Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid did not present his caucus with a CBO analysis of his health care bill at a weekly lunch meeting this afternoon. And though that report may still come in later this afternoon, according to his spokesman, Jim Manley, Reid is unlikely to unveil his bill until tomorrow at the earliest.
“He didn’t go into any of the numbers…nothing yet. He said he would have that information for us soon, soon meaning not giving us a particular time to come here and announce it. He’ll announce it.” said Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) as he emerged from the meeting.
Once the numbers are in and the bill has distributed to Democrats, Reid will likely old one or two more meetings with the caucus, to answer any questions, and allay any concerns, before holding the first procedural vote–on the motion to proceed to debate–later this week, or possibly this weekend. “We’re going to hold it as soon as we can,” Reid told reporters today.
Asked whether he has the necessary 60 votes, Reid said “I feel cautiously optimistic that we can do it,” Reid said. “Together as a caucus, we’re going to come up with a bill that we feel comfortable with.”
