Lawmakers sound off on President's budget and health costs

While White House Budget Director Peter Orszag testified on Capitol Hill about President Obama's fiscal 2011 budget, some members expressed concern about health costs, McClatchy reports.

"Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., wanted more attention paid to how curbing health care costs could cut budget deficits ... Orszag, who showed no emotion during his testimony, calmly said that Obama had a long-term plan to reduce the deficits, notably an as-yet un-appointed bipartisan commission to recommend remedies and a renewed push for changes in the nation's health care system." A recommendation to bring down Social Security and Medicare costs and to raise taxes would face big resistance, however, Orszag said (Lightman, 2/2).

Related KHN interactive graphic: HHS Discretionary Spending In President's Proposed 2011 Budget  (Weaver and Liu, 2/2)