In a landmark legislation, the US House of Representatives today passed the sweeping health care reform package, extending medicare coverage to 32 million uncovered Americans and cracking down on insurance companies.
The bill was passed after a Democratic-controlled Congress reached a last-minute deal with pro-abortion lobby to register a stunning 219 to 212 votes with opposition Republicans not breaking the line.
The bill carries a price-tag of $940 billion in 10 years and would ban insurance companies from pratices like denying coverage for pre-existing illness, dropping people from coverage when they get sick or capping life time coverage.
Congressional officials said that they expected the President Barack Obama to sign the deal as early as Tuesday and the stakes on the bill ran so high that forced Obama to delay an official trip to Australia and Indonesia.
The passage of the bill gave Obama supporters a boost as Obama's ambitious domestic agenda includes sweeping reforms of the immigration process and climate change legislation.
Jubilant after the victory in the Congress, Obama described medicare as a major reform and a victory for the American people.
"Tonight's vote is not a victory for any one party -- it's a victory for them. It's a victory for the American people. And it's a victory for common sense," a beaming Obama said shortly after the passage of the historic bill.
A comprehensive medicare bill has been the goal of US Presidents stretching back to decades but a legislation had proved elusive as legislators were apprehensive of cracking down on big business including insurance.
Obama congratulated the Congress for passing his signature legislative goal on which he had staked his Presidency.
"Tonight when the pundits said it was no longer possible, we rose above the weight of our politics," Obama said in televised remarks from the White House.
"We proved that we are still a people capable of doing big things. We proved that this government — a government of the people and by the people — still works for the people," he said.
"Today's vote answers the prayers of every American who has hoped deeply for something to be done about a health care system that works for insurance companies, but not for ordinary people," Obama said.
"This isn't radical reform. But it is major reform. This legislation will not fix everything that ails our health care system. But it moves us decisively in the right direction. This is what change looks like," he added.
Obama said that on Tuesday, the Senate will take up revisions to this legislation that the House has embraced, and these are revisions that have strengthened this law and removed provisions that had no place in it.
The United States is the only developed nation which does not offer its citizens comprehensive health care, with nearly 50 million Americans uninsured.
"We will be joining those who established Social Security, Medicare and now, tonight, health care for all Americans," said Speaker Nancy Pelosi, referring the government's pension programme 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.
However, Republicans said the Obama's health reform plan would saddle the nation with unaffordable levels of debt, leave states with expensive new obligations, weaken Medicare and give the government a huge new role in the health care system.
"We have failed to listen to America," said Rep. John Boehner.
Following the House votes, Obama planned to launch a campaign aimed at countering conservatives' criticisms of the health-care bill, his aides said.
Obama reminded his countrymen that his commitment to the growth remains the top most priority.
"The work of promoting private sector job creation goes on. The work of putting American families' dreams back within reach goes on. And we march on, with renewed confidence, energised by this victory on their behalf," he said.
"In the end, what this day represents is another stone firmly laid in the foundation of the American Dream. Tonight, we answered the call of history as so many generations of Americans have before us. When faced with crisis, we did not shrink from our challenge -- we overcame it. We did not avoid our responsibility -- we embraced it. We did not fear our future -- we shaped it," Obama said.
