Harry Reid Urges Focus on Jobs; Mitch McConnell Vows Health Care Repeal
Following the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the health care law, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) called on Republicans to quit fighting the battle over the measure.
“Our Supreme Court has spoken,” Reid said on the Senate floor. “The matter is settled.”
“No one thinks this law is perfect … but Democrats have proven we’re willing to work with Republicans to improve the problems that exist in this law or any other law,” Reid continued.
“Millions of Americans are struggling to find work today, and we know that,” Reid said. “Our first priority must be to improve the economy. It’s time though for Republicans to stop re-fighting yesterday’s battles.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) did not agree. Republicans have made repeal of the issue the central tenet of their re-election campaigns, and McConnell, in a floor speech just after Reid’s, doubled down.
“Republicans won’t let up whatsoever to repeal this terrible law and replace it with the kind of reforms that will truly address the problems it was meant to solve,” McConnell said.
“Constitutionality was never an argument to keep this law in place,” McConnell continued, adding that the Congress has passed plenty of terrible constitutional laws.
“The more the American people have learned about this law the less they have liked it,” McConnell said.
“Americans want it repealed and that is precisely what we intend to do,” McConnell added.