Steny Hoyer: Health Care Will Move Forward
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) promised on "Face the Nation" Sunday that health care reform will move forward following Thursday's historic bipartisan health care summit with President Obama.
"We're going to move ahead," he told host Bob Schieffer. "We think that's essential. We think it will bring down costs. We think it will improve the health of America."
The number two Democrat in the House called the summit on Thursday "extraordinary."
"I can't remember a similar meeting held by any president, certainly in the 30 years I've been in Congress," he added. "It was a civil and substantive discussion. I think the American public got the impression that very serious debate and discussion and there were differences."
However, Hoyer deflected questions about whether there were enough votes in the House to pass the Democrats' plans as outlined thus far. Even though a reform package passed in the chamber last November, many analysts think it could be harder to get the votes the next time.
"I don't think we have the votes in terms of a specific proposal because there's not a specific proposal on the table yet," he said.
Hoyer added that he thinks a specific proposal will be put forth within "the next couple of weeks," and then Democrats will start counting votes for that bill.
Hoyer appeared on "Face the Nation" with Senate Democrat Kent Conrad (N.D.) and Republicans Sen. Tom Coburn (Okla.) and Rep. Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.).
More from Face the Nation:
Dems, GOP Divided on Health Care Costs
Is Reconciliation a "Minor" Issue?
Bob Schieffer: The Strange Obsession With Curling
Full Transcript
