The US Senate has passed a sweeping healthcare reform bill, bringing Barack Obama a step closer to enacting one of his signature campaign promises and to meeting a goal sought by US presidents for decades.The early-morning vote in the first Christmas Eve session for decades came after months of intense negotiations by the president's allies in the Senate, who were forced to wrangle for every Democratic vote in the chamber to overcome Republican opposition.Obama welcomed the outcome, saying it brought decent healthcare closer to all Americans. "We are now finally poised to deliver on the promise of real, meaningful health insurance reform," he said at the White House. "With today's vote, we are now incredibly close to making health insurance reform a reality in this country. Our challenge then is to finish the job."The $871bn bill will be merged with similar legislation passed by the House of Representatives, with a final version expected to reach the president's desk by mid-February.
The US Senate has passed a sweeping healthcare reform bill, bringing Barack Obama a step closer to enacting one of his signature campaign promises and to meeting a goal sought by US presidents for decades.
The early-morning vote in the first Christmas Eve session for decades came after months of intense negotiations by the president's allies in the Senate, who were forced to wrangle for every Democratic vote in the chamber to overcome Republican opposition.
Obama welcomed the outcome, saying it brought decent healthcare closer to all Americans. "We are now finally poised to deliver on the promise of real, meaningful health insurance reform," he said at the White House. "With today's vote, we are now incredibly close to making health insurance reform a reality in this country. Our challenge then is to finish the job."
The $871bn bill will be merged with similar legislation passed by the House of Representatives, with a final version expected to reach the president's desk by mid-February.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate approved President Barack Obama's landmark healthcare overhaul on Thursday, backing sweeping changes in the medical insurance market and new coverage for tens of millions of uninsured Americans. On a party-line 60-39 vote, Senate Democrats supported the most dramatic shifts in health policy in four decades. The early-morning Christmas Eve vote followed months of political wrangling that consumed the U.S. Congress and put a dent in Obama's public approval ratings.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate approved President Barack Obama's landmark healthcare overhaul on Thursday, backing sweeping changes in the medical insurance market and new coverage for tens of millions of uninsured Americans.
On a party-line 60-39 vote, Senate Democrats supported the most dramatic shifts in health policy in four decades. The early-morning Christmas Eve vote followed months of political wrangling that consumed the U.S. Congress and put a dent in Obama's public approval ratings.
