Reid, McConnell trade barbs early in session

The Senate convened at 9:45 a.m. Saturday for a rare weekend session that will be capped with a historic evening vote on a $849 billion healthcare bill — beginning immediately with a sharp clash by the chamber’s top Democrat and Republican.

Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) opened the session by mentioning the day’s schedule that will end with the 8 p.m. vote. The day will consist of senators from both parties giving floor speeches, with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) giving a final GOP speech at 7:30 p.m. and Reid following at 7:45 p.m.

The Saturday night vote is only an initial procedural vote needed to bring the bill to the floor, but it is considered a critical first test of the 60-member Democratic conference’s ability to unify. Sixty votes will be necessary for final Senate passage, which is expected shortly before Christmas. Following House-Senate conference talks, final congressional approval would not be possible until January.

McConnell, in his opening statement, blasted the 2,074-page bill, and repeated his warning that Republicans would target any Democrat who supports the procedural vote.

“Senators who support this bill have a lot of explaining to do,” he said. “Americans know that a vote to proceed, to get on this bill, is a vote for higher premiums, higher taxes, and massive cuts to Medicare. That's a pretty hard thing to justify supporting.”

Reid fired back instantly and sharply, accusing McConnell of supporting runaway spending on the U.S. war in Iraq for years. He also called the Kentuckian’s claims “Orwellian,” and charged Republicans with trying to block debate at the risk of Americans’ health and the U.S. economy.

“The Republican leader is living in a different world than most everyone else,” Reid said. “For him to lecture the Senate on debt is really beyond the pale… To lecture us now on debt when not only the war but the other actions of the Bush administration drove this country into deep debt.

“He said ‘Anyone who votes for this will have a lot of explaining to do, if they vote to allow a debate to continue’?" Reid said of McConnell. “Shouldn’t we debate healthcare reform in America today? Someone not voting to allow the debate to continue is going to have a lot of explaining to do.”

Democratic leaders are expressing cautious optimism that they have stitched together the necessary 60 votes, after wavering members such as Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) have said in recent days they would support the initial procedural vote.

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