Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said on Thursday that he would give bipartisan talks on health care more time, essentially eliminating the possibility of the full Senate passing health care reform before the August break.

Reid said Finance Committee Republicans had personally asked him to give them additional time to find a deal with Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.).

“So the decision was made to give them more time,— he told reporters. He added that it would be “better to have a product that is based on quality and thoughtfulness.—

Still, he said he has confidence that “they’re going to be able to mark something up before we leave here— on Aug. 7 for a month-long recess.

Reid said he would use the August recess to merge the Finance package with a bill approved by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Reid had previously indicated no wiggle room in his plan to bring a health care bill to the Senate floor before August. He had even threatened to keep the Senate in session the week of Aug. 10 to get a bill completed.