Hmm. Is this a sign that some Senate Democrats want a quick deal?
Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) told “New Day” Anchor Kate Bolduan that Democrats can negotiate on the Affordable Care Act’s medical device tax to get a continuing resolution passed by the House, urging Speaker John Boehner to call the funding bill to the House floor for a vote. Senator Durbin also said he hopes that the shutdown, which is “unbefitting,” lasts less than one day.
Here’s the catch:
On negotiating with Republicans over the Affordable Care Act, Senator Durbin said, “We can work out something, I believe, on the medical device tax. That was one of the proposals from the Republicans. As long as we replace the revenue so that we don’t put a hole in our deficit and respond to this in a responsible fashion. That’s one thing the Republicans want to talk about it. Let’s sit down, and put that on the table.”
So Democrats will get rid of the tax on medical-device manufacturers, but they want to “replace the revenue,” most likely with some other new tax.