Senate votes to debate health care

WASHINGTON (WISH) - The U.S. Senate voted Saturday night to begin debating a health care reform bill that would deliver sweeping change.

The bill has a price tag of 850-billion dollars and would provide coverage for 31-million Americans who now have none.

While there was some doubt about how certain Senators would vote Indiana Senators Evan Bayh and Dick Lugar established their respective positions weeks ago.

Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut announced Saturday evening, "The yeas are 60, the nays are 39."

The vote was along party lines with Democrats and Independents all voting yes to provide the required 60 votes for a debate to begin.

"All were asking today is to have a debate on it. I mean why would anyone be afraid," asked Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Senator Bayh voted yes. However, is not a commitment to vote for the bill. That decision will come later..

"To my way of thinking it's only worth supporting if it helps get the deficit down, if it helps to stabilize the coverage that people currently have and if it begins to lower the cost for ordinary families and citizens," Sen. Bayh said.

Republican leaders wanted this vote to be on the substance of the bill.

"The Democrat plan we'll vote on tonight will make life harder for the vast majority of Americans. It raises their taxes," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said.

Senator Lugar voted no. His vote is likely to remain unchanged once the debate gives way to another vote.

He told 24-Hour News 8 earlier this month that this is not the time for health care reform, "I think it (should) be postponed. I don't think it should be defeated but it should be postponed until a more timely opportunity when we have jobs again, when we have recovery."

The next time the Senate votes on health care reform it could be close to Christmas. At that stage there will be two votes; one to end the debate and then an up-or-down vote on the bill.

Sen. Bayh said he will vote to end the debate only if he is in support of the bill. But as of right now he is isn't leaning one way or the other. He issued a statement a couple of days ago saying he is encouraged by analysis of the bill but, he said, this is the beginning of a long process.

There is more at stake here for Bayh than for Lugar, in part because he's up for re-election next year but also because he backed President Obama and almost became his running mate. It would be tough for him to go against the White House but he's going to have to sell his vote back here at home, too.

Indianapolis was among four other cities where doctors and patients held rallies fighting government health care overhaul.

A group demonstrated at the War Memorial. Indiana Congressman Dan Burton joined them. People against and for the current legislation showed up.

"In my opinion, we (should) kill this bill before it even gets into debate because it's so bad that it's going to create 750-760 billion dollars in new taxes," Congressman Burton said. "It's gonna cost between one and three trillion dollars over the next ten years."

"I think that the public option as it lays out significantly increases the access to health care for all Americans. It decreases their economic and social vulnerability," said Dr. Andrew Loehrer with Doctors For America.

People also held rallies Saturday in Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles.