Taking their cue from President Obama, who urged lawmakers to bring the year-long health care debate to a close, Democratic leaders in Congress began this week moving toward final health care votes later this month.
Obama said this week that Congress should vote up or down on health care reform legislation in the "next few weeks."
In remarks in the East Room of the White House, Obama said the "long and wrenching" debate on health care reform has shown some common ground between Democrats and Republicans, but has also made clear basic disagreements.
"I do not see how another year of negotiations would help," Obama said, adding the two parties differ on how aggressively the health insurance industry should be regulated.
Last week, Obama offered a revised health care bill that is similar to a bill the Senate passed on Christmas Eve. It would cost $950 billion over a decade and lead to health insurance coverage for more than 30 million Americans who now don't have it.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the plan is for the House to pass this and for both chambers to pass a reconciliation bill that makes corrections to the Senate package.
The president said Congress should vote on health care through the budget reconciliation procedure that requires only majority votes in the House and Senate.
Congressional Republican leaders continue to call on the president to scuttle the bills that Congress has approved and start the debate over.
SOURCE: iMarket News
