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Reid: It depends on what the meaning of "bill" is
By: Susan Ferrechio
Chief Congressional Correspondent
11/02/09 5:16 PM EST
Last week, the entire Senate Republican conference sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., asking to see the health care bill he submitted to the Congressional Budget Office for analysis.
Reid responded Monday, sending a letter back that explained his proposal was actually more than one plan, and that a final bill would not be written until the CBO gives him a cost estimate for the multiple options he sent them.
In other word, Reid said, "there is no bill to release publicly. It does not exist."
Reid promised to make the bill available to the Republicans and the public "prior to its consideration" and said there would be ample time for everyone to scrutinize it.
He also told Republicans they would be able to amend the bill once it reaches the floor.
Reid noted that the GOP health care plan "remains a secret, unless perhaps it does not exist" and he urged his Republican colleagues to make it available as soon as possible.
Neither the House nor Senate GOP has drafted a health care bill but have put forward reform ideas.
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