Saturday, November 7, 2009

The Democratic-controlled House has passed historic health care legislation to provide medical coverage to millions more Americans.

Most Americans would be required to carry insurance and large
employers would be obliged to cover their employees.

A top House Republican says passage of the health care bill shows that Democrats didn't get the message from voters last week and in summer town-hall meetings.

The No. 3 House Republican, Indiana's Mike Pence, says Democrats
are putting their liberal, big government agenda ahead of the American people.

The Democrat who is overseeing the party's House races, Maryland's Chris Van Hollen, says the passage of the health care bill was a signal to voters. The message, Van Hollen says, is that Democrats are fixing the health care system and working to bring down costs.

Pence and Van Hollen appeared on "Fox News Sunday."

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UPDATE : A majority of House members have voted to pass
the health care bill. The vote is continuing.
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UPDATE : The House has used a near-partyline vote to reject a Republican health overhaul bill.

Shortly before beginning its vote on a Democratic plan, the chamber voted 258-176 against a GOP version that would have lowered costs for people with insurance but done little or nothing to expand coverage to those without any.

Outnumbered Republicans knew the chamber would reject their measure, but advanced it to present their vision of how the health system should be reshaped.

The GOP relied largely on loosening regulations on private insurers to reduce costs for the insured by as much as 10 percent. Congressional budget analysts said the plan would make no dent in the ranks of the uninsured.

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The House is wrapping up debate as it marches toward passage of a landmark health care overhaul bill. Minority Republicans catalogued their criticism of the nearly 2,000-page, $1.2 trillion measure. Georgia Congressman Paul Broun said, "The American people need to understand this is about a government takeover of the whole health care system."

But with little or no doubt about the outcome, the rhetoric lacked the fire of last summer's town hall meetings.

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 defy the government's mandates.

Before the debate on the House floor, House Democrats held a private meeting with President Barack Obama. Speaking in the White House Rose Garden afterward, the president said: "This is our moment to deliver.