Originally published December 23, 2009 at 6:30 PM | Page modified December 23, 2009 at 10:24 PM
Comments (0)
E-mail article
Print
Share
Obama criticizes Senate for health-care bill delays
President Obama on Wednesday expressed frustration with the way the Senate does business, saying the use of delaying tactics in the chamber to stop the health-care bill harms the nation's ability to "deal with big problems in a very competitive world."
PREV
WASHINGTON — President Obama on Wednesday expressed frustration with the way the Senate does business, saying the use of delaying tactics in the chamber harms the nation's ability to "deal with big problems in a very competitive world."
"Other countries are going to start running circles around us," Obama said in a White House interview with PBS. "We're going to have to return to some sense that governance is more important than politics inside the Senate."
Obama's critique of his former Senate colleagues came as his allies there were on the cusp of giving him what he wants: passage of a Senate health-care bill.
The bare-minimum bloc of 60 senators — all 58 Democrats and two independents — voted to end a GOP filibuster and move toward final passage today.
Obama said the use of that vote-stalling tactic, which requires 60 votes to cut off debate, has been imposed in an "unheard of" routine fashion. But conceded that, as president, he doesn't have much power to do anything about it.
Obama's interviews were with PBS' "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer."
As for the health care bill, the version the Senate is expected to pass must still be reconciled with a House-passed measure.
Obama pledged to take a hands-on role in reconciling the two.
Others states' fights bring focus to Daniels
NEW - 07:13 AM
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is writing memoir
Bill would make jail mug shots available
Immigration, license bill voted down in state Senate
Rival Texas bills require sonograms before abortions
Entertainment | Top Video | World | Offbeat Video | Sci-Tech
Open Houses
|
Find all open houses.
|
(The Associated Press) Fuel rules get support A Consumer Federation of America survey conducted in April found that a large majority of Americans R...
Post a comment
- Records give rare look at how feds probed one reporter
- Pete Carroll on Seahawks' off-field problems: "It's real serious"
- Kemper Freeman plans $1.2 billion expansion in Bellevue
- Earthquake scenarios show potential for huge damage, loss of life
- Huge tornado hits Oklahoma City suburb, kills 51
- NBA player Terrence Williams arrested in Kent for gun threats
- Poverty hits home in local suburbs like S. King County
- Records: Slain intruder showed signs of mental breakdown
- Police: Brother-in-law ‘heavily involved’ in disposal of Susan Powell’s body
- Amazon proposing glass-and-steel biodomes on new campus
- IRS office was perplexed, inundated with tax-exempt applications 374
- Guest: Stop using the term ‘illegal immigrants’ 183
- UW Medicine, Catholic health system to have ‘strategic affiliation’ 167
- A few things to take away from this heartbreaking Mariners series 154
- Mariners can't close Indians out, lose it 10-8 in 10th 143
- Leading Senate Democrat: IRS behavior intolerable 89
- Tornadoes slam Plains, Midwest; 1 dead in Okla. 89
- Don't worry Husky football fans, we'll have you covered 78
- More Obama aides knew of IRS audit; Obama not told 77
- Amazon.com proposing glass-and-steel spheres 42
- Kemper Freeman plans $1.2 billion expansion in Bellevue
- UW Medicine, Catholic health system to have ‘strategic affiliation’
- Earthquake scenarios show potential for huge damage, loss of life
- Community Dinners church nourishes bodies, souls
- China’s wealthy paying cash for Eastside luxury homes
- Poverty hits home in local suburbs like S. King County
- UW expands online courses, this time from Harvard, MIT
- deafReview gives a voice to deaf consumers
- Amazon proposing glass-and-steel biodomes on new campus
- 129 concerts to see this summer
