Senate to start health care debate today

From CNN.com:

To debate or not to debate the Senate’s health care reform bill; that is the question.

The legislative body on Saturday is expected to vote on whether to begin debate — also known as invoking cloture — on its version of the health care bill, which was introduced Wednesday by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Reid says the 2,074-page bill would expand health insurance coverage to 30 million more Americans at an estimated cost of $849 billion over 10 years. A House bill was passed nearly two weeks ago.

Proceedings begin at 10 a.m. and will last through the early evening.

Around 8 p.m., the Senate will hold a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture.

Wisconsin’s U.S. Senator, Russ Feingold, issued a statement on the Senate’s health care reform bill:

“I am pleased that the Senate health care bill will decrease the deficit by $130 billion over the next ten years, and by another $650 billion in the ten years following that. This bill is not perfect but it has some good provisions; I strongly support the inclusion of a public health insurance option, rewarding physicians for the quality of care provided rather than the quantity of care, and expanding coverage to more than 30 million Americans who currently go without insurance. I plan to spend a significant amount of time in the coming days reviewing the bill, and look forward to the opportunity to strengthen the bill when the Senate begins debate on it.”

I’m willing to bet the there will be enough votes to open debate on the Senate’s health care reform bill, but the real fireworks will start when Democrats attempt to close debate and move to a vote.