President Barack Obama stated on Saturday that his health care plan is financially secure and that Congress should not waste the opportunity to take action.
Republicans refuse to concede in their opposition of his plan, calling it an expensive burden.
For a sixth day in a row, Obama encouraged the focus to remain on his leading domestic priority despite conflict on Capitol Hill.
White House officials are concerned that a tougher road lies ahead than first thought.
“This is what the debate in Congress is all about: whether we’ll keep talking and tinkering and letting this problem fester as more families and businesses go under and more Americans lose their coverage,” Obama said in his weekly Internet address. “Or whether we’ll seize this opportunity – one we might not have again for generations – and finally pass health insurance reform this year, in 2009.”
During the week, Obama remained confident in his attempt to help millions of uninsured people.
In a private meeting with Jewish leaders on Monday, he joked that peace in the Middle East had to be the only thing harder to negotiate.
At a White House appearance Friday, he petitioned lawmakers not to “lose heart” and requested for larger cost cuts to smooth over concern about the expense.
Republicans remain against public health care.
“The president and some Democrats insist we must rush this plan through,” said Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. “Why? Because the more Americans know about it, the more they oppose it. Something this important needs to be done right, rather than done quickly.”
Two House committees passed their portions of the bill over Republican dissent. However, Democrats faced with re-election requested further measures to reduce costs.
Due to the stumbling blocks in front of the bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi indicated for the first time that the vote would be delayed past August.
“We have to see what the Senate will do,” she said, before noting that altering the bill to encourage more savings would need more time.
Republicans remain united in disagreeing with the Democrats’ plan.
“It would empower Washington – not doctors and patients – to make health care decisions and would impose a new tax on working families during a recession,” Kyl said in the GOP’s weekly address. “They propose to pay for this new Washington-run health care system by dramatically raising taxes on small business owners.”
Kyl added that his party’s alternatives had to be considered.
“These changes do not require government takeover of the health care system, or massive new spending, job-killing taxes or rationing of care,” he said.
Obama cast off the criticism.
“Now, we know there are those who will oppose reform no matter what,” Obama said. “We know the same special interests and their agents in Congress will make the same old arguments and use the same scare tactics that have stopped reform before because they profit from this relentless escalation in health care costs.”
Obama also re-stated that the plan would not contribute to the federal deficit or limit patients’ choices.
“Under our proposals, if you like your doctor, you keep your doctor. If you like your current insurance, you keep that insurance. Period, end of story,” he said.
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