March 22nd, 2010

The Philadelphia Inquirer Reports:

WASHINGTON – Summoned to success by President Obama, the Democratic-controlled Congress approved historic legislation last night extending health care to tens of millions of uninsured Americans and cracking down on insurance-company abuses, a climactic chapter in the century-long quest for near-universal coverage.

Widely viewed as dead two months ago, the Senate-passed bill cleared the House on a 219-212 vote, with Republicans unanimous in opposition. Congressional officials said they expected Obama to sign the bill as early as tomorrow.

Obama watched the vote in the White House’s Roosevelt Room with Vice President Biden and dozens of aides. When the long-sought 216th vote came in – the magic number needed for passage – the room burst into applause and an exultant president exchanged a high-five with his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel.

“We proved that we are still a people capable of doing big things,” the president said a short while later in televised remarks. “We proved that this government – a government of the people and by the people – still works for the people.

A second measure, making changes in the first, cleared the House 220-211 shortly before midnight and was sent to the Senate, where Democratic leaders said they had the votes necessary to pass it quickly.

Crowds of protesters outside the Capitol shouted “just vote no” in a futile attempt to sway the historic vote taking place inside a House packed with lawmakers and ringed with spectators in the galleries above.

Across hours of debate, House Democrats predicted the central bill, costing $940 billion over a decade, would rank with other great social legislation of recent decades.

“We will be joining those who established Social Security, Medicare, and now, tonight, health care for all Americans,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi, partner to Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in the grueling campaign to pass the legislation.

“This is the civil rights act of the 21st century,” added Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, the top-ranking black member of the House.

Defeated Republicans warned of a government takeover of the health-care system, financed by a trillion dollars in higher taxes and Medicare cuts combined.

“There is dirty deal after dirty deal after dirty deal in the bill this House will vote on,” Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan said during the debate. “It is a disgrace.”

The measure cleared a critical early test vote, 224-206, a few hours after Obama and Democratic leaders struck a compromise with antiabortion lawmakers whose votes had left the outcome in doubt. The president issued an executive order pledging that no federal funds would be used for elective abortion.

Rep. Bart Stupak (D., Mich.) and a handful of fellow abortion opponents said they were satisfied and announced their support for the bill. A spokesman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed skepticism that the presidential order would satisfy the church’s objections. The National Right to Life Committee quickly issued a scathing statement disputing Stupak’s claim.

A shouting band of protesters outside the Capitol dramatized their opposition, and one man stood up in the House visitors’ gallery yelling, “Kill the bill” before he was ushered out – evidence of the passions the tumultuous yearlong debate over health care has stirred.

For the president, the events capped an 18-day stretch in which he traveled to four states and lobbied more than 60 wavering lawmakers in person or by phone to secure passage of his signature domestic issue. According to some who met with him, he warned that the bill’s demise could cripple his still-young presidency.

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