Ted Kennedy to Move on Health When Obama Gives Go-Ahead

By GottaLaff

Go, Teddy, go! It'll be great to see him back in action:

Senator Edward Kennedy's staff is holding regular meetings with interest groups to translate President-elect Barack Obama's health-care plan into legislation that can be passed by Congress, an aide said.

Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, will take his "cues from the Obama White House'' and expects that Congress will act on a measure in Obama's first term, said Michael Myers, staff director of Kennedy's Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, at a conference today in Washington.

Obama has proposed expanding government health programs, giving subsidies to low-income families and requiring that insurers cover everyone, regardless of their medical condition. Kennedy, who is under treatment for brain cancer, told the Democratic convention in August that providing "decent, quality health care'' to everyone is "the cause of my life,'' and he pledged to return to Congress in January to achieve it. [...]

Kennedy's committee, trying to avoid repeating Hillary Clinton's failed attempt to rework health care in 1993-94 during her husband Bill's first term as president, is talking with different advocacy and interest groups to produce a plan with broad support.

We wish you the best, Teddy.