Health care plan reaction

GREEN BAY - Political reaction to the President's speech was predictably along party lines. Wisconsin's governor saying he's pleased the President's plan is being developed around proposals at least considered in other states, including Wisconsin.

"We are now the state with the second highest percentage of people with health insurance. So, we're doing some really good things here. But there is still this overriding all areas of the country that he was talking about that the costs are going up at a rate much higher than inflation and that puts pressure on every family in the state."

The Wisconsin plan, called Healthy Wisconsin, stalled in the legislature two years ago before Democrats gained control of both the Senate and Assembly.

Democrats also now control both the House and Senate in Washington and Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, promised today that what the president wants for health care insurance coverage, the president will get.

"We told the president we'd have a bill by the end of July, that it would be paid for, and that's the course of action that we are in. We will have a product that will meet the president's values, meet the needs of the American people, be paid for, and make America healthier."

However, Republicans, Like Janesville Representative Paul Ryan, say the program is being forced on them too fast.

"I think legislation to have the federal government take over the management of our health care sector, which is 17 percent of the economy, with only 35 hours of debate between the House and the Senate is just not enough debate."