Reid doesn't commit to healthcare this year

Majority Leader Harry Reid wouldn't commit today to passing healthcare reform this year.

Asked by a reporter whether healthcare would pass before 2010, Reid hedged.

"First of all, we're not going to be bound by any time lines," Reid said. "We need to do the best job we can for the American people. We want quality legislation, and we're going to do that."

Democrats had originally hoped to pass healthcare before the August recess. Since that deadline passed, other mentioned Thanksgiving as a possible benchmark.

President Obama has previously said that passing healthcare this year would be a crucial test.

"If we don't get it done this year, we're not going to get it done," Obama said in May.