WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The House passed its version of health-care reform two weeks ago, and now it's the Senate's turn. Saturday evening will mark a crucial vote on whether the Senate's 10-year, $848 billion plan will be able to move forward.
Senator David Vitter wants to kill the proposal in the name of introducing several smaller healthcare bills, while Senator Mary Landrieu remained silent Friday on her stance.
Care and compassion for have no limits for grandmother Belinda Mason, which is why she's hoping for serious health-care reform.
"They tried it eight years ago," she said. "And this time I really think that we're going to get it."
Democrats in Washington celebrated the release Thursday of what they see as the answer. But before the more 2,074 page bill can move forward, lawmakers need to lock in at least 60 votes on the Senate floor this Saturday.
"Assuming it goes through tomorrow, healthcare becomes the current topic of debate in the senate and then debate can last for days weeks, even months," said Brian Brox, a political science professor at Tulane University.
Vitter hopes to stop the debate before it even starts.
"I'm very concerned that this is going to push millions of people off of the coverage they have now," said Vitter.
The senator's public words came after a private roundtable discussion with doctors, hospital administrators and small business leaders handpicked by his office --all adamantly against the proposed plan.
"If a bill like this is passed, you're going to see a lot of people going out of business laying people off," said Michael Mitternight, a small business owner in Jefferson Parish. "It's going to be an economy killer."
Landrieu was noticeably silent on Friday. Her press assistant said she's still reviewing the bill and is so far undecided.
"She's allowing her indecision to be used as a bargaining chip," said Brox. "She's using it with the democratic leadership to get other concessions in this bill and other issues in order basically to get her to buy her vote."
Which could translate to amendments relating to hurricane recovery and coastal restoration, added Brox.
In a Thursday radio interview with WGSO, Landrieu hinted she would at least vote to have the bill move onto debate, but said the creation of a government run public option stands in the way of her ultimate approval, even with the provision allowing states to opt out.
"It is a version of a public option," Landrieu said during the interview. "Which is one of my real concerns because I don't support that as it is written, and I'm negotiating very hard to get that provision removed. And if successful we'll be able to support the bill and if not, we will not."
A wide-eyed Mason said she's hoping it will go through. She said her two young grandchildren happen to be her smallest reasons why, as well as the biggest.
"One day they won't have to look back and see that people were not covered [by insurance]."
If the 60 votes are there Saturday night to allow the bill to move forward, Vitter vows to introduce an amendment which would require all members of Congress to be part of the government run public option, no exceptions. Brox said it's not likely to pass with a Democratic majority.
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