Sen. Byrd Stopped Clinton from Using Reconciliation for Clinton's health care bill

"President Clinton got on the phone and called me also and pressed me to allow his massive health care bill to be insulated by reconciliation's protection."
"I felt that changes as dramatic as the Clinton health care package, which would affect every man, woman, and child in the United States should be subject to scrutiny. I said Mr. President, I cannot in good conscience turn my face the other way. That's why we have a Senate to amend and debate . . . That health bill, as important as it is, is so complex, so far reaching, that the people of this country need to know what is in it, and more over Mr. President we Senators need to know what is in it. And he accepted that. "