Enzi: Pelosi and Reid must commit to leaving bipartisan deal alone

No deal in the Senate Finance Committee is imminent, Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) said Wednesday, warning that he would need commitments from House and Senate leaders to not gut the bipartisan bill in conference.

Enzi tamped down speculation that the Finance committee’s bipartisan negotiations would yield a bill soon, and indicated that he would need assurances from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) before he’d vote for the bill.

“No deal is at hand and substantive issues, big and small, remain under discussion and need to be resolved,” said Enzi, a member of the so-called “group of six” lawmakers negotiating a deal.

Enzi’s office said in a statement that reports of an imminent deal on healthcare reform are “off the mark,” and the senator said those reports “damage” the Finance negotiations.

Furthermore, Enzi said that Reid and Pelosi would have to commit to leaving any bipartisan agreements in place once the bill goes to conference.

“I also need commitments from Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi, as well as the Administration, that the bipartisan agreements reached in the Finance Committee will survive in a final bill that goes to the president,” Enzi added.