Jul 17, 2009 5:00 pm US/Central
Obama Promises Health Overhaul Will Happen
President Lays Out Proposals For Health Care Overhaul
WASHINGTON (CBS) ―
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President Obama talks about health care at the White House on July 17, 2009, in Washington, D.C. Obama urged Congress to approve a health care bill before the August break.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
President Obama again pushed for passage of his sweeping health care
bill Friday, saying "now is not the time to slow down" on tackling an
issue so pivotal to every American. If lawmakers don't act now, the president said, everyone's health insurance will be in jeopardy.
He made it clear, however, that he is confident that the health care issue will be settled this year. "I promise," the Obama said.
The president, insistent that health care legislation will still clear Congress, urged lawmakers strongly on Friday to write stiffer cost-cutting provisions into the bills taking shape slowly in the House and Senate.
"What we want to do is force the Congress to make sure that they are acting" on recommendations lawmakers receive to hold down Medicare and Medicaid spending, the president said, rather than allowing reports to sit unused on a shelf.
He spoke from the White House, near the end of a week of tumult for the legislation atop his domestic agenda.
"Now is not the time to lose heart," he declared.
A few hours earlier, two House committees approved their portions of the sweeping health care bill over Republican objections.
That left one more panel to act, but conservative Democrats were rebelling, demanding additional measures to hold down skyrocketing costs.
Given the complexities, as well as fresh calls for delay in the Senate, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., opened the door to pushing off a vote past the early August timeline she and Obama laid out weeks ago.
Whatever the difficulties, she predicted legislation would pass that will transform the nation's health care system, extending coverage to millions who lack it while slowing the growth in costs generally. "It is really historic. It's transformation. It's momentous," she told reporters at a news conference.
If anything, Obama tried to project even more confidence.
Ticking off a list of accomplishments to date, he said, "We are going to get this done. We will reform health care. it will happen this year. I'm absolutely convinced of that."
Without the overhaul, he said, "no one's health insurance is going to be secure, because you're going to continue to see premiums going up at astronomical rates."
Obama's call for additional steps to hold down costs came one day after the head of the Congressional Budget Office told Congress the legislation taking shape so far would fail to accomplish that.
Those remarks by Douglas Elmendorf produced fresh criticism from Republicans, and gave pause to Democrats, as well.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
CBS News Interactive: Healthwatch
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