Senator Kennedy and Impact on Health Reform?

This past week, with the death of Senator Edward Kennedy, Democrats lost not only a champion of healthcare reform, but also someone who was often able to work with Republicans for bipartisan reforms. Some are now focused on passing health reform in his memory while others argue that someone that was key to the potential for bipartisan reforms is now gone. While it may not change the outcome on health reform this fall, he does leave big shoes to fill.

Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) vowed to continue the fight for healthcare reform following the death of Senator Kennedy , but he could not say whether he intends to succeed Kennedy as chairman of the Senate health committee. Dodd, who chairs the Senate banking committee but spearheaded the health panel's five-week markup of health reform legislation, said he would take time to weigh his options and confer with Democratic leaders before making a decision.

The chairmanship of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee is one of many holes that Kennedy's death has left in the Senate. Dodd is now the panel's most senior Democrat, and could become its new chairman, if he is willing to give up the chairmanship of the Senate banking committee. If Dodd does not take the HELP position, the next senators in line would be Tom Harkin (IA) and Barbara Mikulski (MD). Harkin, like Dodd, would have to surrender his chairmanship of the Agriculture Committee in order to lead HELP.

HELP along with the Senate Finance Committee are the key committes for the Senate focused on health reform.