In her weekly news conference, Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the health care bill in the process of being brought to the floor "essential" and said it would not include a tax on health benefits. "I promised the president that we would have legislation out of the House before we went into the August break. That is still my goal," she said.

The Speaker said she could not recall the last time she received an intelligence briefing from CIA Director Leon Panetta, who told Democratic lawmakers that the agency had "concealed significant actions" in previous briefings. She also said she does not believe a resolution that celebrates the life and career of Michael Jackson should be brought to the House floor.

On the stimulus, Pelosi said she was "committed to seeing through the first stimulus" and that "this third quarter is a very important one for" it.