Clyburn won’t back budget lacking healthcare

House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said Wednesday that he would not support any budget passed by the Senate lacking billions to fund healthcare reform.

“No, ma’am, I won’t,” Clyburn told MSNBC’s Norah O’Donnell, who asked if he majority whip could support a budget lacking the president’s requested $600 billion allotment for healthcare reform. “I have made that very clear.”

“It’s the best thing to do for prevention. It is cheaper than going to other health care facilities,” Clyburn said. “That would be moving toward a health care program that will eventually become universal and cover everybody.”

But Clyburn also slightly criticized some liberal action groups who’ve targeted centrist Democrats, pushing those lawmakers on-the-fence about the budget to support the president’s plan.

“That’s not what I would like to see done,” Clyburn said. “I want to see an atmosphere of collegiality existing within my party.”