Washington, December 26: With the U.S. Senate passing on Thursday (24th December, 2009) its version of legislation to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system, President Barack Obama said supporters were “incredibly close” to enacting the reform package into law.
“We are now finally poised to deliver on the promise of real, meaningful health insurance reform,” Obama told reporters.
On a party-line 60-39 vote, Senate Democrats supported the most dramatic shifts in health policy in four decades.
The early-morning Christmas Eve vote followed months of political wrangling that consumed the U.S.
Congress and put a dent in Obama’s public approval ratings.
The US Senate approved a whopping USD 871 billion landmark healthcare legislation on Thursday.
The Senate delivered its gift wrapped health reform bill for President, voting on the day before Christmas for the first time since 1895 after 24 straight days of debate. Obama has welcomed the passage of his healthcare bill through the Senate, saying it paves the way for real reform.
In a historic vote that took place this morning, members of the Senate joined their colleagues in the House of Representatives to pass a landmark health-insurance reform package; legislation that brings us toward the end of a nearly century-long struggle to reform America’s health-care system.” sais Obama.
The bill aims to extend health coverage to more than 30 million uninsured Americans. It would also block insurance companies from refusing to cover people with pre-existing medical conditions.
“With today’s vote, we are now incredibly close to making health insurance reform a reality in this country. Our challenge then is to finish the job. We can’t doom another generation of Americans to soaring costs and eroding coverage and exploding deficits. Instead, we need to do what we were sent here to do and improve the lives of the people we serve. For the sake of our citizens, our economy, and our future, let’s make 2010 the year we finally reform health care in the United States of America.”
Once House Senate negotiators agree on a single bill, each chamber must approve it again before sending it to Obama to sign into law. Republicans promised to continue the battle. Democrats hope to send the bill to Obama before his State of the Union message in late January.
—Agencies