Health Care Bill nearing its moment of truth

This coming week on Monday, Majority Leader Harry Reid is being highly anticipated to file cloture for the 9/11 Health Care Bill now sitting in the Senate. News comes from none other than Senator Kristen Gillibrand’s office, and surprises politicians everywhere amidst all the attention that’s being centered on implementing unemployment benefits, the ratification of the START treaty, and the repeal of the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” bill. Still, motion for cloture of the 9/11 bill still requires the support of at least one further Republican senator for it to go on full course.

The only Republican support the bill has gotten so far is that of Senator Mark Kirk’s. The bill proposes spending around US$7.4 billion to extend health care benefits to victims and their relatives who suffered from the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. Republicans are worried about the amount, saying that such a cost should be offset by cuts in the national budget. Gillibrand says of her support for the bill that heroes of 9/11 should be given straight votes, and thus calls for a halt on mudslinging politics to make way for decent debates on the bill’s proposed policies.

Meanwhile, the congressional delegation from New York continues to lobby for the 9/11 bill as Senator Chuck Schumer describes the up and coming vote for the bill on Monday its “moment of truth”. The latest lobbying barrage for the bill saw a moment of rare bipartisanship between Democrats and Republicans rallying together to render their support.