–Senate Majority Leader: Will Vote On Versions of Simpson-Bowles Plan
–Sen. Reid: Senate Will Reject GOP Plan To Repeal Health Care Law
–Sen. McConnell: Seeking ‘Every Conceivable Way To Reduce Spending’
–Sen. McConnell: Urges Obama To Work W/GOP To Cut Spending

By John Shaw

WASHINGTON (MNI) – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday
that he anticipates “serious talks” between Democrats and Republicans on
cutting the budget deficit, but then sternly warned Republicans to
“leave Social Security alone.”

“I am sticking up for Social Security,” Reid said at a briefing
with other Senate Democratic leaders after a party luncheon.

Reid said he expects the Senate to vote on “pieces or all” of the
Simpson-Bowles plan to cut the budget deficit by $4 trillion over a
decade.

Reid said he has been meeting with Senate Budget Committee Chairman
Kent Conrad on the best way to tackle budget deficits.

The Senate majority leader said the Senate will likely vote on a
Republican amendment to repeal the new health care law as early as
Tuesday. He predicted the effort will fail. Democrats will argue, he
said, that repeal of health care would violate a budget rule and would
require 60 votes to pass.

“It’s not going any place,” he said, of the repeal effort.

“We want to get this out of their system very quickly,” he said.

He chided Republicans for pushing the health care repeal vote as
the Senate is considering an aviation bill that would create thousands
of jobs.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said all 48 Senate
Republicans will vote to repeal the new health care law.

In comments to reporters after a Senate Republican luncheon,
McConnell said Republicans want to kill the new health care law which he
said aims to “restructure all of American health care.”

On another matter, McConnell said Republicans will work “in every
conceivable way to reduce spending.”

“Nothing is off limits,” McConnell said.

“I hope the president will decide he wants to work with us,” he
added.

** Market News International Washington Bureau: (202) 371-2121 **

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