Harkin, chairman of the Senate health committee, followed Baucus to the floor to explain why he added the provision that would help Iowa (and “a few other states”). “I don’t see anything wrong with that,” Harkin said. “I make no bones about having put that in there.”
Dodd, at a news conference, offered the dubious argument that the hospital provision he offered is “competitive” and could be won by another state, “although my state is very interested.”
But what about those who wouldn’t get the goodies? Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) walked away with little to show for her politically difficult vote.
“That’s what legislation is all about: It’s the art of compromise,” Reid said when asked about the fairness of it all. “So this legislation is no different than the defense bill we just spent $600 billion on.” That would be the bill with more than 1,700 pet-project earmarks. “It’s no different than other pieces of legislation,” Reid continued.
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