BREAKING NEWS: House OKs final health reform 'fixes'

[ProSense]

Congress completes overhaul of health care

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent

WASHINGTON – Capping an epic struggle, congressional Democrats put the final touches Thursday to historic legislation enshrining health care as the right of every citizen. Republicans vowed to campaign for repeal in the fall election season, drawing a quick retort from President Barack Obama: "I welcome that fight."

The president spoke in Iowa as the Senate voted 56-43 for legislation making changes, including better benefits for seniors and low-income and middle-class families, to the bill he signed into law with a flourish at the White House on Tuesday.

The House added its approval a few hours later, 220-207, clearing the way for Obama's signature on the second of two bills that marked the culmination of what the president called "a year of debate and a century of trying" to ensure coverage for nearly all in a nation where millions lack it.

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The second of the two bills also presented Obama with another victory, stripping banks and other private lenders of their ability to originate student loans in favor of a system of direct government lending.

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:woohoo:

[Skink]

1. Very nice of them.

[impik]

2. Student Loans reform kick ass!

[vaberella]

3. Agreed...now Sallie Mae has to consolidate my loans.n /t

[Cha]

4. "220" ..so we got one more vote this

time..wonder who?

[rhett o rick]

5. k&r. Thanks for the post. nm

[klook]

6. Did they have to include the "No Viagra for Sex Offenders" provision

to get it passed? B-)

[jwirr]

7. I also heard that they included an option for states to have the freedom

to improve the plan. Maybe that is the door for the states to create a single payer plan or at least a public option. We here in MN just need to open Minnesota Care and we have a PO.

[Jennicut]

8. Finally, now I can sleep better at night.

:D