Obama: ‘Stars are aligned’ for healthcare deal

President Obama said Wednesday the “stars are aligned” for a deal on healthcare reform this year.

Speaking after a meeting at the White House with House Democratic leaders and key committee chairmen, Obama said that a sense of urgency should animate efforts to achieve healthcare reform.

“We don’t have any excuses, the stars are aligned,” Obama said.

The president praised the productivity of the House on that issue as well as energy and emissions legislation.

“This is an example of the extraordinary productivity we’re seeing in the House right now,” Obama said. “That’s the kind of urgency we need to achieve what I believe will be historic legislation.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also heaped praise on Obama, who she asserted has done the most to advance healthcare in America in over a half-century.

“Under your leadership, since you became president, whether it was taking the lead on SCHIP, the heath IT, other legislation — your leadership with this Congress has done more…than has been done since Medicare was established in the 50s,” Pelosi said.