GOP senator involved in bipartisan talks tamps down expectations for health care bill

September 22nd, 2009 Top Republican: Bipartisan cooperation on holdWASHINGTON — The top Republican writing a Senate health care bill says bipartisan cooperation is over — for now. Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa blamed Democratic leaders for imposing a deadline to get the bill moving by mid September.

September 16th, 2009 Baucus calls health care bill commonsense measureWASHINGTON — A prominent Democratic senator is calling his 10-year, $856 billion health care bill a common sense measure that can win broad support. Sen. Max Baucus, chairman of the Finance Committee, unveiled his much-awaited legislation Wednesday after months of bipartisan negotiations that failed to win visible Republican support.

September 16th, 2009 White House: Senate health bill a 'building block'WASHINGTON — The White House says a health care reform bill from a key Senate committee is "an important building block" in getting closer to comprehensive health care reform. Sen. Max Baucus released the long-awaited version of the bill from his Senate Finance committee Wednesday.

September 4th, 2009 Obama talks to House liberals about health careWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama discussed health care in a conference call with House members, including liberals wary of his next move on the issue. Obama, who is at Camp David, spoke to leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus on Friday.

August 29th, 2009 Up to 1,000 rally in NYC for health care billNEW YORK — About a thousand people rallied in Manhattan on Saturday in support of federal health care reform legislation. The event near Times Square began shortly after the funeral for U.S.

August 23rd, 2009 Talk of Senate voting maneuvers on health careWASHINGTON — A Republican senator predicts Democrats will turn to a little-used voting procedure to try get around GOP opposition and pass health care legislation. It takes 60 votes to shut down GOP opposition and move ahead to an up-or-down vote on a bill.

August 23rd, 2009 Senator: Single health care bill a better approachWASHINGTON — A key Democrat in the health care debate says separating out the various issues and putting them in different bills isn't likely to work. Some lawmakers have suggested that a separate bill with changes that are supported by Republicans and Democrats would be one route toward progress on the health care overhaul.

August 19th, 2009 Bipartisan health talks to continue by phoneWASHINGTON — A key Democratic committee chairman involved in talks on a compromise health care plan said Wednesday they are on track to reach agreement. A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he'd prefer a bipartisan deal but "patience is not unlimited." Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said his group of three Democrats and three Republicans "is on track to reach a bipartisan agreement on comprehensive health care reform" that can pass a divided Senate.

August 4th, 2009 Reid: Democratic senators united on health careWASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says his party's caucus has "absolute unity" on the need to pass health care reform this year. The Nevadan, joined by other lawmakers, spoke to reporters Tuesday afternoon on a White House driveway after Senate Democrats met over lunch with President Barack Obama.

August 3rd, 2009 Dems vow health bill with or without RepublicansWASHINGTON — Frustrated with the pace of bipartisan talks, Democratic leaders on Monday promised to push a sweeping health care bill through the Senate whether they get Republican support or not. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the third-ranking Senate Democrat, raised the prospect of the leadership crafting a bill to Democratic specifications and using a rare legislative procedure to expedite legislation fulfilling President Barack Obama's top domestic priority.

August 1st, 2009 AP Sources: Deadline for bipartisan health effortWASHINGTON — Democratic officials say a Sept. 15 deadline has been imposed on efforts to produce a bipartisan agreement on health care legislation in the Senate.

July 24th, 2009 Conservative House Dem says health talks collapseWASHINGTON — The head of a group of fiscally conservative Democrats says negotiations with House leaders on health care have collapsed. Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., who heads the Blue Dogs' health care task force, told reporters Friday that after a week of talks, the effort to reach agreement between the leadership and the conservative to moderate Democrats fell apart.

July 21st, 2009 Budget chief: Docs fees not paid for in Obama billWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's pledge to make sure health care legislation is fully paid for excludes $245 billion to raise fees for doctors treating Medicare patients, a senior administration official said Tuesday. Peter Orszag, the budget director, said the administration always had assumed the money would be spent to prevent a cut of more than 20 percent in doctor fees that is scheduled to take effect.

June 7th, 2009 GOP senator irked at Obama over heath careWASHINGTON — A Republican Senate chairman whose involvement is key if there's going to be a bipartisan health care deal is responding angrily to President Barack Obama's latest comments on the issue. Obama, after months of standing back and leaving the details of health care legislation to Congress, inserted himself firmly into the debate in recent days, including using his weekly radio address Saturday to declare "it's time to deliver" on health reform.

June 7th, 2009 Senator says Obama 'got nerve' to push lawmakersWASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley says that President Barack Obama "got nerve" to go sightseeing in Paris while telling lawmakers it's time to deliver on a health care overhaul.