Pelosi: US health overhaul will happen

WASHINGTON — Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday that President Barack Obama's historic health care drive was closer to passage after a high-stakes summit with Republicans opposed to the overhaul.As Democrats wrestled with how best to push the ambitious legislation forward, Pelosi said the unusual seven-hour talks on Thursday "made a difference, and it moved us closer to passing a bill.""We are determined that we are going to pass health-care reform," said the speaker.Pelosi said she was working with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on a way forward but invited Republicans to contribute more ideas to what would be the most sweeping shift of its kind in four decades."If they have a good idea and it works for the American people, bravo, we welcome it," said the speaker.There were no signs that Republicans would rally behind the president's top domestic priority, amid public skepticism of the ambitious plan nine months before critical November mid-term elections.Democratic lawmakers and aides made clear that they would proceed with the plan whether or not Republicans come aboard, while describing a timetable that calls for action within the next month to six weeks."We look forward to working with you over the next few weeks to see if we can come to agreement," Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told the number two House Republican, Eric Cantor, in a discussion on the House floor."If we can't do it, then we're going to proceed. And that's what he (Obama) told the American people he was going to do," Hoyer said.One senior Democratic congressional aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Obama "gave folks 4-6 weeks before we go it alone" without Republican support.That timeframe could also prove necessary for Democrats to overcome considerable internal divisions and agree on a way to extend health care coverage to tends of millions of Americans who currently lack it.Democrats used their majorities last year to drive legislation through the Senate and House of Representa

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