Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, told The Progressive Populist Thursday that there will be 60 votes to bring a health care reform package to the floor for Senate debate this fall. Harkin, the new chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said in an interview that there will be the necessary 51 votes to pass the full bill with a public option included.
So what about all the hubub about the Blue Dogs and/or Progressives opting out if the bill doesn’t meet their liking? Harkin said don’t put too much stock in those statements.
“Look, around here people are always jockeying for power. That’s all this is,” Harkin said.
Harkin was named chairman of the HELP committee to fill the vacancy left with the recent death of Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., passed on assuming the HELP chairmanship so he could hang onto his Banking Committee gavel. Harkin will relinquish his Ag Committee gavel to Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark. Harkin remains a member of the Ag Committee.
Still, it's a good time to find out which senators are supporting a public option and, if they're still on the fence, urge them to get on board.