House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) credited President Barack Obama for his leadership in the health care reform debate, saying that the legislation would not have been possible had Obama not been elected. (0:16)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) laughs off questions regarding how narrow Democrats passage of the Affordable Health Care for America act was, and instead touts the party’s success. (0:20)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) says that she is hopeful that health care reform will eventually garner bipartisan support.
“A number of Republican members have said to me ‘I’m hoping I can be there on the conference report.’” said Pelosi during a press conference.
With the House vote on the Affordable Health Care for America Act expected within hours, President Barack Obama came to Capitol Hill Saturday to secure votes from Congressional Democrats.
The president spoke for approximately 15 minutes, veering away from controversial topics such as the public option and abortion funding.
“[It was] higher level,” Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) told reporters. “[Obama] talked about the imperative of the country, talked about the tough decisions, acknowledged that it was hard.”
Instead, the President focused on his desire to lower health costs for families and small businesses, casting the impending vote as a historic opportunity.
Obama acknowledged the heated opposition to the bill being waged by Conservative activists, telling the caucus that Democrats could not win them over simply by opposing the legislation.
Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, who served in the House from 2002-2008, accompanied the President. Emanuel reportedly worked the room, talking to his former colleagues on an individual basis.
The president’s remarks were received warmly, with some members spontaneously bursting out with calls of “fired up, ready to go,” a popular slogan from Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.
U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Penn.) says it’s time for President Obama to “step up” on health care reform and play a more active role than House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). (0:32)
Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) says she is in favor of the Republican alternatives to health care reform legislation pitched by the Democrats. She says Republican plans do not increase taxes or add to the deficit. (0:13)
Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) says the people who need to be concerned with the proposed health care reform bills are senior citizens since costs will be covered by making cuts to Medicare. Additionally, Latta says if Medicare funds can be paid for by waste fraud and abuse, the people currently in charge of waste fraud and abuse should lose their jobs.
(0:21)
Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) says the current health care reform bills are not talking about TORT reform. He says the American people know health care reform is needed, but he says it needs to be done right. (0:17)
Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas) says that Republicans want to reform health care without raising taxes or increasing the deficit. (0:19)
By Marianna Levyash-Talk Radio News Service
Senators Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Mary L. Landrieu (D-La.) welcomed over 100 small business owners from 26 states Tuesday to tell their stories about the problems they’ve experienced with the current health care system.
“This morning we have a simple message for the small business owners across America…help is on the way,” said Harkin.
Currently, small businesses pay up to 18% more per employee to receive the same healthcare coverage as a large business. Health premiums have increased more than 74% for small businesses over the last eight years.
The Senate’s health care bill will create an exchange system that specifically targets small business owners and the self-employed with a shop exchange, where states assist small businesses that choose to use the exchange. States that elect to do so will also get technical assistance.
Senator Landrieu stated that “these exchanges can work for the small businesses that we are depending on to lift and lead this nation out of this recession.”
The business owners will continue urging for health care reform throughout the day on Capitol Hill and at the White House.
