Landmark Health Insurance Bill Passes House [Obama Wants Bill On His Desk This Year]

AP Report ^ | November 07th, 2009

[Steelfish]

Landmark Health Insurance Bill Passes House Tough fight still ahead in Senate, and two versions have wide differences

WASHINGTON - In a victory for President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed landmark health care legislation to expand coverage to tens of millions who lack it and place tough new restrictions on the insurance industry.

The final vote was 220-215. Only one Republican — Rep. Joseph Cao of Louisiana — voted for the measure; 39 Democrats voted against it.

Obama praised the House in a statement and said he is "absolutely confident" that the Senate will pass its version of the legislation. "I look forward to signing it into law by the end of the year," he said.

Passage was an exhilarating triumph for Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who earlier likened the bill to passage of the government's Social Security pension program in 1935 and Medicare health insurance for the elderly 30 years later.

But the Senate has yet to begin floor debate on its own version of insurance reform. That debate may be weeks away, with Senate Democratic leaders still negotiating over the details of their legislation.

If the Senate enacts its bill, conferees from House and Senate would then meet to negotiate a final compromise measure.

That compromise would then need to be voted on by the House and Senate.

So Democratic members from Republican-leaning districts who cast a difficult vote Saturday night for the House bill will face yet another tough vote in several weeks.

The legislation would require most Americans to carry insurance and provide federal subsidies to those who otherwise could not afford it. Large companies would have to offer coverage to their employees. Both consumers and companies would be slapped with penalties if they defied the government's mandates.

[McBuff]

George is not happy with this

[parisa]

DAMN THESE PEOPLE TO HELL. I NEVER THOGHT I WOULD HAVE HATE TO THIS EXTEND.

[Schnucki]

Ciao cao!

[plinyelder]

Everyone Needs To See This:

http://tinyurl.com/yjqam5y

[blackbart.223]

Putting turkey neck in front of an Americanm flag is borderline criminal. That rotten old hag needs to be tried for for violating her oath of office.

[GloriaJane]

I feel like the guy in that video. I want to go to my door, open it up and scream at the top of my lungs, "I am mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!!!"

[octex]

Ciao cao!

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That’s great! Quick wit you have.

Folks like Cao that enable the socialists’ takeover of the US and are RINOS need to be replaced.

[blackbart.223]

"In a victory for President Barack Obama."

And a defeat for decent hard working Americans. But it it is not over yet. It just doesn't look good.

[lowbridge]

If the Senate enacts its bill, conferees from House and Senate would then meet to negotiate a final compromise measure.

Which will be just as bad. Just a differently named poison, thats all.

[plinyelder]

LOL

I Think that I may have awakened my neighbors!

[Sarah Barracuda]

DAMN THESE PEOPLE TO HELL. I NEVER THOGHT I WOULD HAVE HATE TO THIS EXTEND.

---

I hear ya, I never thought I Could hate a President as much as I hate this one. I was too young during the Carter Administration to care about him, heck, even Clinton wasn’t as bad as this. Obama wants to destroy this country as quick as possible. He is nothing more then a dictator, thanks a lot 52 percent of the public, you voted in our version of Hugo Chavez

[blackbart.223]

"Just a differently named poison, that's all."

Hemlock or cyanide? Take your pick.

[Plumberman27]

I have yet to see anyone here post the question of is this Constitutional? As soon as Nimrod (The current President) signs the bill it needs to be taken apart piece by piece and challenged so that it takes the next 50 years to become actual law. NO need to challenge the entire thing just take it on by separate organizations one piece at a time.

[blackbart.223]

"I was too young during the Carter Administration to care about him."

I wasn't. Carter was the worst president until now. But if you need a reason to hate Carter he endorsed Obama. Any questions?

[Plumberman27]

I have yet to see anyone here post the question of is this Constitutional? As soon as Nimrod (The current President) signs the bill it needs to be taken apart piece by piece and challenged so that it takes the next 50 years to become actual law. NO need to challenge the entire thing just take it on by separate organizations one piece at a time.

[blackbart.223]

"I have yet to see anyone here post the question of is this Constitutional?"

I have brought that up several times on this forum.It is not Constitutional.

[LiberaMa]

We need to redouble our efforts to make sure the SENATE does NOT pass this healthcare reform monstrosity. How can it be legal or constitutional that CONGRESS can FORCE us American citizens to submit to their dictate to BUY a particular insurance plan, when THEY themselves are EXEMPT from doing so?? We must hammer that message of INJUSTICE until this thing is KILLED. And if it passes anyway, we must be ready to fight this thing in the Courts. It is NOT JUST and amounts to TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!

[Yaelle]

How could this POSSIBLY be Constitutional? The Constitution enumerates the specific powers of the federal government, and expressly states that any not so listed do not exist.

These “representatives” of us have all SWORN to uphold this document that keeps us free, and yet they vote themselves powers like a king would.

It is up to the American people to choose soft tyranny or self-reliant freedom. This is a fight. Liberty is not easy.

[eyedigress]

The Fed is going to get this shoved up their collective ass.