White House calls new Senate Finance health plan a ‘building block’, not the end of debate

September 30th, 2009 Public plan goes down in Senate Finance CommitteeWASHINGTON — The Senate Finance Committee has voted against creating a new government health insurance plan to compete with the private market. The 15-to-8 vote could forecast the fate of the public option in the Senate as a whole.

September 21st, 2009 Mass. Senate again delays Kennedy succession billBOSTON — The Massachusetts Senate is again delaying debate on a bill allowing the governor to appoint an interim replacement for the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by the death of Edward Kennedy.

September 17th, 2009 Obama pitches health care at college campusCOLLEGE PARK, Md. — President Barack Obama called reinventing health care a "defining struggle of this generation" on Thursday, even as several Democrats criticized some of the fine print in a Senate proposal the president has praised.

August 21st, 2009 Senate negotiators aim to cut costs in health billWASHINGTON — Bipartisan health care negotiators are aiming to cut the costs of their bill after getting an earful from voters, a participant in the closed-door talks said Friday. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, a moderate whose support could be crucial if President Barack Obama is to realize his goal of a comprehensive health care overhaul, said contact with constituents "sharpened our focus on issues such as affordability and cost." "We keep reinventing the wheel in terms of our approach based on what we learn at home," Snowe told The Associated Press.

August 20th, 2009 Pelosi: House health bill needs public planSAN FRANCISCO — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says there's no way the House can pass a health overhaul bill that doesn't include a new public insurance plan. Her comments at a news conference Thursday in San Francisco come as the White House faces a liberal backlash for indicating openness to leaving a public plan out of a final health bill.

August 19th, 2009 White House: Obama would go to moon for his goalWASHINGTON — How far is President Barack Obama willing to go for a deal on overhauling the health care system? Try all the way to the moon. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs joked Wednesday that Obama would orbit the moon if he thought it would help get a deal on a bill Congress can vote on after it returns from summer break.

August 12th, 2009 White House criticizes swastika outside Ga. officeWASHINGTON — The White House says anyone who painted a swastika on a sign outside the office of a congressman recently involved in a heated argument over health care should be ashamed.

August 7th, 2009 White House confirms Obama's MT tripHELENA, Mont. — The White House has confirmed that President Barack Obama will be in Bozeman, Montana, on Aug.

August 4th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama turned 48 Tuesday and plans to spend part of his birthday meeting with the 58 Democrats in the Senate to push his health care plan. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama will discuss health care and the economy during the meeting.

July 29th, 2009 Senate negotiators pare cost of health overhaulWASHINGTON — Senators trying to reach a bipartisan compromise on health care overhaul are reporting progress paring the costs of the plan as they push for a deal this week. Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, the Democrat leading the negotiations, said Wednesday new estimates from the Congressional Budget Office show the plan that's taking shape would cover 95 percent of Americans by 2015, and cost about $900 billion over 10 years.

June 30th, 2009 Senate health panel readies gov't insurance optionWASHINGTON — Senators on a key committee are putting the finishing touches on a government health insurance option that they hope will win broad support among Democrats and the public. According to a draft summary circulating Tuesday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee proposal calls for a nationwide plan to be run by the federal government.

June 29th, 2009 White House confident Senate will pass energy billWASHINGTON — The White House says it's confident that the Senate will pass comprehensive energy legislation. President Barack Obama's top energy adviser, Carol Browner, made the comment in an interview with a small group of reporters.

June 28th, 2009 Axelrod expects Senate to tackle health care firstWASHINGTON — A top presidential adviser says it probably will be the fall before the Senate deals with a major climate change bill that just passed the House. White House aide David Axelrod says he thinks health care overhaul will be the first thing on senators' agenda.

June 1st, 2009 Health industry to deliver plan to White HouseWASHINGTON — Health industry officials pushed to get a plan to the White House Monday documenting how they'd save $2 trillion over a decade through measures like reducing hospitalizations and cutting down on paperwork. On Capitol Hill, Sen.

April 23rd, 2009 Democrats want speedy health care debateWASHINGTON — Democrats controlling the House went on record again Wednesday in favor of advancing health care legislation while allowing only limited debate, which would minimize the ability of Republicans to wrest concessions on one of President Barack Obama's top domestic priorities. By a 227-196 vote, the House affirmed Democrats' plans to move health care legislation under rules that block Republicans in the Senate from being able to slow — or even stop — it from proceeding.