Durbin, Feinstein rally for public option

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http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/69039-durbin-feinstein-go-to-bat-for-public-option

Centrist Democrats acted appropriately in supporting a healthcare reform bill with a public option, senior Democrats Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) and Dick Durbin (Ill.) said Sunday on NBC's "Meet The Press," vowing a vigorous fight until the end of the coming debate.

On the heels of the Senate's 60-39 vote on Saturday night for the Democratic-written healthcare bill, Feinstein immediately adressed the concern among centrist Democrats that the bill's cost is too high.

"You have the vote, and I think the vote will decide," Feinstein said, referring to the nature of Saturday's procedural vote, which is far from a final vote. "To not to vote, to not to consider this question... America's in serious problems with respect to healthcare. Virtually every other developed country has a better system than we do. Ours is costly, in places it's ineffective, it's deeply troubled, and the time has come to really see that people who have no insurance can really get insurance."

Feinstein touted the phased-in nature of the bill, noting its small-business tax credits start immediately while more controversial aspects such as the public option component come online in 2014.