Today on the Morning Briefing, Congressman Barney Frank told POTUS' Tim Farley that the current health care legislation in conference is dead thanks to Senator Elect Scott Brown. "I think the measure that would have passed, some compromise between the House and Senate bills which I would have voted for...I think that's dead," he said. So what does this mean for the Obama administration. In Rep. Frank's eyes, health care reform is now in the hands of Republicans. "Do they want to go into the elections taking credit for maintaining the exact health care status quo or are there some Republicans who are going to work with the Democrats to try and change it?"And any hope that Democrats had, thinking they could vote on the bill before Senator Elect Brown is installed was put to rest. Congressman Frank last night issued a statement saying that it wouldn't be right "to pass a health care bill as if the Massachusetts election had not happened." Virginia Senator, Jim Webb, released echoed Frank's sentiment in this statement:
In many ways the campaign in Massachusetts became a referendum not only on health care reform but also on the openness and integrity of our government process. It is vital that we restore the respect of the American people in our system of government and in our leaders. To that end, I believe it would only be fair and prudent that we suspend further votes on health care legislation until Senator-elect Brown is seated.The future of health care reform is starting to look pretty bleak.
Here's the full interview with Rep. Barney Frank:
