[Shaun]

The US House of Representatives has narrowly voted to pass a landmark healthcare reform bill at the heart of President Barack Obama's agenda.

The bill passed by 219 votes to 212, with no Republican backing, after hours of fierce argument and debate.

It extends coverage to 32 million more Americans, and marks the biggest change to the US healthcare system in decades.

"We proved that we are still a people capable of doing big things," Mr Obama said in remarks after the vote.

"We proved that this government - a government of the people and by the people - still works for the people," he added.

Mr Obama is expected to sign the legislation into law shortly.

The president has pulled off the most significant victory since his election 16 months ago, the BBC's Paul Adams reports from Washington.

Historic vote

Lawmakers held two votes into the late hours of Sunday - the first on procedural issues, and the second to pass the Senate-approved version of the health reform bill.

When the vote count hit the magic number of 216 - the minimum needed to pass the bill - Democrats hugged and cheered in celebration and chanted: "Yes we can."

Under the legislation, health insurance will be extended to nearly all Americans, imposes new taxes on the wealthy, and bars restrictive insurance practices such as refusing to cover people with pre-existing medical conditions.

The Republicans have vowed to continue resisting it.

They say the measures are unaffordable and represent a government takeover of the health industry.

"We have failed to listen to America," said Republican party leader John Boehner.

Speaking moments before the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the health care reform honoured the nation's traditions.

"We will be joining those who established Social Security, Medicare and now, tonight, healthcare for all Americans," she said, referring to the government's pension program and health insurance for the elderly established nearly 50 years ago.

Although Democrats pushed the measure through with three votes to spare, 34 members joined Republicans in voting against the bill, worried about paying a political price in the November mid-term elections.

In a last-minute move designed to win the support of a bloc of anti-abortion lawmakers, Mr Obama earlier on Sunday announced plans to issue an executive order assuring that healthcare reform will not change the restrictions barring federal money for abortion.

Next steps

The House must now vote on a package of reconciliation "fixes" sought by some Democrats to the legislation.

If the House approves the package of changes to the Senate bill, the Senate would take it up next week using a procedure known as reconciliation.

That would allow budget provisions to be approved with 51 votes - rather than the 60 needed to overcome blocking tactics.

'Make history' Pelosi urges House

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the final version of the Democrats' healthcare plan will cut the federal deficit by $138bn (£92bn) over 10 years.

The non-partisan body said the proposed legislation would cost about $940bn (£626bn) over a decade.

The reforms will increase insurance coverage through tax credits for the middle class and expansion of the Medicaid programme for the poor.

They represent the biggest change in the US healthcare system since the creation in the 1960s of Medicare, the government-run scheme for Americans aged 65 or over.

[Rory]

ffs, free healthcare will only draw us into a worse depression than we are in now. Obama needs to address issues like the rising unemployment rate and the worsening of the economy instead of sh*t like this. He's just going to ***** over our economy even more. Taxing us even more for means like free healthcare won't pull us out of the state our economy is in now, and is surely doing nothing to assure that we have a stable income since Obama is failing to bring unemployment to the front of his issues.

Dear God I hope come 2012 he's not reelected - his approval ratings have gone down the tube since the whole "change" facade has worn away. Nevertheless, uninformed citizens supported and voted for him because of the fact that he would be the first black president, not because of his policies or his ability to follow through.

[Captain.Remy]

Originally Posted by Rory

Dear God I hope come 2012 he's not reelected - his approval ratings have gone down the tube since the whole "change" facade has worn away. Nevertheless, uninformed citizens supported and voted for him because of the fact that he would be the first black president, not because of his policies or his ability to follow through.

Thank you man, I thought I was the only one in the world to think so. Obama is more of a "face" than anything. I'm not saying McCain would have been better, the last 2 for the running wasn't so good.

However, I agree with his health reform because it is needed but right now isn't the good time. What is the priority in well, 80% of the countries is unemployment. This issue had to be sorted before, even more in the US than anywhere else because it got hit very hard by the crisis and it still has the leadership. At least in Europe, we managed to stop the damages (except Spain).

[Shaun]

Agreed with Rémy. And Hillary was robbed btw.

[Stu]

I think saving lives is slightly more important than loosing a bit of money temporarily so in my limited knowledge of the American political system, this is a good thing. The American health system has been in a shambles for years. It's embarrasing. So what if the government moved to take it over - as long as it's better. Competing third party bodies have no business attempting to compete with each other to make as much profit as they can from sick and dying people.

It's one of the great fears of the neo conservatives that this is some step towards some daft social pseudo communist state. Half a century on from McCarthy and people still fear this crap.

[Shasown]

Originally Posted by Judas Iscariot

I think saving lives is slightly more important than loosing a bit of money temporarily so in my limited knowledge of the American political system, this is a good thing. The American health system has been in a shambles for years. It's embarrasing. So what if the government moved to take it over - as long as it's better. Competing third party bodies have no business attempting to compete with each other to make as much profit as they can from sick and dying people.

It's one of the great fears of the neo conservatives that this is some step towards some daft social pseudo communist state. Half a century on from McCarthy and people still fear this crap.

This.

Plus Republicans dont like social reforms at home, they like wars overseas.

[Tom4784]

I'm glad for America, like Stu said, saving lives is more important then spending a bit more money. Plus I'll support anything that rubs the Republican's faces in it.

[Shaun]

I find it staggering not a single Republican voted in favour.

[Captain.Remy]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

I'm glad for America, like Stu said, saving lives is more important then spending a bit more money. Plus I'll support anything that rubs the Republican's faces in it.

