Senate Majority Leader Expects Health Care Bill to Be Finished by Christmas

It was announced earlier today by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada that he expects the health care reform legislation to be finalized before Christmas and he made the first official step towards Senate debate by placing the House bill on the Senate calendar for next week, according to the New York Times. Harry Reid, who is currently working on the Senate version of the bill, intends to adhere to the president's specified $900 billion, ten-year budget for the cost of the bill.

Contrary to the Senate majority leader's opinion, other prominent Democratic leaders are speculating that the completion of the health care reform bill will not be completed before the end of 2010. The legislation was revised late into last Friday night by House Democrats who took measures to attempt to appeal to undecided voters and President Obama has requested that it be revised once again as a result of the controversial inclusion of abortion in the bill.

Earlier today, at a weekly luncheon, former U.S. President Bill Clinton addressed Democratic senators by urging them to act quickly when it comes to health care reform. He reportedly placed a great deal of emphasis during his speech on addressing wavering Democratic senators who are undecided about whether or not to support the health care legislation.