White House Still Optimistic On Health Care, Despite Setbacks
WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- President Barack Obama is still optimistic that
lawmakers can agree on health-care legislation, as key committees continue to
struggle with the bill.
"They're making progress, so that's good," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs
said Monday. "Whether or not the (Senate) Finance Committee does birth something
this week is hard for me to say. I think we're optimistic."
Gibbs said there is 80% agreement on the measure, which the White House would
like to move out of the Senate Finance panel and the House Energy and Commerce
Committee before lawmakers leave for their August recess.
Asked if Obama supports a proposal to place an excise tax on insurance
companies that offer so-called Cadillac plans, Gibbs said the White House is
still evaluating the idea.
The spokesman said Obama won't rachet down his public health-care pitch after
it became clear that neither the Senate nor the House is likely to pass
legislation by August. The president, who has no meetings with lawmakers
scheduled Monday, will participate in a "tele town hall" with AARP members
Tuesday and travel to North Carolina and Virginia on Wednesday for health-care
events.
-By Henry J. Pulizzi, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-862-9256; henry.pulizzi@
dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
07-27-091117ET
Copyright (c) 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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