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October 26, 2009

Schumer: Dems Close to 60 Votes to Pass Public Option
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In healthcare news, Sen. Charles Schumer of New York said Senate
Democrats are close to garnering enough votes to pass a healthcare bill
that includes a government-run health insurance option. Sen. Charles
Schumer appeared on Meet the Press on Sunday.

Sen. Charles Schumer: “I think we’re very close to getting the sixty
votes we need to move forward, and my guess is that the public option
level playing field with the state opt-out will be in the bill. But
Leader Reid will make that decision after he talks to everybody several
times.”

Senator Schumer’s comments came a day after the Huffington Post reported
President Obama is actively discouraging Senate Democrats in their
effort to include a public insurance option with a state opt-out clause
as part of healthcare reform. In its place, Obama has indicated a
preference for an alternative policy, favored by the insurance industry,
which would see a public plan “triggered” into effect in the future by a
failure of the industry to meet certain benchmarks.



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