Schumer: Dems "Very Close" to 60 Votes

New York Senator Charles Schumer told NBC's Meet the Press today Democrats are "very close to getting the 60 votes we need to move forward.” The proposed legislation, Schumer says, will likely include the controversial public option with an opt-out provision for states that don't want to be included. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is expected to send a bill to the Congressional Budget Office on Monday to get an official cost estimate; Reid, Schumer, and other Democratic leaders have been attempting to create a bill that will satisfy both liberals looking for a strong public plan and moderates who are worried about the scope of the legislation and its eventual cost. Moderate Democrat Ben Nelson, speaking on CNN's State of the Union, said that he still hasn't decided how he will vote; Olympia Snowe, the only Republican to have shown any support for Democratic health-care legislation, has said she will not support a public plan. Republicans expressed concern about the cost of health-care subsidies—Minority Senate Leader Mitch McConnell said Congress is "acting like a teenager with their parents' credit card—which could be paid either by cuts to Medicare (as in the Senate bill) or a surtax on the very wealthy (as in the House bill).”