Obama reaches out to Snowe

President Obama called Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) today to get her thoughts on healthcare reform, the Maine Republican said.

Snowe says the President emphasized his willingness to compromise and his dedication to getting biparitsan legislaiton passed before the August recess.

As a member of the Finance Committee, Snowe has joined a working group of committee members who are seeking a workable compromise.

Here’s Snowe’s full statement on the call from Obama:

“Today, President Obama reiterated to me that reforming the nation’s health care system is his highest priority, and that he continues to be open to suggestions and ideas as the Finance Committee crafts this vital legislation. As health reform would affect all Americans, I appreciate his understanding of the critical importance of producing a bipartisan bill with the broadest possible support, and his willingness to work together to achieve this watershed endeavor. The President repeated his goal of passing legislation in the full Senate prior to the August break that would be deficit-neutral while providing universal coverage — and I reaffirmed to the President my commitment to ensuring the Finance Committee creates the best possible package to guarantee health security for all Americans.”