Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-IA) “said Monday he remains hopeful a limited health care reform measure can be negotiated but a small group working on the issue agrees a government-run public option won’t be part of a package,” the AP reports.
Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, is among a bipartisan group of six lawmakers who are negotiating a compromise to overhaul the nation’s health care system.
“I’m still hopeful, but I’m hopeful based on I think you’re talking about something a little less sweeping than what we talked about before,” Grassley said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “I say that with some comfort because we hear other senators at the table say it.”
The six key Senators “have scheduled a conference call Friday to discuss health care, but Grassley said nothing can be resolved until next week when Congress returns and the affect of town hall meetings can be assessed.”
Grassley thinks a public health option is off the table.
“It’s pretty clear that’s something not on the table,” said Grassley. “It’s fair to say that not every one of the six is opposed to it, but they realize the reality of it.”
Despite some reports that the bipartisan group is essentially dead, Grassley expects talks to continue after this week’s meeting.
“We’re still together as of at least last Thursday,” said Grassley. “I don’t have any reason to believe we won’t be together after the Friday conference.”
Congress in Your Pocket
