White House praises Snowe for 'important' vote

The White House on Tuesday hailed Sen. Olympia Snowe's (R-Maine) support for a healthcare proposal as "important" in advancing reform this year.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs praised Snowe's decision to side with Democrats and back a healthcare reform bill in a vote before the Senate Finance Committee.

"I think the White House and the president are pleased that the likely outcome appears that we'll be one step closer to reform," Gibbs said of the Finance Committee's expected vote to send Chairman Max Baucus's (D-Mont.) health bill to the Senate as a whole.

"I think, as the president said in the Oval Office a few moments ago, obviously having the vote of Senator Snowe is important," Gibbs added. "[He] believes that she's worked constructively throughout this process to address a problem that Americans face and her constituents in Maine face."

President Barack Obama praised Snowe for "extraordinarily diligent" work on healthcare reform in brief remarks this afternoon.