Dodd: If Troops Can Work Christmas Eve, So Can Congress

Senator Chris Dodd, a champion of the Democratic health-care bill, said Wednesday afternoon that if Republicans keep delaying progress on the reform bill, the chamber ought to keep working until they hear the jingle of sleigh bells.

Wednesday marked the Senate's third day of floor debate on just the first of many proposed amendments, a bill-killer from John McCain that would take any cuts to Medicare off the table. Congress is slated to adjourn on Dec. 18, so Republican senators are hoping they can stonewall debate into the new year.

Not so fast, Dodd said at a press conference. "If we can't do it today or tomorrow or next week, then I'm prepared to stay however long it takes to get this done," Dodd said at a press conference. "If that soldier can be on guard for us over there, we can certainly be on guard for them right here."

Dodd said leadership is also open to using any procedural techniques at their disposal to force votes and start to move the process forward.

"Certainly three days to debate the McCain Amendment has been more than adequate," Dodd said.

In a morning Democratic caucus meeting, he said, "I think there was almost unanimous feeling that enough is enough," he said. "We're going to move along here now, and we're going to stay here as long as it takes, as many days as it takes, to complete this."

Get HuffPost Politics On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[tompoe]

01:34 PM on 12/04/2009

If the stress of staying through Christmas eve is too much for them, they can use their Single Payer health care plans to get relief. Hope they take a moment of silence for those who are dying because they lack health care. At least enter the thousands' names in the Fed Register, so the public can read them on Christmas day.

[justoverit333]

04:51 PM on 12/03/2009

That's right suckers. Pack up the fruitcake and head to the Capitol.
You have work to do.

[LittleMittens]

04:27 PM on 12/03/2009

why are we the ONLY 1st world nation without national health care?

[LittleMittens]

04:13 PM on 12/03/2009

how do you beat a bunch of quitters: make them work!

[LittleMittens]

04:13 PM on 12/03/2009

That's fantastic! We are going to move forward! Finally learning!

[Patriotallday]

03:29 PM on 12/03/2009

Why do Demos think fighting a government takeover of healthcare is delaying "progress" ? Again I say to Congress:
The U.S. Post Service was established in 1775. You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke.
Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke.
Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke.
War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to “the poor” and they only want more.
Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke.
Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke.
The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. You had 32 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure.
You have FAILED in every “government service” you have shoved down our throats while overspending our tax dollars.
AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM??

[SageFire]

03:36 PM on 12/03/2009

And again I say to you:
Typical hypocrisy.­...posting to the internet with a computer using the Federal power system. Effective immediately: turn off all power that is not self generated to your home, do not go to any Federal park, do not drive on any Federal Interstate, do not receive any mail, do not purchase anything that was ever on a Federal Interstate highway, do not drink any water that was not from your own land, do not use any drug regulated by the FDA, do not consume any food product not produced on your own land by seeds that were always on your own land. Can’t do that? I thought so. Signed, Federal employee. PS you are welcome for all the services you use every day, no matter how much you diss us.

[mech126]

04:48 PM on 12/03/2009

SNAP!!!!!!!

[MYSTERIOUS]

12:29 PM on 12/03/2009

Getter done!!

[Anym]

12:13 PM on 12/03/2009

Well i don't see why congress shouldn't.

On the list of big issues this country has to do with the only thing that's done less to address them than the senate is the president.

[orianna]

11:07 AM on 12/03/2009

You better work through Christmas! get er done.

[MOCONSERVATIVE]

10:57 AM on 12/03/2009

show of hands from anyone who would feel sorry for our elected officials "working" through Christmas?

[seatech1]

01:53 PM on 12/03/2009

(sound of crickets chirping in background. . .)

[Vetinari]

10:09 AM on 12/03/2009

Using the troops to argue against repubs. Good call

[Saxton]

09:48 AM on 12/03/2009

I'm still waiting for Congress to really begin working. It seems the only thing they are capable of accomplishing, and with little drama, is agreeing on war funding and bailing out banks.

[themainpoint]

09:36 AM on 12/03/2009

Oh, please. Enough talk and theatrical statements about how hard you work.

The American people will have reason to believe you are working hard when you deliver some actual and meaningful results.

[kexplosion]

09:24 AM on 12/03/2009

so hanging out, getting nothing done, and bending over for the repugs is what they call work these days...sheesh

[rf dude]

08:49 AM on 12/03/2009

Senators all - that jingle you hear will be Santa arriving

with your lumps of coal...