Progressive Caucus leader seeks to reinsert public option into health bill

The leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus announced Tuesday that he's seeking to reinsert the public option into health reform legislation.

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), the co-chairman of the caucus of House liberals, said he will be meeting with House and Senate members on reviving the provision, which was once thought to be dead because it was unable to pass the Senate.

“I remain committed to the public option as the centerpiece of health care reform," Grijalva said in a statement. "As we move forward in the final phase of this legislative effort, I am urging House and Senate leadership to put a public plan back on the table."

Grijalva's move comes as one outside liberal group, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, announced that 107 House Democrats had signed a letter in the past week to revive the provision if lawmakers choose to move forward with budget reconciliation rules, which would require only a simple majority vote.

"The Senate has often said it has a majority of votes in favor of this common-sense initiative, which is supported by 60 percent of the population, and now is the time to enact it," Grijalva said. "In the coming days, I will meet with both Senate and House members to press for meaningful negotiations on how best to finish this process the right way and give the American people the help they need."

The public option had been scrapped by Senate leaders out of a concern that centrist Democrats would not support a bill containing the public insurance plan, but it's unclear how many would vote to support a bill under reconciliation establishing the government-run plan.

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