Lincoln opposes House Reconciliation bill

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) will oppose the House reconciliation health bill when her chamber votes on it later this week. 

"The Reconciliation package devised by the House includes matter unrelated to health care and employs a legislative process that wasn't subject to the same transparency and thorough debate that we used in the Senate," she said in prepared remarks. "I cannot support this process." 

The Senate needs 51 votes to pass the reconciliation package. So Lincoln's vote is not as crucial as it was to pass the Senate health plan, which needed 60 votes.

The senator also faces a tough reelection battle and several polls have shown that voters -- outraged over the cost of health reform -- will not vote for a lawmaker who supported the reform package.