President Barack Obama on Wednesday declared that the time for talk on controversial health care reforms had come to an end and called on lawmakers to put a comprehensive bill up for a vote in Congress in the next few weeks, dpa reported. "Everything there is to say about health care has been said and just about everyone has said it," Obama said in a speech at the White House. "So now is the time to make a decision." After more than a year of divisive debate about health care, Obama took full charge of the reforms that have been his top domestic priority since entering office, and which have been largely opposed by opposition Republicans. "I do not know how this plays politically, but I know it's right," Obama said of his plan, which aims to expand health coverage to about 30 million Americans who have no insurance coverage. Differing versions of the health reforms were approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate late last year. But the measure was halted by the shock January election victory of Republican Scott Brown in Massachusetts, which robbed Democrats of their super-majority in the Senate. Obama made clear he supported using controversial procedural manoeuvres in the Senate that would allow the legislation to be passed by a simple majority. Obama said he was willing to pay the political consequences for pushing a bill that has divided the US public. "No matter which approach you favour, I believe the United States Congress owes the American people a final vote on health care reform," Obama said.
