Sunday, March 21, 2010
WASHINGTON — The Democratic-controlled Congress handed President Barack Obama a huge victory Sunday 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 Tuesday.
Just before midnight EST, President Obama spoke from the East Room of the White House saying, ""At a time when pundits said it was no longer possible, we rose above the weight of our politics."
"This is what change looks like," the president said.
The stakes could not have been higher for Obama's presidency. Republicans hoped that by blocking the legislation, they would be able to thwart the president's ambitious domestic agenda, including immigration reform and climate change legislation.
Obama watched the vote in the White House's Roosevelt Room with Vice President Joe Biden and about 40 staff aides. When the long sought 216th vote came in — the magic number needed for passage — the room burst into applause and hugs. An exultant president exchanged a high-five with his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel.
While national health care has been a goal of presidents stretching back decades, it has proved elusive, in part because self-reliance and suspicion of a strong central government remain strong in the U.S.
After more than a year of political combat — certain to persist into the fall election campaign for control of Congress — debate on the House floor fell along predictable lines.
Immediately following the vote, Democrats turned back a Republican move to undo the bill by a vote of 219-212. Republicans argued the legislation would permit the use of federal money to pay for abortions.
"We will be joining those who established Social Security, Medicare and now, tonight, health care for all Americans," said Speaker Nancy Pelosi before the vote, referring the government's pension program and health insurance for the elderly established nearly 50 years ago.
"This is the civil rights act of the 21st century," added Rep. Jim Clyburn, the top-ranking black member of the House.