Congressional leaders say they welcome President Obama's idea for a health care summit — but it is far from clear that more talking will deliver Republican votes for any bill that Democrats rewrite.

"Senate Democrats join with the president in reaffirming our commitment to seeking a bipartisan solution to health reform," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "We have promoted the pursuit of a bipartisan approach to health reform from day one."

House GOP Leader John A. Boehner of Ohio said he, too, was looking forward to the summit. But in a statement, he launched another attack on Democrats' current plans.

"Obviously, I am pleased that the White House finally seems interested in a real, bipartisan conversation on health care," he said. "The problem with the Democrats’ health care bills is not that the American people don’t understand them; the American people do understand them, and they don't like them."

Congressional Republicans have largely resisted the Democratic effort to write health care legislation. Only one Republican member voted for the House bill when it passed in November. No Republicans voted for the Senate bill during procedural motions or on final passage.

A version of this story first appeared in CQ Today.