« Back to Topic
U.S. Senate passes historic health-care legislation
The Associated Press and 680News staff
Dec 24, 2009 07:36:51 AM
The U.S. Senate passed President Barack Obama's landmark health-care overhaul, which extends medical insurance to 30-million Americans.
The legislation was passed by a vote of 60-39, Thursday, marking Obama's first major victory on a domestic issue.
The bill requires nearly all Americans to buy insurance and forbids insurance companies from denying coverage based on patients' pre-existing conditions.
The vote capped months of arduous negotiations, and a succession of failures by past congresses to get to this point.
Vice-President Joe Biden presided as 58 Democrats and two independents who voted "Yes." Republicans unanimously voted "No."
The Senate's bill must still be merged with legislation passed by the House before Obama could sign a final bill in the new year.
« Back to Topic