Sen. Bill Nelson says he intends to vote for the health care bill in the Senate Finance Committee today — while Democratic activists plan to ramp up efforts to pressure him to back a public option.
MoveOn.org plans a rally at his office today – participants will hold signs depicting boxing gloves [as well as actual boxing gloves] to encourage Nelson to push for a public option.
Nelson's comments came on MSNBC News Live – his office says — and leaves three of the committee's 13 Democrats reportedly still uncommitted. Of the committee's 10 Republicans, only Maine’s Olympia Snowe might vote for the bill.
Here's what Nelson told MSNBC about the vote: "All the Democrats will vote for it to get it out of the committee; and, I'm very hopeful and very optimistic that Olympia will as well. . . . Ultimately, I believe that we are going to end up with a bill on the president's desk somewhere around Thanksgiving."
Nelson says he decided to vote for the bill after the committee approved his amendment to preserve benefits for seniors enrolled in private Medicare plans.
Related posts:
- Nelson on health care — says he hopes for "some form of a public option"
- Florida Republican introduces legislation to repeal health care as Bill Nelson prepares to announce how he’ll vote
- Bill Nelson on his health care vote
- Sink ducks ‘public option’ in health care reform debate
- Bill Nelson Tries to Have It Both Ways on Public Option