Senator Byrd rebuts GOP claims that he opposes reconciliation to pass health care bill sidecar

[ProSense]

Byrd Pushes Back Against Repeated GOP Claims That He Opposes Sidecar Reconciliation Strategy

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But as it turns out, Byrd doesn’t oppose using the reconciliation process to pass a small package of fixes to the Senate health care bill. In a letter to the editor published in Thursday’s Charleston Daily Mail, Byrd writes that it’s appropriate to use reconciliation on a package that reduces the deficit.

“I believed then, as now, that the Senate should debate the health reform bill under regular rules, which it did,” Byrd wrote. “The entire Senate- or House- passed health care bill could not and would not pass muster under the current reconciliation rules, which were established under my watch.” “Yet a bill structured to reduce deficits by, for example, finding savings in Medicare or lowering health care costs, may be consistent with the Budget Act, and appropriately considered under reconciliation.”

So now that “the longest-serving member of the Senate” has endorsed the Democrats’ strategy, will Republicans abandon their campaign against majority rule? It’s unlikely.

[babylonsister]

1. Poor rethugs can't catch a break!

:D

[Lasher]

2. This makes a big difference.

I would say it changes the climate in the Senate in our favor. Significantly so.

[Enrique]

3. GOP response: who cares what Byrd thinks! n/t

[ProSense]

4. The funny thing is that

no one cares about the GOP response. Byrd supports reconciliation. Cool!

[David Zephyr]

5. Happy to give this a K&R.

Good for Byrd.