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Lieberman Would Support Filibuster of Health Plan With Public Option

Sen. Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.) told reporters Tuesday that he would support a filibuster of any final health care reform bill that includes a public insurance option. Lieberman said he would vote to proceed on the initial bill brought to the floor by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), which is set to have a public insurance option proposal with an opt-out provision for the states. But Lieberman said he would not support the final product if, in its final form, it still includes any type of national, public insurance option.“To me, the opt-out doesn’t change the basic fact. I think the last thing that we want to do now is to create another Washington-run health insurance company,— said Lieberman, who conferences with the Democrats. “I’m strongly inclined — I’ve had this conversation with Sen. Reid a couple of times — to vote for the motion to proceed to take up the bill. … But I’ve also made very clear to Sen. Reid that if the bill remains as it is now I will vote against cloture — to finish the bill and pass it affirmatively.—Other Democratic centrists on Tuesday remained coy about how they planned to handle Reid’s health care reform legislation, saying they would need to see a bill first before deciding whether they would vote to bring the measure to the floor.

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