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Hoyer, Cantor Talk Produces Little

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) met Thursday afternoon to exchange their differing views on health care reform and engage in the time-honored tradition of political theater.

Cantor told reporters after the meeting that he gave Hoyer a list of three areas where Republicans and Democrats could find agreement on health care reform, including making it more affordable, making medical liability reforms and barring discrimination based on pre-existing conditions.

“The leader said he would take a look at it, [but] I think the leader is probably very vested in the process right now trying to assemble his votes,— Cantor said. “I think this does provide a way for us to move forward and effect positive reform and I’m hopeful I will hear back from the leader.—

Hoyer did not say when he would respond, Cantor said.

After the meeting, Hoyer thanked Cantor for coming by his office to talk about health care reform during their weekly colloquy on the House floor.

The meeting came after Hoyer challenged top GOP lawmakers — several of whom said they agreed with President Barack Obama’s assertion in his joint address to Congress that there was 80 percent agreement between Democrats and Republicans on how fix the health care system — to name the areas of agreement amounting to 80 percent.

“As I told you last week, I have not found the 80 percent yet, but I am still going to look,— Hoyer said.

Bipartisan efforts to find areas of agreement have resulted in little more than public relations opportunities, since Democrats are working through final versions of their health care reform package.

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