Reid pledges transparency on health bill: blasts lack of Republican alternative

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http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/65923-reid-fires-back-at-gop-over-transparency-alternatives

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) pledged an open debate on the healthcare reform bill and blasted Republicans for not presenting an alternative plan.

In a letter to all 40 Senate Republicans, Reid noted that the two Democratic-written healthcare bills so far passed by Senate committees have been available online for weeks, and that “the Republican leadership’s health care plan remains a secret, unless perhaps it does not exist.”

“I fully understand if your plan is still under development, and would not presume to suggest that you publicly share draft legislative text for even an individual element of your plan, let alone an entire bill, before it is finalized,” Reid wrote.

“However, as soon as a comprehensive Republican alternative is complete, I hope you will be willing to immediately make it public. I am sure you agree that the American people deserve the opportunity to fully review both parties’ health reform plans before we begin this important debate.”

(snip)
Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) seized on McConnell’s remarks Monday to repeat Reid’s point that Republicans have offered no alternatives on healthcare reform.

“We have heard the Republican leader speak as he has every day against health reform. He has opposed it from the start,” Durbin said of McConnell. “He is consistent. He also doesn’t propose any alternative — consistent … There is no Republican healthcare bill that anyone has seen or heard of.”

[tblue]

1. Yeah. How long does it take to publish "Don't get sick"??

Good for Reid. He's starting to show a little leadership. Wow.