Storms in Midwest could move chamber to earlier vote on healthcare

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is urging Republicans to allow the chamber to pass healthcare reform on Wednesday, citing approaching ice storms in the Midwest as the latest reason.

"We hope to be able to complete it tomorrow, certainly with ice storms coming to the Midwest we hope that we can finish tomorrow and not have to be here Christmas Eve," Reid said at a news conference.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) indicated his side may be open to a time agreement that allows the Senate vote earlier on Christmas Eve, but he needs every GOP senator to agree.

Democrats have the 60 votes they need to move the bill, making passage a foregone conclusion. That, along with the inclement weather and the holiday, could prompt Republicans to allow the chamber to move up the final vote, which otherwise would be held Thursday evening.

Reid and McConnell have been in discussions about a time agreement on healthcare and also to allow a vote to temporarily raise the federal debt ceiling. But so far they have not come to terms.

"Hopefully the two of us together can be recommending something that makes sense for both sides in the not-too-distant future," McConnell said during an exchange with Reid on the Senate floor Tuesday morning.

Even if McConnell were persuaded by Reid's weather-based argument, there's no guarantee he could bring aboard his fellow Senate Republicans, particularly Sens. Tom Coburn (Okla.) and Jim DeMint (S.C.), who have shown no signs of interest in wrapping up action on the healthcare bill any sooner than they have to.

"I think there was a movement afoot to achieve but as you all know, one or two people can make that impossible," Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) told reporters. "The Republican leader has his hands full."

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