Clyburn: House Dems might support state 'opt-out' public option

House Democrats are likely to support a version of the public option that includes an "opt out" clause for states, Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) suggested Monday.

While Senate Democrats negotiate a bill that reportedly includes such a provision, Clyburn also urged House Democrats to forge ahead with some iteration of the public option even if congressional Republicans steadfastly oppose it.

"[T]he Senate seemed to be saying they would like to have an opt-out provision added to that for states to use. I do believe that most people on our side of the building will not oppose to states opting out," Clyburn told CNN.

"The only question is trying to get something for them to opt out of," he added. "And that's what the problem is right now, getting an appropriate vessel for them to opt out of."

Clyburn's show of faith arrives merely hours before Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is expected to unveil a healthcare bill that reportedly includes an opt-out-based public option. That proposal, which Reid also submitted for a cost analysis on Monday, ends weeks of negotiations between Senate leaders over how to combine the chamber's two predominant healthcare reform efforts, one of which was without a government plan.

Congressional Republicans are still likely to oppose the inclusion of a public option, even if the Senate bill does permit states the ability to nix it. But Clyburn on Monday signaled his party would forge ahead with it, despite GOP objections. He predicted he would not score "a single Republican [vote] for whatever we do on the House side," and he urged his Senate colleagues to use reconciliation to steamroll any possible Republican filibuster in their chamber.

"And if you cannot get Republicans to put aside their partisanship and let us move to a vote on a very crucial issue such as this one, then I think that we ought to go without them," he said, adding he believed Democrats already had at least 52 or 53 Senate votes in favor of the public option — enough to pass the provision should Senate leaders use reconciliation.