Sen. Richard Durbin has accused Republicans in the Senate of stalling on consideration of H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act bill.
“The Republicans in the Senate want to drag this out,” Durbin, D-Ill., said this afternoon, as the Senate began another round of floor debate on the PPACA bill.
Up till now, Durbin said, Republicans have refused to let a proposed women’s preventive health benefits amendment or a Medicare amendment that might be offered by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., come up for a vote.
The Senate also is considering a motion by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to send the bill back to the Senate Finance Committee for a rewrite.
“The Republican senators have objected to voting even on the McCain amendment,” Durbin said.
Republicans are hoping they can use Democrats’ desire to go home for Christmas to keep H.R. 3590 from coming up for a vote, but “we’re determined to bring this bill to a vote,” Durbin said.