U.S. House, Aided by Pelosi, Approves Health Care Reform

After a long road of debate and amendments the Democratic Party born health care reform, HR 3590, has been approved in the House as well as the Senate. The passage gives a green light for change for health care in the United States.
U.S. House, Aided by Pelosi, Approves Health Care Reform
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in a file photo. The U.S. House passed HR 3590, which marks a change for health care in the United States. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
3/22/2010
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/pelagic92788958.jpg" alt="Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in a file photo. The U.S. House passed HR 3590, which marks a change for health care in the United States. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)" title="Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in a file photo. The U.S. House passed HR 3590, which marks a change for health care in the United States. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1821867"/></a>
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in a file photo. The U.S. House passed HR 3590, which marks a change for health care in the United States. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
After a long road of debate and amendments the Democratic Party born health care reform, HR 3590, has been approved in the House as well as the Senate. The passage gives a green light for change for health care in the United States.

In a big win for President Barack Obama and the Democratic caucus in Washington, the health care reform bill passed in the House with a 220-211 vote. Politicians around the country worked hard for and against the bill. Protesters gathered outside Congress the night of the vote. No Republicans voted for the legislation.

Making a valiant effort and helping to create Democratic consensus in the House was speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi of California. She spoke with high regard for the bill and expressed her dedication to making life better for the people of America.
“It is with great humility and with great pride that we tonight will make history for our country and progress for the American people. Just think—we will be joining those who established Social Security, Medicare, and now tonight health care for all Americans,” said Pelosi after the vote on Capitol Hill. Rep. Pelosi is the first female speaker.

Pelosi praised the president and all of those who took time to step up and make a positive change in the nation. President Obama promised voters change in his campaign speeches and this is the first big step forward in his presidency. This was a big push for the president to keep his campaign promise to the American people. “We would not be here tonight, for sure, without the extraordinary leadership and vision of President Barack Obama. We thank him for his unwavering commitment to health care for all Americans,” said Pelosi.

American businesses and citizens spent a combined $2.9 trillion dollars on health care last year. Pharmaceutical companies and insurance companies have reaped profits as costs have increased.

“We all know, we all know that the present health care system and insurance system, health insurance system in our country is unsustainable. We simply cannot afford it. It simply does not work for enough people in terms of delivery of service and it is bankrupting the country with the upward spiral of increasing medical costs,” said Pelosi.

Government mandated health care should cause an estimated 30 million Americans who were uninsured to receive subsidized insurance coverage. Republican critics question the constitutionality of the requirement that all people must buy health insurance.

The bill will now be sent to the president. He is expected to sign it on Tuesday, March 23. After the March 21 vote, he said, “I want to thank every member of Congress who stood up tonight with courage and conviction to make health care reform a reality. And I know this wasn’t an easy vote for a lot of people. But it was the right vote. I want to thank Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her extraordinary leadership, and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn for their commitment to getting the job done.”

The U.S. government’s Congressional Budget Office recently revised their evaluation of the budget effects of the bill. The nonpartisan agency found that it will reduce the deficit over time.