House Speaker Nacy Pelosi Meets with Democratic Committee Chairs to Begin Process of Reconciling House and Senate Versions of Health Care Overhaul

Today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will meet with the Democratic chairs of four committees "to start setting the parameters for negotiations with the Senate," Politico reports.

Tonight, Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., will meet with President Barack Obama at the White House. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Democratic Party Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois are expected to participate via conference call because they haven't returned to Washington yet.

Source: Casey Selix Added by: Rob Brent

President Barack Obama and his top allies in the Congress worked Tuesday to map the way to enacting a sweeping overhaul of US health care by his annual marquee State of the Union speech, now weeks away.

Obama and the Democratic leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives were to discuss their final drive to pass the legislation, his top domestic priority, in talks at the White House set for 5:45 pm (2245 GMT).

Source: Olivier Knox (AFP) Added by: Rob Brent