Key White House Spokeswoman on Health Care to Step Down

White House spokeswoman Linda Douglass, the former ABC news reporter who became a prominent mouthpiece for President Obama in pushing to overhaul the health care system, is stepping down.

"It has been a tremendous honor to serve the president, and leaving this great time is bittersweet," said Douglass, whose official title is communications director for the Office of Health Reform.

"After nearly two years of work that has been exhilarating and grueling in equal measure, I am going to step off the treadmill for awhile and rediscover the experience of dining with my husband on a regular basis," she said. "It has been a privilege to be part of the health care team, and I will be cheering with pride from the sidelines as this historic law takes effect."

White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer said Douglass was "instrumental" in last month's passage of Obama's health care overhaul.

"We'll miss her hard work and the cheer she brought to the effort," he said.