Senate Will Not Meet Deadline For Health Care Bill

President Barack Obama’s plans for Congress to vote on a comprehensive health care bill before summer recess in August have been denied by leading Democrats in the Senate.

Senate Majority leader Harry Reid on Thursday announced that the Senate would need more time to discuss the bill before holding a vote.

"It’s better to have a product based on quality and thoughtfulness rather than try to jam something through," said Reid.

Meanwhile, President Obama was visiting Cleveland, Ohio, where he held a town hall meeting.

"That’s OK,” replied the president. “I just want people to keep on working,"

"I want it done by the end of the year. I want it done by the fall."

Health care reform has been at the top of the president’s agenda for the better portion of the month. He has made efforts; including a meeting with so-called “blue dog” conservative Democrats who have been opposed to the bill that seeks to provide coverage for an estimated 46 million uninsured Americans.

The bill has been estimated to cost more than $1 trillion over several years, which Obama hopes to pay for with a tax hike on wealthy households.

Earlier this week, Obama held to his deadline to have a bill from lawmakers by the end of August, when they leave for recess.

According to the Associated Press, when asked why he felt the deadline was necessary, President Obama said: "Because if you don’t set a deadline in this town, nothing happens."

"And the deadline isn’t being set by me, it’s being set by the American people," he added.

During his town hall meeting, Obama compared the health care reform effort to John F. Kennedy’s hope to send astronauts to the moon.

"Reform may be coming too soon for some in Washington, but it’s not soon enough for the American people," Obama said.

"The Finance Committee keeps dragging their feet and dragging their feet and dragging their feet. It’s time for them to fish or cut bait," Senator Tom Harkin told reporters.

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel told Reuters that Obama’s plan would continue despite the decision to wait until after the August recess.

"I think we will have a bill by the end of the year for the president to sign on healthcare reform that controls costs, expands coverage and provides choice," Emanuel told National Public Radio.

"The key thing is … we are now debating how to control costs," he said. "We are down to the final details.

"If you want to control costs, one of the things the president talked about is to have a group of health experts to ensure that, in fact, the changes that are necessary to the system so the system is more efficient, more cost effective, are done."