GOP Launches Final Health Care Attack in Senate

Posted on Mar 24, 2010

AP / Harry Hamburg

Doing a little GOP-Fu: Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, second from left, speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill on Tuesday following the weekly caucus luncheons. From left are Senate Minority Whip John Kyl of Arizona, Gregg, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

If you can’t beat ’em, hit ’em with a bunch of amendments they’d have a hard time opposing. That was apparently the strategy of Republicans hoping to throw a wrench into the health care reform works in the Senate on Wednesday.  —KA

CBS News:

Republicans on Tuesday rolled out all of the obstructionist tactics they promised as the Senate kicked off its final health care showdown, beginning 20 hours of debate on the reconciliation bill meant to amend the comprehensive legislation signed into law on Tuesday. GOP tactics to stall the measure included introducing headline-grabbing amendments to the bill (like a proposal to prohibit Viagra coverage for sex offenders), and blocking Senate business on issues unrelated to health care.

[...] Republicans unveiled their strategy of introducing amendments that would be difficult for Democrats to vote against, raising the ire of the majority party.

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