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Sen. Brown: Public option should stay in health care reform bill
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio is seen in this Oct. 31, 2006 photo.
Purchase this photoWASHINGTON — A Democratic senator says a group of moderates in his party shouldn’t be allowed to dictate the terms of the health care debate and that the final bill should include a government-run option for Americans lacking insurance.
The sway held by such a small group of senators has annoyed their more liberal colleagues, who could vote against a final bill if it becomes too watered down.
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said he didn’t think rank-and-file Democrats would feel compelled to go that far. At the same time, Brown warned Democratic leaders not to make too many concessions.
“I don’t want four Democratic senators dictating to the other 56 of us and to the rest of the country — when the public option has this much support — that (a public option is) not going to be in it,” said Brown.
That view suggests the difficulty facing Democratic leaders in coming weeks as they try to rally support for legislation that would extend health care coverage to roughly 31 million people who lack it.
The Senate agreed on Saturday to begin debate. Three moderate Democrats and Connecticut independent Joe Lieberman have threatened to vote against the final bill and leave Democrats shy of the 60 votes needed to break a Republican filibuster.
Brown appeared Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
