WASHINGTON — When Republican senators overseeing legislation to accelerate medical treatments said last month they would chop the bill into parts — rather than passing comprehensive legislation — their Democratic counterparts put on a good face.
“We’re looking forward to working together in a bipartisan fashion to finish the legislation,” said Senator Patty Murray of Washington, ranking Democrat on the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
Behind the scenes, though, aides say the Democrats were blindsided by the move, and warn that the Republican decision threatens to undermine bipartisan support for one of the most significant pieces of legislation on medical research in years.
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Diana Zuckerman, president of the National Center for Health Research, said “cutting a comprehensive bill into single-issue nuggets doesn’t solve the problem.”
“Bipartisan support,” she said, “is still needed.”
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