Associated Press - October 19, 2009 7:44 AM ET

WASHINGTON (AP) - For Democrats determined to get a health care bill, U.S. Sen. Roland Burris can no longer be ignored.

The Illinois Democrat says he'll only vote for a bill to provide health care to millions more Americans as long as it allows the government to sell insurance in competition with private insurers.

And he says he won't compromise.

That's caught the attention of the very Democratic leaders who tried to keep Burris out of the Senate after he was appointed by disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus of Montana, however, says he feels strongly that, in the end, the need for health care reform is going to trump other concerns people might have.

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