I'm glad for them too, but on an economics side, it is definitely not the right time. The worldwide economy is falling apart, this reform could have been done a bit later, in 6 months for example.
I can see why some Americans don't want this reform because it will cost them money (taxes) and as for now, they're kind of bankrupt, they lost their houses and the consumption fell dramatically.
As for the Republicans, well, the fact they didn't vote for isn't surprising really, it's all money and business to them.

[ILoveTRW]

Obama is a ****wit

[Stu]

Originally Posted by Shaun

I find it staggering not a single Republican voted in favour.

It really shows up the poverty of the political party system. Everyones view gets twisted to correspond their parties view. Everyone should be an individual, independent politician.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Rory

ffs, free healthcare will only draw us into a worse depression than we are in now. Obama needs to address issues like the rising unemployment rate and the worsening of the economy instead of sh*t like this. He's just going to ***** over our economy even more. Taxing us even more for means like free healthcare won't pull us out of the state our economy is in now, and is surely doing nothing to assure that we have a stable income since Obama is failing to bring unemployment to the front of his issues.

Dear God I hope come 2012 he's not reelected - his approval ratings have gone down the tube since the whole "change" facade has worn away. Nevertheless, uninformed citizens supported and voted for him because of the fact that he would be the first black president, not because of his policies or his ability to follow through.

Rory your Stinking Warmonger GWBush
gave this world and you the Depression from Hell.

Many USA stations
claim he will be gone at the next Election
but still have not given anyone to face him
except Ex near porn star Scott Brown.


Giving out Fines fot those that refuse to take up Health Cost Ins.,
to America is never been done before like this before.

I hope the Tonight show
does sone comedy on this.

We need to see the Dark Side.

[Stu]

Haha, awesome.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Judas Iscariot

Haha, awesome.

Yes thats a Yank Word.

[NettoSuperstar!]

Originally Posted by Judas Iscariot

I think saving lives is slightly more important than loosing a bit of money temporarily so in my limited knowledge of the American political system, this is a good thing. The American health system has been in a shambles for years. It's embarrasing. So what if the government moved to take it over - as long as it's better. Competing third party bodies have no business attempting to compete with each other to make as much profit as they can from sick and dying people.

It's one of the great fears of the neo conservatives that this is some step towards some daft social pseudo communist state. Half a century on from McCarthy and people still fear this crap.

Double this

[Tom4784]

I'm no expert of economy so forgive any mistakes I make but I think the stuff about it being to expensive doesn't make much sense. We've got the NHS and everything's more expensive here then in America, If we can run a competent NHS surely it won't be a problem for America as they can get more for their Dollars then we can for our pounds? Again forgive my ignorance on the matter.

[Shasown]

Originally Posted by Rory

ffs, free healthcare will only draw us into a worse depression than we are in now. Obama needs to address issues like the rising unemployment rate and the worsening of the economy instead of sh*t like this. He's just going to ***** over our economy even more. Taxing us even more for means like free healthcare won't pull us out of the state our economy is in now, and is surely doing nothing to assure that we have a stable income since Obama is failing to bring unemployment to the front of his issues.

Dear God I hope come 2012 he's not reelected - his approval ratings have gone down the tube since the whole "change" facade has worn away. Nevertheless, uninformed citizens supported and voted for him because of the fact that he would be the first black president, not because of his policies or his ability to follow through.

Glad to see you fully understand the reasons for recession and depression.

One of the ways to get an economy on the up and out of depression is to ensure people actually start spending money, instead of hoarding it, isnt moving money from tax dollars into the medical insurance and then into areas of treatment etc spending money? Its money circulating inside an economy that helps ease recessions.

[Captain.Remy]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

I'm no expert of economy so forgive any mistakes I make but I think the stuff about it being to expensive doesn't make much sense. We've got the NHS and everything's more expensive here then in America, If we can run a competent NHS surely it won't be a problem for America as they can get more for their Dollars then we can for our pounds? Again forgive my ignorance on the matter.

If the health care system has to change, it will cost money. A lot of money. The current system is a disaster but as it made money to the insurances, no one did care and no one dared to opened their mouth.
On an economic side, the fact the taxes will be raised scare (some of) the Americans to death because it is an economy based on spending and consuming: loan more to buy more. Like Shasown just said: for an economy to get healthier, the money cannot always stay in the economy itself, money must be spent elsewhere and, at the moment, unemployment and consumption drops have been the major issue in the US.

I don't honestly think it would have been such a big issue if it was a minor country but the fact it's the US, the first economy in the world (China isn't far by the way) influences on the worldwide economy. Unemployment is the issue.

(Sorry if I sound a bit complicated, I'm an economist in the becoming )

[arista]

Capt Remy
it is not just the Money.

The Problem is the Amount of Public
that do not want this.

And the Pay the Fine or Else - elements.
This will be the big test.


But again
there still is no one that can stand up to Barrack.

[Rory]

Originally Posted by arista

Rory your Stinking Warmonger GWBush
gave this world and you the Depression from Hell.

Many USA stations
claim he will be gone at the next Election
but still have not given anyone to face him
except Ex near porn star Scott Brown.


Giving out Fines fot those that refuse to take up Health Cost Ins.,
to America is never been done before like this before.

I hope the Tonight show
does sone comedy on this.

We need to see the Dark Side.

...I never said I supported Bush. I just don't support Obama either. Bush left us in ruins, and Obama is making it even worse.

And The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is ****.