Durbin: Dems won't accept GOP efforts to slow health debate

Democrats won't permit Republicans to drag out the Senate debate over health reform, Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Monday.

The Senate's second-ranking Democrat said that GOP tactics in the health debate have amounted to obstructionism, which Democrats won't accept.

"Here is the bottom line: We have left the door open for over a year for Republicans to join us in this effort," Durbin said during an appearance on MSNBC. "We've had 91 different efforts to stop and slow down debate by Republicans this year."

"Us in the majority are not going to accept that approach," he added.

Durbin said he spoke with Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), the author of a memo to Republicans on parliamentary maneuvers available to the minority party in the Senate. Gregg has defended the memo as simply an advisory on how to flesh out debate, while Durbin said it outlines GOP tactics to slow-walk the debate.

The Senate is beginning its second full week of debate and amendments on its healthcare bill after working this past weekend on health reform, as well. Democrats have hoped that they might finish the bill by the Christmas holiday recess, allowing them time to work toward finishing final legislation by mid-January.

One of the hang-ups remaining involves the public insurance plan being tweaked to win over holdover centrist Democrats.

Durbin said that his party would need to rally around some version of the public option, and against Republicans and corporate interests that might oppose it.

"We want to make sure consumers have a choice -- an option -- to choose a not for profit option," he said. "We really need to bring our caucus together, and any Republicans who want to join us."

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