According to an article in The Hill today, Harry Reid has warned the Republicans that he will use the budget reconcilliation process to pass healthcare reform if the legislation is stalled in committee. Senator Reid has also threatened to cancel the Columbus Day week-long recess if he is not satisfied with the progress of healthcare reform.
The Senate is willing to do almost anything in order to pass healthcare. The Democrat leadership has put pressure on the Governor of Massachusetts to get a law passed in the state to allow him to appoint a Senator to fill Ted Kennedy's seat until the special election in January. The health of Robert Byrd has also become an issue in recent days. Even the most liberal Republicans have not been willing to vote for the proposals currently being debated. To pass healthcare by the budget reconcilliation process would be political suicide for many of the Democrat Congressmen. It will be interesting to see if the Democrats are willing to commit political suicide in order to pass healthcare.
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