May 13, 2009
Speaker Nancy Pelosi told President Obama today that the Democratic-led House will have a health care bill on the floor before it leaves for the August recess.
The goal is "quality, affordable, accessible health care for all Americans," Pelosi told reporters after a White House meeting with Obama and other House leaders.
Obama set the deadline at July 31 and said it shows "the kind of urgency and dedication that we need."
Of course, the Senate also has to pass a health care bill and both chambers must agree on the details. And Republicans will have something to say about the debate.
Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said Republicans want to work with Democrats, but "we find private, one-party meetings that set arbitrary deadlines a sign of a troubling lack of bipartisanship."
The meeting was the latest in a week-long health care offensive by the White House.
On Monday, Obama met with health care stakeholders that included the medical, hospital and insurance industries, Yesterday, it was business people seeking to keep down the costs of their employee health care plans.
"We've got to get it done this year," Obama said. "We don't have any excuses. The stars are aligned."
Obama again listed his three basic principles for a health care bill: It must keep down rising health care costs, it must allow people to choose their own doctor and insurance plan, and it must enable all Americans "to have quality, affordable health care."
Obama spoke a day after Medicare trustees reported that the recession is draining funds the old-age insurance program at a faster rate than once expected.
Pelosi said, "health care reform is entitlement reform."
One challenge for supporters of a health care plan: How to pay for it.
The private meeting with Obama featured Pelosi and House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer, as well as key committee chairs Charles Rangel, George Miller, and Henry Waxman.
(Posted by David Jackson; photo by Jason Reed, Reuters)
The goal is "quality, affordable, accessible health care for all Americans," Pelosi told reporters after a White House meeting with Obama and other House leaders.
Obama set the deadline at July 31 and said it shows "the kind of urgency and dedication that we need."
Of course, the Senate also has to pass a health care bill and both chambers must agree on the details. And Republicans will have something to say about the debate.
Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said Republicans want to work with Democrats, but "we find private, one-party meetings that set arbitrary deadlines a sign of a troubling lack of bipartisanship."
The meeting was the latest in a week-long health care offensive by the White House.
On Monday, Obama met with health care stakeholders that included the medical, hospital and insurance industries, Yesterday, it was business people seeking to keep down the costs of their employee health care plans.
"We've got to get it done this year," Obama said. "We don't have any excuses. The stars are aligned."
Obama again listed his three basic principles for a health care bill: It must keep down rising health care costs, it must allow people to choose their own doctor and insurance plan, and it must enable all Americans "to have quality, affordable health care."
Obama spoke a day after Medicare trustees reported that the recession is draining funds the old-age insurance program at a faster rate than once expected.
Pelosi said, "health care reform is entitlement reform."
One challenge for supporters of a health care plan: How to pay for it.
The private meeting with Obama featured Pelosi and House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer, as well as key committee chairs Charles Rangel, George Miller, and Henry Waxman.
(Posted by David Jackson; photo by Jason Reed, Reuters)