Sanders: 'Many' Dems reluctant to support bill without strong public option

There are "many" Democratic senators who would vote against a Senate health bill lacking a strong public option, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) asserted Monday.

Sanders said he would be extremely reluctant to support a final bill lacking a strong version of the government-run health program included House and Senate proposals, though other Democratic senators have threatened to fell any final bill including those very provisions.

"I believe there must be at least a strong public option," Sanders said during an interview on MSNBC, adding that he's "very, very reluctant to support any legislation which does not have that."

Sanders also suggested that he's far from alone in that opinion.

"I think I speak not just for myself, but for many members of the Democratic caucus," he said.

All 60 Democrats in the Senate voted on Saturday to begin debate on the healthcare bill unveiled earlier this month by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

But several centrist Democrats, led by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), said that they would vote against final passage of the bill if it includes the public option. The current bill maintains that provision, but allows states to opt out of the program.

Some centrist Republicans, like Sen. Olympia Snowe (Maine), have said they may support a public option that would trigger into effect if the healthcare market doesn't improve.

The Senate is expected to begin the amendment process after the Thanksgiving holiday recess, after which Democratic leaders have said they expect the party's members to "give a little," and eventually reach a compromise agreement.