Whatever the real story out of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's office is on the public option, the Senate Finance Committee still has to vote on it, probably tomorrow (unless Baucus finds another way to delay). To recap, Senators Rockefeller and Schumer are presenting three public option amendments. The first is from Rockefeller, and it fairly closely follows the public option House version, which is stronger than the Senate HELP version. The other two are from Schumer, one that would add the same language as is in the HELP bill, and one that would create a "level playing field" option, the weakest of the three amendments.
Getting any of the three of these amendments out of the Finance Committee, but particularly either Rockefeller's or Schumer's first, is an uphill climb. But getting as much Dem support for any of them in this committee as possible is important. It will reinforce the message and the reality that the majority of Democrats--you know, the actual party that is in the majority in the Senate--support the public option, and that it needs to be in the bill the Senate sends to conference.
As I wrote on Friday, based on informed reporting from Jane, there are five Dem members to target specifically:
- Max Baucus -- has said he supports a public plan, despite the fact that his bill doesn't contain one.
Bill Nelson -- acknowledges that a public option would address lack of competition in the health care industry, but said he was against it, then he was "open" to it, and most recently says it must be subject to triggers. Bill Nelson -- says emerging public option is "attractive."
- Kent Conrad -- Has always said that "there aren't enough votes for a public option," but wouldn't say if he was one of them. Told Ezra Klein today he would only be open to one that wasn't tied to Medicare rates -- which Schumer's "level playing field" isn't.
- Blanche Lincoln -- said in July that a public insurance option should be included in any health care bill, but since then has changed her position like some people change their hair color.
- Tom Carper -- thinks the job of the Senate Finance Committee is to honor back room deals with PhRMA. Won't say how he feels about a public option.
There are 13 Democrats and 10 Republicans on the committee, which means they can only lose two Democratic votes and still pass the amendment. So, in order for a public plan to come out of Finance, three of these are going to have to get off the fence.
And remember this, from Friday's post, too:
Contacting these, and all of the Dem members of the committee would be worth our while. It would help to remind them of a few factors:
Contact info for all Dem Senators on Finance is below the fold. The focus should be on Baucus, Nelson, Conrad, Lincoln, and Carper. But if you live in any of the states represented by the Senators below, calls to them certainly won't hurt, as well as "thank you" calls to Rockefeller and Schumer.
Max Baucus MT (Committee Chair)
e-mail
Phone: (202) 224-2651
Fax: (202) 224-9412
John Rockefeller WV
e-mail
Phone (202) 224-6472
Fax (202) 224-7665
Kent Conrad ND
e-mail
Phone: (202) 224-2043
Fax: (202) 224-7776
Jeff Bingman NM
e-mail
Phone: (202) 224-5521
TDD (202) 224-1792
Toll Free (in NM) 1800-433-8658
John Kerry MA
e-mail
Phone (202) 224-2742
Fax (202) 224-8525
Blanche Lincoln AR
e-mail
Phone: (202) 224-4843
Fax: (202) 228-1371
Ron Wyden OR
e-mail
Phone: (202) 224-5244
Fax: (202) 228-2717
Charles Shumer NY
e-mail
Phone:(202)224-6542
Fax: (202) 228-3027
TDD: (202) 224-0420
Debbie Stabenow MI
e-mail
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4822
TTY: (202) 224-2066
Maria Cantwell WA
e-mail
Phone: 202-224-3441
Fax: (202) 228-0514
TTD: (202) 224-8273
Bill Nelson FL
e-mail
Phone: (202) 224-5274
Fax: (202) 228-2183
Robert Mendez NJ
e-mail
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4744
Fax: (202) 228-2197 fax
Thomas Carper DE
e-mail
Phone: (202) 224-2441
Fax: (202) 228-2190