moines Register.

Harkin, a huge public option booster, also predicted the bill would have a public option.

“We will have a bill on the president’s desk before Christmas, a health-reform bill. It will have a lot of good stuff in it. It will have a lot of prevention and wellness programs in there that I’ve been fighting for,” Harkin told reporters in a morning conference call. “And it will have a public option.”

“The question of if it doesn’t isn’t even an option,” he added.

http://www.politico.com/livepulse/1009/Harkin_No_GOP_input_in_merged_bill.html?showall

http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2009/10/01/harkin-sees-no-gop-at-senate-bill-table/

[Mass]

1. Did Baucus agree? Or will Reid support Baucus?\nt

[benld74]

2. GOP WANTS DEMS to pass this bill, WITH everything added,

this will give them something to complain about in the future.

[Arkana]

3. Why is Harkin so sure of this?

Thank God for him, though.

I envy you, Iowa--you're lucky to have him.

[Itchinjim]

9. To bad we're stuck with Grassley too.

Tom does his best to cancel out Chuckles.

[napi21]

4. Good for Harkin! The Pubs had their chance to gum up the works

and they took full advantage of it. Now they will realize THEY are the minority!

[T Wolf]

5. Good news, relatively speaking. The sad thing is that we are now hoping and praying (for those who

do) for a public option that is light-years short of what should have been done.

Maybe our grandchildren (if there are any) will live in a civilized nation that cares for its people. I know our children will not.

[AndyA]

6. It's about time someone realized the Republicans should be excluded if they aren't going to

contribute anything to the process. They just want to lie, delay, accuse, and deflect attention to things that don't really matter.

Yes, America spoke in 2006 and 2008. And it's time more Democrats in Congress remembered that.

[BlueIdaho]

7. Delete...

[Omnibus]

8. If they refuse to come to the table, why feed them?

They've made it clear that they will not vote for any reasonable compromise, so why give them any power at all over the content of the bill?

[emulatorloo]

10. Thank you, Senator Harkin! n/t