Published: 2009-08-18 22:25:22
Author: Shailagh Murray | Washington Post | July 17, 2009
President Obama urged Democrats today to overcome divisions to achieve health-care reform, asserting that he was “absolutely convinced” that legislation would reach his desk this year.
The president's remarks came at the end of a turbulent week, as Senate negotiators struggled to find bipartisan consensus and House leaders sought to quell a series of Democratic rebellions.
The remaining obstacles may be considerable, but they are not insurmountable, Obama reassured lawmakers. “Those who are betting against this happening this year are badly mistaken,” he said. “I'm confident that we're going to be putting in a lot more hours, there are going to be a lot more sleepless nights, but eventually this is going to happen.”
Health-care legislation cleared two House committees this morning, although Democratic defections on both panels underscored divisions within the party over cost and scope. Amid growing concerns that reform could worsen, as opposed to improve, the nation’s long-term economic outlook, Obama urged Congress to give up some of its cherished authority over Medicare, allowing an independent commission to set payment rates and institute broad reforms. Lawmakers would be able to block commission proposals they did not like.
On a 23 to 18 vote early today, the Ways and Means Committee approved a tax increase on wealthy households to pay for about half of the House legislation, estimated to cost $1.2 trillion over 10 years. Ways and Means also voted to make deep cuts to the Medicare and Medicaid programs, totaling up to $500 billion.“Today the Committee approved legislation that will encourage competition in the health insurance marketplace, control costs and improve access to quality affordable care,” Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel (D-N.Y.) said in a statement. “This uniquely American solution will put patients first, make critical investments in primary care and nurses, and reform the health care delivery system so that we can build a healthier, more productive economy.”
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