House representatives Waxman, Miller and Rangel are promising health care reform bill by summer
12 03 09 - 13:31
Key House Dems pledge quick action on health
By ERICA WERNER - Associated Press Writer
The three Democratic committee chairmen responsible for shepherding health care reform through the House are promising a bill by summer.
Reps. Henry Waxman and George Miller of California and Charlie Rangel of New York made the pledge in a letter they sent President Barack Obama on Wednesday.
Waxman chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee, Miller the Education and Labor Committee and Rangel the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee.
"As chairs of these committees and veterans of past health reform debates, we have agreed to coordinate our efforts," the three wrote. "Our intention is to bring similar legislation before our committees and to work from a harmonized approach to ensure success."
The lawmakers said they would time their work to bring legislation to the House floor before Congress leaves town for its annual August recess. A similar timeline has been announced in the Senate.
The promise of coordinated action is seen as key by a White House wary of repeating the mistakes that sank health reform during the Clinton administration.
During that attempt, Congress was largely kept out of the bill-writing process and the House committees with jurisdiction were at odds over the legislation.
White House spokesman Reid Cherlin said that Obama "looks forward to working with House leaders and congressional partners from both parties to pass health reform this year."
The president's goal is to build on the country's employer-based health care system and expand coverage to 48 million Americans who are now uninsured.