Rep. Gutierrez: ‘Undecided’ on Health Care but ‘Headed in the Right Direction’

ABC News’ Devin Dwyer reports:

Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., who voted “yes” on House Democrats’ health care bill in November, says he remains “undecided” on the current version of the bill but that ongoing conversations with the White House have been “fruitful” and “headed in the right direction.”

“I want the health care proposal to be successful; I want our conversations on immigration reform to be successful,” he said. 

Gutierrez has two objections to the bill: that it doesn’t allow undocumented workers to participate in the health insurance exchange, and that legal immigrants and migrant workers will be barred from participating in the exchange for five years.

Gutierrez says these are not deal breakers, however. 

“I have said that I understand the difficulty that exists given the rules by which we’re going to adopt these measures – rules that don’t allow for legislative language change. I understand that,” he said. “Given that difficulty, we are talking about other, more expansive immigration positions and changes that the president, that this White House, can make.”

Could a deal on immigration reform be in the works?

“It will always be about public policy – this won’t be about getting a trip on Air Force One, it won’t be about somebody coming and campaigning, somebody endorsing some legislative measure or a bridge over a river that doesn’t exist,” he said.