Obama calls for universal coverage

The momentum for major healthcare reform continued to build as Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) called on federal lawmakers to make affordable, universal healthcare coverage a reality by 2012. Obama, who has announced his plans to pursue the Democratic nomination for president in 2008, said "by the end of the first term of the next president, we should have universal care in this country." Speaking at the Families USA conference inWashington , Obama said parts of President Bush’s proposal to revise the tax code and redirect federal funds to states to improve access to private health insurance "are interesting," but he said the proposal doesn’t go far enough. "We have to act bold," Obama said.