Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has signed a letter urging Democratic leadership to pass the public option via reconciliation.
In a fund-raising email to supporters, Schumer announced that he had signed the letter, becoming the 17th senator to do so. He lauded the “tenacity” of the four senators who originally signed the letter.
“This is far from a done deal, but it’s an opportunity to break through the obstructionism Republicans have pushed for the past year,” he wrote.
The letter, written by Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), will be sent to Majority Leader Harry Reid.
The signatories so far: Sens. Bernie Sanders (VT), Al Franken (MN), Patrick Leahy (VT), John Kerry (MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (RI), Michael Bennet (CO), Sherrod Brown (OH), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Jeff Merkley (OR), Dianne Feinstein (CA), Roland Burris (IL), Barbara Boxer (CA), Jack Reed (RI), Tom Udall (NM), Barbara Mikulski (MD) and Frank Lautenberg (NJ).
(H/T Greg Sargent)
