Senate Democrats are hinting that it’s unlikely that the upper house will vote on health care reform before the end of the year:
Despite President Obama’s goal of signing healthcare reform legislation this year — one backed by assurances from congressional Democrats — Senate Democratic leaders Tuesday subtly acknowledged that’s not likely to happen as they started the delicate dance of walking back expectations.
Putting the legislation together has proved exceedingly difficult, and most aides now say there is virtually no way a bill can get to Obama’s desk this year.
When asked directly if he could finish legislation this year, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday, “We’re not going to be bound by any timelines. We need to do the best job we can for the American people. We want quality legislation, and we’re going to do that.”
Previously, the Nevada Democrat had said a bill could be finished by various other deadlines, with Thanksgiving being the most recent one. But Reid started to qualify his answer after an August recess deadline came and went, saying that he didn’t want to be bound by “arbitrary timelines.”
So, file this one under “Eventually, maybe tomorrow, or whenever we get around to it.”
