By J. Taylor Rushing
The Hill
12/4/2009
Two of the Senate’s most ardent opponents of a public health program, Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and David Vitter (R-La.), are preparing an amendment to force members of Congress into any plan that is passed.
As the Senate formally takes up the healthcare reform bill this month, Coburn and Vitter are drafting legislation that mimics a resolution Vitter unsuccessfully offered in August that would have required lawmakers to join any public option plan.
The current amendment would go further — not only barring members of Congress from exempting themselves from a public plan, but actually forcing them into it. Vitter is also considering proposing banning physician services currently available to legislators at the Capitol as well as special privileges they are allowed at military hospitals. Specifically, members of Congress receive taxpayer-subsidized medical care at Bethesda Medical Center and the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Vitter plans to announce the amendment on Friday. Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) has introduced a similar measure in the House.
“The idea, broad-brush, is that whatever government option is in the bill, every senator and every representative should be enrolled in it,” Vitter told The Hill. “No other possibilities, no other choices.”
“It’s called leadership,” Coburn said. “If it’s good enough for everybody else, we ought to be leading by example.”
The rest is here.
