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Obama healthcare plan nixes Ben Nelson's 'Cornhusker Kickback' deal
President Barack Obama's healthcare reform proposal released Monday eliminates controversial funds given to Nebraska as part of a deal to win the support of centrist Sen. Ben Nelson (D). Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) offered the $100 million in Medicaid funding, also known as the "Cornhusker Kickback," to Nelson to help win him over as the 60th vote on the Senate's healthcare reform bill last December. But the deal eventually backfired. During merger negotiations with the Senate, House leaders said the "kickback" was an unfair deal struck for Nebraska that was not available to other states and was given only to attract Nelson's support. Republicans also slammed the Nebraska deal, saying it was an example of Reid's secretive, backroom negotiation style that violated President Obama's call for transparency during the healthcare debate. Posted by: Fred 2010-02-23 |
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