Reid: Congress closer than ever to health overhaul, unsure if he has 60 votes

Page Last Updated: Thursday November 19, 2009 11:26am PST

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate Democratic leader says Congress is closer than ever to overhauling the nation's health care system.

At a Capitol Hill rally, Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday that the $848 billion, 10-year bill he unveiled hours earlier will save lives, save money and save Medicare.

The Nevada Democrat said the bill is not just a milestone in a journey of a few months or a few years. Rather, he said that it culminates an effort that began over a half century ago.

Reid evoked former President Harry S. Truman, saying the Democrat knew that the health of the American people is linked to the health of the American economy. Reid was joined by several
Democratic senators.

Reid said the crucial vote to bring the legislation to the floor will happen "sometime" Saturday. But he was uncertain he had to 60 votes required to start debate. "We'll find out when the votes are taken," he said during the Q & A with reporters at a rally with supporters.

Assuming Reid can get the bill to the floor, he will face other 60 vote thresholds, including one for final passage. Senator Joe Lieberman made it clear he will filibuster the final passage of a bill that contained any form of a public option.

Responding to a question about his thin margin for error, Reid said he's had recent conversation with Republican Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, both from Maine.

"We will reach out to our Republican colleagues. We would like to work with them," he said. "But everyone should understand, we're going to do a bill. We hope that we don't have to do it with [only] Democrats, but if we have to we will."

When asked if he threatened his centrist holdouts with using the procedural tool called reconciliation, where only 51 votes would be needed for final passage, Reid said, "I'm not using reconciliation."

-The Associated Press and NBC News provided this report.

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