Per House of Progress in Quick Hits, both Blanche Lincoln and Olympia Snowe have stated they will vote for the Baucus health care bill in the Finance Committee. This guarantees passage of the bill, even if both Ron Wyden and Jay Rockefeller vote against it. Either of them voting against the bill was highly unlikely, anyway.
The most important ramification of all this is that it is clear a health care reform bill will pass the Senate this year. The House will do the same. The only questions that remain are what form the final bill from each chamber takes, and whether or not they can agree on a final version.
Snowe and Lincoln both said that they will be watching the merger with the Senate HELP bill closely, and that their vote on final passage is not assured. I think I speak for nearly everyone here when I say that feeling is mutual.
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