- 01/19/11 05:59 PM ET
The Senate's top Republican promised a vote in that chamber to repeal healthcare reform following a successful House vote on such legislation Wednesday evening.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he would "assure" a Senate vote on legislation to undo Democrats' healthcare reform law, despite Senate Democrats' opposition to holding such a vote.
"I want to congratulate our colleagues in the House on this important first step. I hope the Senate will soon follow suit with a vote of its own," McConnell said in a video release following the successful 245-189 vote in the House to repeal the healthcare law.
“The Democratic leadership in the Senate doesn’t want to vote on this bill," McConnell added. "But I assure you, we will."
Those assurances are a bold move by McConnell, who leads a larger Republican conference in the Senate, but still one that's in the minority. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has wide discretion in setting the Senate's calendar, and he's indicated little interest in bringing up repeal for a vote.
Reid's been locked in a battle with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) over the issue of bringing up Republicans' newly-passed bill in the Senate. Cantor's argued that if Reid is so confident that such legislation wouldn't pass the Senate, he should bring it up for a vote anyway.
Of course, that vote could be politically difficult for many of the 23 Democrats up for reelection in 2012, many from centrist or swing states where the healthcare law hasn't been received as well.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he would "assure" a Senate vote on legislation to undo Democrats' healthcare reform law, despite Senate Democrats' opposition to holding such a vote.
"I want to congratulate our colleagues in the House on this important first step. I hope the Senate will soon follow suit with a vote of its own," McConnell said in a video release following the successful 245-189 vote in the House to repeal the healthcare law.
“The Democratic leadership in the Senate doesn’t want to vote on this bill," McConnell added. "But I assure you, we will."
Those assurances are a bold move by McConnell, who leads a larger Republican conference in the Senate, but still one that's in the minority. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has wide discretion in setting the Senate's calendar, and he's indicated little interest in bringing up repeal for a vote.
Reid's been locked in a battle with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) over the issue of bringing up Republicans' newly-passed bill in the Senate. Cantor's argued that if Reid is so confident that such legislation wouldn't pass the Senate, he should bring it up for a vote anyway.
Of course, that vote could be politically difficult for many of the 23 Democrats up for reelection in 2012, many from centrist or swing states where the healthcare law hasn't been received as well.
