Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, says he is against a procedural move congressional leaders are eyeing to muscle a health care reform bill through the Senate.
Some Democratic leaders are talking about using a procedure called reconciliation to pass the health care bill with a simple majority. Reconciliation would allow Senate Democrats to overcome Republican delaying tactics. Democrats now control 59 Senate seats, one vote short of the number needed to end Republican filibusters.
"That is not the way you run Washington," Shuler said in an interview with the Times-News Wednesday. "It has to be done in a bipartisan way."
Shuler said he would vote against a reconciliation bill and does not believe there are enough votes in the House for it to pass anyway. He voted against the first House version of the health care bill Nov. 7, and it was defeated 220-215.
"We could do something with health care," Shuler said. "But the process that has been going on in the House and Senate is not right. We have to do what is right for the American people."
SOURCE: Hendersonville Times-News
