Rockefeller Announces He Will Not Support Baucus’ Health Care Bill
Rockefeller Announces He Will Not Support Baucus’ Health Care Bill
This afternoon, on a conference call with reporters, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, announced that he would not support Chairman Max Baucus’ (D-MT) health care framework in its current form:
The way it is right now, now we have an amendment process coming up next week. I’ll have many, many, many amendments and we will see what happens on that. But now, there is no way that I can vote for the Senate package. For a lot of reasons. Obviously the lack of a public option is one of them. So that I want to be very clear about.
Listen:
Other Democrats have also expressed concerns about the bill’s affordability standards and financing mechanisms. “The flashpoint is all about affordability,” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) told reporters. “Additional steps have to be taken to make health care more affordable.” Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) “also said he has concerns with the fees Baucus’ proposal would impose on some sectors of the healthcare industry. He did not specify which industries — pharmaceutical, medical device, health insurance or clinical labs — he was most concerned with.”
Meanwhile, the three Republicans participating in the so-called Gang-Of-Six negotiations are also unlikely to support the measure. Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Mike Enzi (D-WY) have indicated that they favored smaller bill that does not impose fees on health insurance companies, establishes a five-year waiting period for legal immigrants to obtain coverage, and strictly prohibits “the use of federal money to pay for abortion.” Meanwhile, Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) signaled Tuesday “she is unlikely to immediately support” Baucus’ bill, “but emphasized strongly that she is prepared to jump on board in the coming days.” “I’ll issue my statement tomorrow. But that’s not the end of the process, tomorrow. It’s just the beginning. So, I wouldn’t read too much into it,” Snowe told reporters.
On Sunday, during an appearance on ABC’s This Week, Rockefeller criticized the bill’s “network of cooperatives,” telling host George Stephanopoulos that the provision is not an alternative to the public option. A cooperative “really doesn’t work on health care,” Rockefeller explained. “There are fewer than 20 in the country and there are only two that really work. … So it hasn’t had a future, it goes back to the 30s and 40s, and I don’t think you can take the chance. You have to start a national thing all the way up,” he said.
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This Baucus thing needs some fixing. And we need to ditch the DINO.
September 15th, 2009 at 4:47 pmMax Baucus’ (D-MT) health care framework in its current form is a huge deal for the Insurance Companies, not for Americas Citizens.
Max, bought and sold to the highest bidder.
September 15th, 2009 at 4:48 pmRich Democrats are generous.
RePugniScums are always hateful.
September 15th, 2009 at 4:49 pmI can’t believe Fox Baucus is in charge of forming the health insurance reform bill. Baucus is not going to do what’s right by the people. He’s no better than the Republicans who are going to vote NO.
September 15th, 2009 at 4:53 pmIf I read one more thing about “affordabiity” I’m going to run headfirst into the wall.
Being healthy is a moral issue, not just for americans but for the people of the world.
We have money for wars, money for enron, money for blackwater, money for xe, money for wallstreet, money to line bush and cheneys pockets for generations to come.
But not enough money for healtchare. What a totally bogus, false claim.
September 15th, 2009 at 4:54 pmAs I see it right now, the Senate Fianace Bill being reported out is going to be DOA. I think Baucus really shot himself in the foot with this one. He’s going to find that all the PAC money in the world isn’t going to help him with his constiuents if he doesn’t do the right thing.
September 15th, 2009 at 4:54 pmBravo Senator Rockefeller thank you for standing up for the American people!
September 15th, 2009 at 4:55 pmI think the tide might be starting to turn. It looks like the Progessive Wing in the Senate is finally beginning to stand up and make itself heard. If Speaker Pelosi follows through on her promise about the Public Option, then there is a chance it will be included in the final bill. And the way to get that passed is through the reconciliation process. Only way it’ll happen.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:05 pmOlympia Snowe should go screw herself.
She isn’t going to vote for the final bill. That will pass without ONE Republithugs vote and I’m happier and happier about that.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:05 pmBaucus is a cheap whore, tricking for his tips from the health insurance cabal.
Hopefully, the decent Dems will steer this thing through, complete with the Public Option.
Otherwise, everyone is totally screwed, except that we aren’t getting paid for it.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:06 pmWhat’s that? A spine growing on a Democrat…. I don’t believe it. We’ll have to wait and see how he votes on a bill.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:07 pmThe dems, for whatever reason(s), have Baucus running the legislative process in a key senate committee. This says it all. NO way anything good comes out of his breadmaker.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:10 pmAccept all of Rockefeller’s amendments and make the bill good at last. Baucus had better play along or he won’t last long. Montana democrats are all haranguing him to support real reform and they won’t be happy one bit if he stands in the way. Go ROCKY!!!!!
September 15th, 2009 at 5:15 pmIrdn says:
September 15th, 2009 at 5:17 pmI was wondering why Baucus is the Committee Chair for tjis in the Senate. I thought that the Chairmanship(s) were rewarded based on seniority. If thats the case then I would think that Jay Rockefeller would have been the Chair for that committee.
thank you, senator rockefeller…
please keep being assertive!
September 15th, 2009 at 5:34 pmFederal money should not be used to kill people.
Well, then by GOD, get us out of Iraq and Afghanistan now.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:50 pmThis is what I want to hear more of – Dems drawing lines in the sand regarding not voting for a bill because it’s too weak, instead of too strong. Let’s have some of that kowtowing to progressives for a change!
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kindness says:
Olympia Snowe should go screw herself.
She isn’t going to vote for the final bill. That will pass without ONE Republithugs vote and I’m happier and happier about that.
She doesn’t have to vote for it, as long as she doesn’t vote to uphold a filibuster.
September 15th, 2009 at 6:07 pmThe problem is, Baucus and his Gang of Sex have only one proposal. There are other committees that will bring things up and Baucus will have to run to his money to cover his pathetic butt.
September 15th, 2009 at 6:22 pmThank you Senators Jay Rockefeller and Bernie Sanders – these are TWO MEN with character and standards. The remainder of congress sucks. To think that 65 reps pledged they would ONLY support a bill with the PO and yet, today we find that even though they took this pledge and contributions thanking them, they have had a ‘change of heart’. For any of those worthless azzholes who made a pledge and now act as though they forgot it, need to be primaried and absolutely made to return the funds they received. I won’t give another dime to any Dem until I see them working FOR us [NOT AGAINST US] – their constitutents – because corporations [regardless of type] sure as hell don’t give them their CUSHY jobs and yet their hearts belong to the corps. Go figure?? I am sick to death of
September 15th, 2009 at 6:28 pmOkay, Dems, NOW do you get it? You let Max bend himself into a pretzel to get a Republican vote and now you’ve got bupkus. NO ONE is going to vote for this bastard child of a plan.
So tell the Grassley and Enzi and Mme Snowe to get with it or get out of the way. Tell the rest of the R’s that ‘elections have consequences.’ Then vote a decent bill on reconciliation and move on the stopping the banks from robbing us all blind.
September 15th, 2009 at 6:56 pmGood on Jay Rockefeller. Maybe he and some calmer heads will prevail; that has been known to happen.
Every time this pinata makes another swing, I’m further convinced that a public option isn’t just a good idea, it’s vital, it’s necessary. We either have a public option, or we have to dismantle the health care insurance industry and start over again with health care insurors being limited to non-profits, co-ops, and (perhaps) mutuals. That may be the only way to get quality assurance and margin control into the industry.
September 15th, 2009 at 7:18 pmBack to the smoke-filled room
September 15th, 2009 at 7:24 pm“there is no way that I can vote for the Senate package. Obviously the lack of a public option is one of them. So that I want to be very clear about.”
September 15th, 2009 at 7:32 pmI have been critical of Senator Rockefeller in the past and although walking the walk is the final test of the integrity of this statement , I applaud it .
A strong public option is vital to health care reform ! Let the progressive caucus know you support and applaude their efforts !
September 15th, 2009 at 7:36 pmhttp://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/
Someone please help me, I am under the impression that since Roe v. Wade, abortion is a legal procedure and in a lot of cases a medical necessity. So why should some Rethug anti-abortion political hack say what procedures should be covered in the bill? Is this guy proposing a death panel should the mother’s life be in danger?
September 15th, 2009 at 7:38 pmNorthernLite says:
Because there is an old federal law saying federal money cannot be spent on or for promoting abortion. I think if a doctor said it was medically necessary that would be different. I obviously disagree with this law but that is another story
September 15th, 2009 at 7:41 pmNorthernLite says:
Is this guy proposing a death panel should the mother’s life be in danger?
Yes.
The GOP is trying to murder pregnant women.
September 15th, 2009 at 7:48 pmkwsventures,
If this is not your company, listed below, then I have a feeling they would like for you to stop using their company name.
Care to comment and tell the truth for a change?
September 15th, 2009 at 8:28 pmBaucus is obsessed with allaying Republican “fears”, yet he shows a total lack of regard about addressing the major concern of many Democrats, i.e., the need for a viable public option. And when the dust settles, the Republicans will still do everything in their power to kill ANY reform proposal.
Bend over Baucus — the GOP has something for you…
September 15th, 2009 at 10:29 pmMax has had to hire a make-up person to help him out in finding his best side for the camera.He should hire an explorer to help him re-find his moral compass. This process of his bill has been for show with him as the star.He should be ashamed.Just think,he is one of the Democrats Senate leaders.Any wonder the policy that is being discussed by the public is showing little sense of focus or direction.
September 15th, 2009 at 11:00 pmMadasHelinVA says:
Thank you Senators Jay Rockefeller and Bernie Sanders – these are TWO MEN with character and standards. The remainder of congress sucks.
There are currently only two elected officials I trust on health reform issues: Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Representative Weiner (D-NY). Both have been consistently behind progressives on this issue and have, from what I’ve witnessed, remained consistent regardless of which way the wind is blowing. Win or lose, kudos to both.
September 16th, 2009 at 11:45 amThank you for your sharing.!
September 19th, 2009 at 4:49 am