The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday rejected two amendments to include a government-run public health insurance option in the only compromise health care bill so far. It's one of the many road blocks the plan has faced and the White House is trying to get some Republicans on board.

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/30/collins.susan.art.jpg caption="Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) says so far she hasn't seen a health care bill that accomplishes what she thinks needs to be done."]

Senator Susan Collins of Maine is one of those Republicans whose support is being sought by the White House. She spoke to John Roberts on CNN’s “American Morning” Wednesday. Below is an edited transcript of the interview.

John Roberts: We were talking off camera. You said you don't recall seeing times like these. There is so much going on.

Susan Collins: There is. I can't remember another time when there were more important issues on the table. You've got the two wars, a major decision coming up in Afghanistan, the health care debate, a faltering economy, the need for financial reform, environmental legislation, the cap-and-trade bill. It's just an enormous array of issues, all of which are extremely important.

Roberts: This morning let's take a narrow slice of all of that and talk about health care reform. Are you going to be able to vote for health care reform, do you think?

Collins: John, I want to vote for a health care bill but so far I haven't seen one that accomplishes what I think needs to be done. And that is to really focus on the cost of health care. It's the cost of health care that's the biggest barrier to the uninsured and causes such a struggle for middle income families and small businesses.

FULL POST