Health Care

Senate Dems: Public Option Essential

House Dems also rally behind provision.

It looks like after weeks of battling Republicans, the White House will spend this week placating the Democrats. After administration officials hinted over the weekend that they were willing to drop a public option from health-care reform, prominent Democratic Senators Jay Rockefeller and Russ Feingold said that the public option is a “must” and "without a public option, I don't see how we will bring real change to a system that has made good health care a privilege for those who can afford it," respectively. Nancy Pelosi, meanwhile, said that the public option will remain in the House version of the bill and Rep. Anthony Weiner said that a lack of a public option could cost reform 100 Democratic votes in the House.