President Obama To Discuss Health Care Reform in Address to Congress
Christopher Weber
Correspondent
Posted:
09/2/09
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid sent a letter to the president Wednesday, inviting him to speak to a joint session of Congress. The topic: health care reform.
Dear Mr. President: Our nation is closer than ever to achieving health insurance reform that will lower costs, retain choice, improve quality and expand coverage. We are committed to reaching this goal. We would like to invite you to address a Joint Session of the Congress on Wednesday, September 9 on health insurance reform. Thank you for considering this invitation to speak to the Congress and the nation.The address will be televised in prime time one day after Congress, which has been in recess, returns to work. The president is hoping to use the event to take back the lead on the health care reform debate after a summer of testy town hall meetings and slipping poll numbers.
Politico has some interesting historical perspective:
The last time a president addressed a joint session of Congress that wasn't a State of the Union, or the traditional first address by a new president, was Sept. 20, 2001, when President George W. Bush spoke on the war on terrorism following the 9/11 attacks.The big question remains whether Obama will insist that a public option be part of any health care reform bill.