If the House follows suit, by year's end the President will be signing the most significant public health legislation in a decade.
Many public health experts argue that all the big advances in public health have relied on legislation, from seat belt laws to smoking bans.
His statement differed from comments by some other Democratic leaders, who call the public option essential for any health care legislation.
The Senate Finance Committee, which is widely expected to clear health care reform legislation this week, has so far rejected a public health care insurance option.
Ministers insist they are acting in accordance with both UK, Scottish and European legislation and that measures which relate to public health, social problems and crime are exempt from competition law.
The biggest areas for new legislation at the moment are the environment, public health, consumer protection and internal security.
Anti-tobacco legislation like those imposing smoking bans in public areas, compulsory health warnings on the packaging and restrictions on advertising and marketing add to further decline in tobacco sales.
Earlier, the House passed an amendment to pending health care legislation that prohibits federal funds for abortion services in the public option and in the insurance "exchange" the bill would create.
Under the new legislation, public employees will have 30 days to hammer out any changes to their health benefits.
FORBES: Out of Left Field: Massachusetts House Votes to End Collective Bargaining for Public Workers
The House of Lords is therefore a revising chamber, and peers - many of whom are experts in a particular field of public policy, such as economics or health - regularly ask the government to re-think important legislation.
The proposed legislation is a product of intense negotiations between Congress, the White House, and public health groups.
应用推荐