Posted: 10:08 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009
Historic Health Care Passes Senate
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December 21, 2009
By Veronica Waters
- The Senate passes President Barack Obama's landmark health insurance overhaul, which could extend coverage to 30 million more Americans, and define this president's legacy. President Obama says Congress is now "incrediby close to making health insurance reform a reality in this country," after years of blocked efforts at reform. Without a single Republican vote, the Senate approved the landmark legislation, 60-39. It requires nearly all Americans to buy insurance and forbids insurance companies from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions. The president praises this measure as the toughest ever to hold the insurance industry accountable. The $871 billion plan will still need to be reconciled with a House version sometime after the holidays before it gets to Mr. Obama's desk for his signature.
Negotiations between the House and Senate to reconcile differences between the two bills are expected to begin as soon as next week. The House bill has stricter limits on abortion than the Senate, and unlike the House, the Senate measure omits a government-run insurance option, which liberals favored to apply pressure on private insurers but Democratic moderates opposed as an unwarranted federal intrusion. President Obama has signaled he will sign a bill even if it lacks that provision.
Reaction to the bill was varied:
"We are now finally poised to deliver on the promise of real, meaningful health insurance reform that will bring additional security and stability to the American people. ... This will be the most important piece of social legislation since Social Security passed in the 1930s.'' President Barack Obama.
"It is about people. It's about life and death in America. It's a question of morality, of right and wrong. It's about human suffering. And given the chance to relieve this suffering, we must take it.'' Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
"Not even Ebenezer Scrooge himself could devise a scheme as cruel and greedy as Democrats' government takeover of health care. Sen. Reid's health care bill increases premiums for families and small businesses, raises taxes during a recession, cuts seniors' Medicare benefits, adds to our skyrocketing debt, and puts bureaucrats in charge of decisions that should be made by patients and doctors.'' House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.
"The Senate health care bill is far from perfect. I am deeply disappointed it does not include a public option to help keep down costs, and I also don't like the dealmaking that secured votes with unjustifiable provisions. I will work to improve the bill, including restoring the public option, when the final version is drafted.'' Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis.
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