Obama to urge Congress for action on health care
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama summoned Congress to join in a “season for action” on health care Wednesday night, urging lawmakers to set aside partisan gamesmanship in favor of drafting legislation that benefits millions who have insurance and many more without it.
“I am not the first president to take up this cause, but I am determined to be the last,” Obama said in excerpts released by the White House in advance of a speech to a joint session of Congress and a public grown increasingly skeptical of his plans.
Obama’s speech came at the end of a summer of setbacks and as the president and his allies in Congress readied an autumn campaign to enact his top domestic priority.
In a fresh sign of urgency, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., announced that his Senate Finance Committee would meet in two weeks to begin drafting legislation, whether or not a handful of Democrats and Republicans have come to an agreement. The panel is the last of five to act in Congress, and while the outcome is uncertain, it is the only one where bipartisanship has been given a chance to flourish.
In the excerpts, Obama said there is widespread agreement on about 80 percent of what must be included in legislation. Any yet, he said, “instead of honest debate, we have seen scare tactics” and ideological warfare that offers no hope for compromise.
“Well, the time for bickering is over. The time for games has passed. Now is the season for action,” he said.
Obama said the legislation he seeks would guarantee insurance to consumers, regardless of pre-existing medical conditions, as well as other protections. “As soon as I sign this bill, it will be against the law for insurance companies to drop your coverage when you get sick or water it down when you need it most,” he added in the excerpts released in advance.
The president also assured those with insurance that “nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have.”
Obama also said the legislation he seeks would help those who lack insurance to afford it. “These are not primarily people on welfare,” he said in a line in the excerpts that appeared aimed at easing concerns among working-class voters. “These are middle-class Americans.”
The president also said he wants legislation that “will slow the growth of health care costs for our families.”
Obama said a collective failure” to meet the challenge of overhauling health care for decades has “led us to a breaking point.”
Related News
Obama travels to Minneapolis on Saturday for rally by supporters of health care overhaulSeptember 12th, 2009 Obama to attend health care rallyWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is traveling to Minneapolis for a rally on health care reform. Minnesota is an example of where Obama wants the rest of the country to go on health care.
Obama speech on health careSeptember 10th, 2009 US President Barack Obama delivered yet another motivating speech at the Joint Congress today about health care. He speaks about how US should and can come out of this recession hit economy and why our lives are to be secure first and then elevate later.
White House says Obama considering own health care legislation to end Capitol Hill stalemateSeptember 6th, 2009 White House: Obama weighing own health care billWASHINGTON — White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says President Barack Obama is considering his own health care legislation to cut through the stalemate on Capitol Hill. Gibbs says Americans will know exactly where the president stands after his speech to Congress on Wednesday night.
Obama confident health care overhaul coming soon, speaks of 'about 80 agreement' in CongressAugust 16th, 2009 Obama confident health care overhaul coming soonWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says he's confident his drive to overhaul health care will succeed. The president writes in Sunday's New York Times about "health insurance reform" and says his attempt to overhaul the system is closer to reality "than we have ever been."
Obama cites support from the American Nurses Association, the powerful American Medical Association and the AARP for big changes.
AARP says Obama erred in claiming it has endorsed health care legislationAugust 12th, 2009 AARP tells Obama: No health plan endorsement yetWASHINGTON — A group usually seen as one of Barack Obama's allies in the health care debate — AARP — says the president went too far Tuesday when he said the seniors lobby had endorsed the legislation pending in Congress. AARP is sensitive to the issue because polls show that Medicare beneficiaries are worried their health care program will be cut to subsidize coverage for the uninsured.
Obama at AARP health care forum: 'We've got to get a better bang for our health care dollar'July 28th, 2009 Obama: Existing health system threatens MedicareWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is telling participants in an online forum on health care that the current system and its skyrocketing costs are a threat to Medicare. Obama says the Medicare trust fund will be in the red and out of money in a decade unless Washington overhauls the system.
Obama says he is open to proposals in Congress to pay for health care overhaulJuly 23rd, 2009 Obama open to finance plans for health careWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says he is open to the proposals emerging in Congress to pay for health care overhaul. At a prime-time news conference Wednesday, Obama said few lawmakers had embraced his proposal to limit itemized deductions for the wealthiest Americans.
Obama says Congress agrees with him on broad health careJuly 23rd, 2009 Obama: Lots of agreement on health overhaulWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says lawmakers and he are in general agreement on important parts of a potential health care overhaul. Obama planned to say Wednesday night that the proposals would add stability to existing plans.
Obama warns that without action health costs will keep rising as he touts proposal in NJJuly 16th, 2009 Obama says without action, health costs will riseHOLMDEL, N.J. — President Barack Obama returned to campaign-style rhetoric on Thursday, telling a political rally that inaction is not an option and urging allies to push for his overhaul of the nation's health care system.
Obama warns that health costs will keep rising without action as he touts proposal in NJJuly 16th, 2009 Obama says health costs will rise without actionHOLMDEL, N.J. — President Barack Obama says he wants a health care overhaul this year and that costs will continue to rise without action.
Obama: Congress must act before August recess on health care overhaulJuly 15th, 2009 Obama praises progress on health care overhaulWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says his administration will push through an overhaul of the nation's health care system and is urging Congress to finish the work before leaving for an August recess. Obama on Wednesday praised House and Senate versions of a bill to expand health care coverage to millions of Americans.
Obama tells Congress he wants health care legislation by August recessJuly 10th, 2009 Obama to Congress: Health care legislation by Aug.L'AQUILA, Italy — Despite snags in Congress, President Barack Obama says his administration is closer to achieving health care reform than at any time in recent history. He says he hopes Congress will pass health care legislation by the August recess but "nothing is do or die."
Obama says he is making health care his "highest legislative priority".
With Congress away, Obama takes health care pitch on the road and via the InternetJuly 1st, 2009 Obama takes health care pitch to VirginiaWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is taking his pitch for health care revisions to Virginia, holding a town hall forum and fielding questions via the Internet. Congress will fully engage in the health care debate when it returns Monday from a one-week recess.
Obama says Congress progressing, must stick with hard work to overhaul US health care systemJune 23rd, 2009 Obama voicing confidence on health care changesWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says he's "very optimistic" about the prospects for legislation revamping health care, arguing that the country simply must control skyrocketing costs in this field. He told a news conference th at unless the government acts now, the country will spend $1 out of every $5 on health care within the next 10 years.
President Obama says he won't push health care plan on Congress, ready to hear other proposalsJune 11th, 2009 Obama: Cooperation with Hill needed on health careGREEN BAY, Wis. — President Barack Obama is vowing that he won't run roughshod over Congress in putting together legislation overhauling the country's health care system.
Loading ...