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HOUSE BACKS HEALTHCARE REFORM BILL
NATION — By MainStreetMantra Desk on November 8, 2009 at 1:37 am
HOUSE BACKS BILL
The US House of Representatives has backed a healthcare bill in a step towards reforms promised by President Obama, despite strong opposition. Passed in a narrow 220-215 vote, the bill aims to extend coverage to 36 million more Americans and provide affordable healthcare to 96%.
The bill now has to be reconciled with a separate Senate draft law. President Obama has made reform of America’s healthcare system a central plank of his domestic agenda. Before Saturday’s vote, Mr Obama made a rare visit to Congress to try to persuade wavering members of his own Democratic Party to back the bill.
He said such opportunities came around “maybe once in a generation”. The bill would allow the government to sell insurance in competition with private companies and make insurers offer cover to those with pre-existing conditions.
But this so-called “public option” had been scaled back in the wrangling that preceded the House vote. The bill was supported by 219 Democrats and one Republican – Joseph Cao from New Orleans. Opposed were 176 Republicans and 39 Democrats. Before Saturday’s vote, Mr Obama made a rare visit to Congress to try to persuade wavering members of his own Democratic Party to back the bill.
He said such opportunities came around “maybe once in a generation”. The bill would allow the government to sell insurance in competition with private companies and make insurers offer cover to those with pre-existing conditions. But this so-called “public option” had been scaled back in the wrangling that preceded the House vote.
In the run-up to the vote, conservatives from both the Republican and Democratic parties joined forces to pass new restrictions on abortion coverage in insurance policies to be offered to individuals and groups. The amendment had been offered to conservative Democrats as a means of persuading them to vote for the main bill.
A Senate debate on the bill the healthcare reform is expected in the coming days.
Tags: bill, care, health, house, legislation, reform
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5 Comments
Just imagine I read it twice. While I am not as accomplished on this issue, I match with your determinations because they create sense. Thanks and goodluck to you.
Superb report, I just reviewed a Partagas over the weekend….fairly wonderful; I really don’t know if I’d include it in my finest Ten unfortunately. Cheers for spending the energy to post this!
Barack Obama and the rest of his Washington cronies should really be ashamed of themselves. This really is a total outrage. I was under the idea that once the president will take office he is required to swear an oath that will support and also protect the constitution of our great country. Nowhere within the Constitution did it allow the government the right to enact and also implement legislation like the medical care reform bill. I believe that these power mongers might be in for a real surprise around November. Best wishes regarding decline of your political career.
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Hrmm that was weird, my comment got eaten. Anyway I wanted to say that it’s nice to know that someone else also mentioned this as I had trouble finding the same info elsewhere. This was the first place that told me the answer. Thanks.