Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Republican legislative leaders are raising fresh doubts about any bipartisan agreement with President Barack Obama on health care unless he agrees to shelve bills already passed by Democrats in the House and Senate — a move the White House has rejected.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio repeated their concerns to reporters after joining Democratic leaders in meeting with Obama at the White House. President Obama has invited Republican leaders to a health care summit on Feb. 25.

Boehner said he was still trying to figure out what the point was if the president insists on using Democratic legislation as the basis for discussion.

He said any conversation ought to be "bipartisan from the beginning."