Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) issued a warning to Republicans Tuesday: "Stand up and vote."



In response to the GOP slamming Democrats for "ignoring the wishes of their constituents" by passing health care reform -- as Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reiterated both on the floor Tuesday morning and later after policy lunch -- Reid challenged opponents to health care by implying they stop talking and just vote their minds.



He also tried to preemptively go after Republicans who are saying that by moving forward with the health care bill via reconciliation Democrats are effectively ending their chance at passing regulatory, immigration and climate change legislation.



"As I told the Republican leader last week, If you want to vote against health care and health insurance reform, that's your privilege to do so, but don't shut down the Senate. Stand up and vote. Don't threaten to stand in the way next time, just because you didn't get your way the last time. And when you make political calculations, don't forget the American people," Reid said.



"You're for making sure people can afford to live a healthy life—or you're not. You're for reining in Wall Street abuses—or you're not. You're for strengthening our economy and our borders—or you're not. There's no in between."



Meanwhile, Republicans still were in full-throttle attack mode Tuesday in addressing reconciliation and the ever-increasing likelihood that the House of Representatives will try to approve the Senate health care reform legislation by "deeming" it passed if the reconciliation fix bill carries.



The GOP leadership again emphasized that they believe the health care bill goes against the will of the American people while trying to paint the House's proposed tactics as unconstitutional.



"I know we're all struggling with words to describe what seems like breathtaking cynicism and arrogance in trying to move a health care bill without voting on it. I guess what I would call it is Nancy Pelosi is trying to come up with an 'immaculate conception,'" Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said. "Somehow she's going to try to claim that they didn't vote on the Senate bill, when in fact, that's necessary under the Constitution, before it can be signed into law."

--Meredith Shiner

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