House Passes Health-Care Reform Bill in Historic Vote

From the Wall Street Journal

By JANET ADAMY and NAFTALI BENDAVID

WASHINGTON – In a tight vote, the House passed its sweeping health bill late Saturday, marking the biggest victory yet for Democrats in their drive to create near-universal health insurance.

The bill passed by a 220-215 margin, with one Republican, Anh "Joseph" Cao of Louisiana, joining 219 Democrats in favor. Thirty-nine Democrats voted against the bill. The passage came after House leaders made a surprise last-minute concession that blocks abortion from the new government insurance plan in order to win over wavering Democrats.

The vote was a major victory for President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), and moved them toward a goal that's eluded presidents for decades. Mr. Obama came to the Capitol on Saturday morning and assured Democrats they'd remember the vote as their finest moment in politics once he signs it into law. "Opportunities like this come around maybe once in a generation," he said.



Its passage moves Congress closer to the biggest expansion of the social safety net since the Medicare insurance program for the elderly was created in 1965. The measure spends $1.01 trillion over a decade to provide health insurance to an additional 36 million Americans and creates a new public insurance plan to compete with private insurers by 2013. It requires most Americans to carry insurance, creates a new exchange where they can shop for it and gives the lowest earners tax credits to help them pay for it.

The debate played out in an unusual Saturday session marked by emotional speeches and sharp rhetoric. Members of both parties carted their children and grandchildren to the speaking podium in a marathon showdown that was at turns theatrical and contentious.

The day's most dramatic scene came when lawmakers passed an amendment to narrow insurance coverage for abortion for those gaining new insurance coverage through the health overhaul. The 240-194 vote flipped the hardened lines of support for the health overhaul, with 176 Republicans and 64 Democrats voting for it.

But on the rest of the bill, Republicans offered nothing but sharp opposition. Republicans framed the issue as an unprecedented power grab that would raise – not lower – medical costs. They lambasted the legislation for creating new taxes and failing to curb frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits.

"Does this bill mean the government will take over running health care? Yes," said Rep. Paul Ryan (R., Wisc.). "But what's worse, this bill replaces the American idea with a European-style social welfare state."

Democrats portrayed the legislation as a moral imperative that will achieve a goal that's eluded presidents since Theodore Roosevelt. They argued it would fix the most nightmarish aspects of the medical system by preventing insurers from denying coverage to the sick and protecting consumers from financial ruin caused by medical bills.

"It is testimony to how we care for our fellow citizens," said John Larson (D., Conn.). "It is at the very core of all that America stands for, and why we came here to serve."

The vote was perhaps the most far-reaching consequence of the Democrats' sweeping election victories in 2006 and 2008. Democrats have felt pressure to produce results to show for those victories, but the health vote also put newly elected Democrats from conservative areas in tough political position, caught between party leaders and their election prospects in 2010.

The health overhaul still has several hurdles to clear before it could become law, and its final passage is far from assured. The Senate must pass its own bill and meld it with the House bill before sending it to President Obama's desk. It's more difficult to pass legislation through the Senate, and despite Democrats' wide majority there, leaders are straining to bring together their fractious coalition. Any final bill is likely to be more moderate, and possibly less ambitious, that what's passed through the House.
—Patrick Yoest contributed to this report.

To see same report visit the Wall Street Journal

Write to Janet Adamy at janet.adamy@wsj.com and Naftali Bendavid at naftali.bendavid@wsj.com