Senate Committee Rejects Public Option for Health Overhaul

Harkin said they had the votes....guess he lied.

One small step for the Senate, One giant leap for the average American.The Senate Finance Committee rejected amendments Tuesday that would add a government-run health-insurance plan to the committee's health-care legislation, but debate over whether to adopt a public plan isn't expected to end at the committee.

By a 15-8 vote, the committee rejected an amendment sponsored by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D., W.Va.), that would create a public health-insurance option. Under Mr. Rockefeller's amendment, a government-run plan would inherit Medicare's network of doctors and hospitals and pay them based on Medicare payment rates for its first two years.