Ten senators yesterday sent President Bush a two-page letter urging the White House to take action on a set of healthcare proposals that would provide affordable and accessible healthcare to all Americans and to ignore critics who say Congress is hamstrung to pass broad health initiatives this session.
The senators, five Democrats and five Republicans, said they want to work with the administration to pass a slate of healthcare proposals that would revamp federal tax rules for coverage, create more incentives for statewide health initiatives, boost wellness and prevention programs, improve end-of-life care, and bolster access to quality information and price transparency. A White House spokesman told the Associated Press that the administration is eager to work with the lawmakers and lauded the senators for putting aside bipartisan bickering. The letter was signed by Sens. Robert Bennett (R-Utah), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), Herb Kohl (D-Wis.), Trent Lott (R-Miss.), Ken Salazar (D-Colo.), John Thune (R-S.D.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). -- by Matthew DoBias
