Coburn sees difficulty forcing changes to reconciliation bill

Republicans are unlikely to force major changes to the measure making final tweaks to healthcare legislation, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) said Monday night.

Inhofe said the GOP would have a difficult time forcing changes to the healthcare reconciliation bill the Senate is expected to take up this week, despite others in the party professing confidence.

"No," Coburn said during an appearance on CNBC when asked if the GOP would be able to stop many elements of the reconciliation bill. "We'll put a few holes in it, but basically it's going to come through here because they've done a good job crafting it."

The measure, which Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has said he hopes to finish by this weekend, makes final tweaks and changes to the healthcare bill President Barack Obama will sign into law this morning. 

Senate Republicans have said they plan to raise a series of objections and points of order against the bill, leading some to say they are "virtually certain" they could force changes that would send the reconciliation measure back to the House for another vote. 

Those efforts were dealt a blow Monday night, though, when the Senate's parliamentarian dismissed a GOP challenge that claimed the bill should have been dismissed for touching on Social Security revenues.

"We're going to have a difficult time making changes to that reconciliation bill," conceded Coburn, a senator who has been known at times for his ability to use legislative procedure to stymie Democrats.