The President and Democratic leaders reiterated their determination to move forward on health care reform while continuing to strategize on ways to do so, since the political landscape changed with the election of Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts.

In an interview with CBS News anchor Katie Couric on Sunday, President Obama attempted to jump-start the stalled health care debate, inviting Republicans in Congress to a half-day summit on the subject to be televised live later this month. These comments follow closely remarks he made to members of the Democratic National Committee on Thursday where he charted an alternate path for health care reform stating, “What I’d like to do is have a meeting whereby I’m sitting with the Republicans, sitting with the Democrats, sitting with health care experts, and let’s just go through these bills — their ideas, our ideas — let’s walk through them in a methodical way so that the American people can see and compare what makes the most sense.” At the Democratic National Committee’s Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, the President sought to reassure his party that he was still committed to health care reform, stating, “Let me be clear: I am not going to walk away from health care insurance reform.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) met Tuesday to discuss health care reform legislation; however, they reached no decisions on the path forward. After the meeting, Reid told reporters, “We are going to proceed. We just don’t know at this time how we are going to proceed.” Later on Tuesday, in a call with the media, Pelosi reiterated her determination to keep pushing to pass comprehensive health care reform. In addition to other Democratic initiatives such as jobs creation, Pelosi referred to health care reform as “first among equals.”

On Monday, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius highlighted items in President Obama’s 2011 budget that will “protect the health and safety of America’s families.” The budget includes a variety of measures aimed at improving health care including: reducing fraud in Medicare and Medicaid, extending State funding for Medicaid, improving quality of and access to health care, promoting public health, and investing in scientific research and development.

What to look for this week:

The House of Representatives will vote on repealing the antitrust exemption for health insurance companies – this provision was included in the House-passed health care reform bill but not in the Senate’s version. It remains uncertain whether Democratic leaders will have an agreed upon strategy on how to proceed with comprehensive health care reform before Congress leaves town for a one-week break at the end of this week.

In Case You Missed It

CBS News Katie Couric Interview with President Obama Feb. 7.

A transcript of President Obama’s Remarks to the Democratic National Committee in Washington Feb. 6.

2011 Budget – Department of Health and Human Services Fact Sheet