After months of debate, the House of Representatives is set to vote on major health care reform legislation today. Keep updating this page for breaking news updates, read the overview AP coverage HERE, and follow live streaming video of the fierce House debate and Twitter updates HERE.
11:07 PM ET — House health care bill gets votes needed for passage. 220 members of Congress — including one Republican, Rep. Joseph Cao of Louisiana — voted in favor of health care reform, advancing the legislation by the slimmist of margins. Forty-nine Democrats voted against the bill, along with 176 Republicans.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) cast vote #218, solidifying passage. Speaker Pelosi was “near sobbing,” HuffPost’s Ryan Grim reports.
Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/07/house-health-care-vote-br_n_349468.html&cp
CNN Reports that the final tally is 220 to 215.
Dena Bunis over at Total Buzz reports that despite wavering in support of the bill earlier in the day, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez ultimatly voted in favor of Health Care Reform.
President Barack Obama made the following statement:
Tonight, in an historic vote, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would finally make real the promise of quality, affordable health care for the American people.
The Affordable Health Care for America Act is a piece of legislation that will provide stability and security for Americans who have insurance; quality affordable options for those who don’t; and bring down the cost of health care for families, businesses, and the government while strengthening the financial health of Medicare. And it is legislation that is fully paid for and will reduce our long-term federal deficit.
Thanks to the hard work of the House, we are just two steps away from achieving health insurance reform in America. Now the United States Senate must follow suit and pass its version of the legislation. I am absolutely confident it will, and I look forward to signing comprehensive health insurance reform into law by the end of the year.