Obama stepping up his push for health care overhaul with Rose Garden event today

Obama stepping up push for health care overhaul

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has scheduled an appearance in the White House Rose Garden today to talk about his top domestic priority: health care reform.

The president wants the House and Senate to pass legislation overhauling the nation’s health care system before lawmakers leave town for their annual August recess.

To that end, House Democratic leaders unveiled a $1.5 trillion plan Tuesday that would tax the rich to help provide health care for all. Senate committees also have been working on their own health care proposals.

During a speech in Warren, Mich., on Tuesday, Obama went off-script to push health care, saying, “We have no choice but to change the health care system because right now it’s broken for too many Americans.”