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President Barack Obama will take his case to the American people this week on a plan to overhaul the U.S. health-care system as Congress struggles to find a bipartisan way to approve his top domestic priority.
Obama invited the ABC television network to broadcast from the White House on June 24 and will take health-care questions from the public in the East Room. Three House panels will hold hearings during the week, and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus is rushing to finish draft legislation before Congress starts a weeklong recess.
The president is raising his profile on the issue after Baucus last week warned he may not be able to get a committee vote until next month, and government cost estimates sparked concern among lawmakers in both parties. Unresolved legislative issues are trumping public support for the revamping of a system that makes up 17 percent of the world’s largest economy.
“Clearly, the optimism of health-care proponents was off the mark,” said Julian Zelizer, a history and public affairs professor at Princeton University in New Jersey. Zelizer said Obama faces many of the issues that killed a similar effort in 1993 by President Bill Clinton. “Does it mean defeat? Not at all. But the next few months remain a huge challenge.”
Obama is pressing Congress to send him a final bill by October that would expand coverage to the approximately 46 million uninsured and reduce soaring costs. (Kentucky residents look here) -- Get a no hassle health insurance quote.
President Barack Obama will take his case to the American people this week on a plan to overhaul the U.S. health-care system as Congress struggles to find a bipartisan way to approve his top domestic priority.
Obama invited the ABC television network to broadcast from the White House on June 24 and will take health-care questions from the public in the East Room. Three House panels will hold hearings during the week, and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus is rushing to finish draft legislation before Congress starts a weeklong recess.
The president is raising his profile on the issue after Baucus last week warned he may not be able to get a committee vote until next month, and government cost estimates sparked concern among lawmakers in both parties. Unresolved legislative issues are trumping public support for the revamping of a system that makes up 17 percent of the world’s largest economy.
“Clearly, the optimism of health-care proponents was off the mark,” said Julian Zelizer, a history and public affairs professor at Princeton University in New Jersey. Zelizer said Obama faces many of the issues that killed a similar effort in 1993 by President Bill Clinton. “Does it mean defeat? Not at all. But the next few months remain a huge challenge.”
Obama is pressing Congress to send him a final bill by October that would expand coverage to the approximately 46 million uninsured and reduce soaring costs. (Kentucky residents look here) -- Get a no hassle health insurance quote.
