oneworldtalk

The White House has landed another big Republican voice in support of sweeping health care legislation: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California.

With the health care legislation headed for debate on the floors of both chambers of Congress, the Obama administration has stepped up efforts to win support from Republicans away from Capitol Hill, where G.O.P. lawmakers are overwhelmingly opposed to the legislation.

In his statement, Mr. Schwarzenegger did not endorse any specific version of the legislation. But he noted his own efforts at improving the health care system in California and urged bipartisan cooperation at the national level.

In lining up Republicans to support legislative action on health care this year, the White House is using a strategy similar to one it employed during debate over the economic stimulus plan earlier this year. Moving to bypass Republican opponents in Congress, the administration reached out to governors, many of whom stepped up in support.

On Monday, Tommy Thompson, the former health and human services secretary in the Bush administration, one-time Republican presidential candidate and former governor of Wisconsin, issued a statement expressing similar support for health care legislation this year. So did a former Republican — and now an Independent — Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York City.