House passes health bill

• By DAVID ESPO
• Associated Press writer
• Published: Nov 8, 2009

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WASHINGTON — In a victory for President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed landmark health-care legislation Saturday night to expand coverage to tens of millions who lack it and place tough new restrictions on the insurance industry. Republican opposition was nearly unanimous.

The 220-215 vote cleared the way for the Senate to begin debate on the issue that has come to overshadow all others in Congress.

A triumphant Speaker Nancy Pelosi likened the legislation to the passage of Social Security in 1935 and Medicare 30 years later.

“It provides coverage for 96 percent of Americans. It offers everyone, regardless of health or income, the peace of mind that comes from knowing they will have access to affordable health care when they need it,” said Rep. John Dingell, the 83-year-old Michigan lawmaker who has introduced national health insurance in every Congress since succeeding his father in 1955.

Republican U.S. Rep. Joseph Cao, of New Orleans, was the sole Republican to vote for the bill. Cao hails from a district that is made up of two-thirds Democrats.

“I listened to the countless stories of Orleans and Jefferson Parish citizens whose health-care costs are exploding — if they are able to obtain health care at all,” Cao said in a statement after the vote. “Lou-isianans need real options for primary care, for mental health care, and for expanded health care for seniors and children.”

Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy, of Baton Rouge, spoke Saturday as part of 12 hours of addresses made before the vote. Cassidy, a gastroen-terologist, called the bill too costly. He protested the provi-sions that require businesses and individuals to purchase insurance.

“If they do not, the long arm of the state reaches out, grabs, and shakes out fees and penalties,” Cassidy said.

Likewise, Republican U.S. Rep. Charles Boustany, of La-fayette, a retired heart surgeon who gave the Republican re-sponse to President Obama’s health care address to Con-gress, said the bill was passed without input from Republi-cans.

“House Democrats’ gov-ernment-run health care over-haul will increase health care costs for millions of Ameri-cans, tax Americans struggling with a tough economy and cut health care benefits for mil-lions of seniors,” Boustany said in a statement issued after the vote.

In the run-up to a final vote, conservatives from the two political parties joined forces to impose tough new restrictions on abortion coverage in insurance policies to be sold to many individuals and small groups. They prevailed on a roll call of 240-194.

Ironically, that only solidified support for the legislation, clearing the way for conservative Democrats to vote for it.

The legislation would require most Americans to carry insurance and provide federal subsidies to those who otherwise could not afford it. Large companies would have to offer coverage to their employees. Both consumers and companies would be slapped with penalties if they defied the government’s mandates.