Obama prods House to pass health care bill

By PHILIP ELLIOTT

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says now is the time for Congress to "answer the call of history" and approve legislation revamping the country's health care system.

AP Photo

President Barack Obama walks out of the Cannon Caucus Room with Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., left, after meeting with House democrats about health care on Capitol Hill in Washington, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009.

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• House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer says it'll take a while longer before a final health care package reaches the president's desk. COURTESY: CBS' "The Early Show"

• House Minority Leader John Boehner says Republicans will pull out all the stops to derail the health care reform package.

• Obama pitches health overhaul as House nears vote
• Obama prods House to pass health care bill

After meeting for nearly an hour with House Democrats, Obama went to the White House Rose Garden and said opportunities like passing a major health overhaul "come around maybe once in a generation."

The president made his remarks as the House was debating a bill reshaping the nation's health care system in a vote that was expected to be close.

He said the bill was the kind of change the country needs. He said lawmakers should repay the trust the voters placed in them, "even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard."

Associated Press writers Erica Werner and Alan Fram contributed to this report.