Presdient: "The Time Has Come to End Decades of Debate"

Today President Obama called for the Congress to take action on health care reform. He called for them to press ahead with a comprehensive bill and rejected the piecemeal approach proposed by Republicans. Though he did not mention reconciliation specifically, he argued that health care reform "deserves the same kind of up-or-down vote that was cast on welfare reform, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, COBRA health coverage for the unemployed, and both Bush tax cuts – all of which had to pass Congress with nothing more than a simple majority." He set a timetable of having the bill completed before the Congress recesses for its Easter recess. You can read the text of the President's speech here. Or you can watch it here.