Responding to a Republican congressman's request to take Obama up on his offer to meet members and review health care legislation "line by line," a White House official told POLITICO: "We’ll see if Congressman Burgess makes it to the White House – but it wouldn’t be the first time President Obama has discussed health insurance reform with him this summer." Burgess submitted a video question to POTUS for the president's health care town hall at Northern Virginia Community College last month. (4:31 p.m.)

EARLIER -- ACCEPTED: Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas), a doctor, released a letter taking President Obama up on invitation for members to come to the Oval Office and go over health care legislation "line by line."

From Burgess's letter to Obama: "I write to accept your offer to meet with you at the White House to discuss the current health care reform proposals before us and to review legislative language line by line. I hope that we can get together at the earliest possible opportunity."
Full letter after the jump... August 3, 2009

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

I write to accept your offer to meet with you at the White House to discuss the current health care reform proposals before us and to review legislative language line by line. I hope that we can get together at the earliest possible opportunity.

I have read the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act (H.R. 3200) in its entirety and have worked tirelessly in the Energy and Commerce Committee to help improve this legislation. Presently, I have many concerns about the legislation before us.

I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to review my concerns about this bill with you and to explain the ways in which this legislation fails to achieve your stated goals of bringing quality, affordable health care to all Americans. I believe my perspective as a practicing physician for over 25 years and my track record of bipartisan work on health care issues will be helpful in identifying ways that Republicans and Democrats can work together, in a bipartisan fashion, to enact meaningful health care reform.

In February, you told me at the White House that you are interested in finding out what works in health care reform. I look forward to the opportunity to meet with you to achieve this goal that we both share. Please contact my Washington, D.C. office at 202-225-7772 to schedule a meeting.

Sincerely,

Michael C. Burgess, M.D.
Member of Congress


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