Final Post

This afternoon the Senate approved a slightly modified reconciliation bill, and tonight the House voted for that modified bill. The legislative battle for health care is over, and it has ended with a historic victory that will take its place with the passage of the great New Deal initiatives, the civil rights act, Medicare and Medicaid, and perhaps a few others. It will mark this President and this Congress as leaders who were able to address a seemingly overwhelming problem that Presidents and Congresses going back a century were unable to resolve. And it shows that the country's elected leaders--Democratic leaders--are still able to accomplish big things, even in the face of an implacable and utterly uncompromising opposition.

So it is under these happy circumstances (which were very uncertain a few weeks ago) that this final posting on this blog is submitted. When we started 206 posts ago, we had no idea that this legislation would take seven months to pass. As we glance back over the posts of these contentious months, we see a loose chronicle of the ebb and flow of issues, controversies, tactics, and personalities that have comprised the campaign. We'll continue to leave the blog up for several more weeks for anyone who might want to meander through this informal record.

Thanks to the Tippecanoe Democratic Party for its support of this effort and to those who have followed this story with us.

Putting Americans in Charge of Their Health Care

Here's part of a letter from the White House to supporters of the health care reform bill. It's a nice summary of the benefits all Americans, and all Hoosiers, will enjoy as a result of this historic legislation:

This morning, I gathered with members of Congress, my administration, and hardworking volunteers from every part of the country to sign comprehensive health care reform into law. Thanks to the immeasurable efforts of so many, the dream of reform is now a reality.

The bill I just signed puts Americans in charge of our own health care by enacting three key changes:

It establishes the toughest patient protections in history.

It guarantees all Americans affordable health insurance options, extending coverage to 32 million who are currently uninsured.

And it reduces the cost of care -- cutting over 1 trillion dollars from the federal deficit over the next two decades.

To ensure a successful, stable transition, many of these changes will phase into full effect over the next several years.

But for millions of Americans, many of the benefits of reform will begin this year -- some even taking effect this afternoon. Here are just a few examples:

Small businesses will receive significant tax cuts, this year, to help them afford health coverage for all their employees.

Seniors will receive a rebate to reduce drug costs not yet covered under Medicare.

Young people will be allowed coverage under their parents' plan until the age of 26.

Early retirees will receive help to reduce premium costs.

Children will be protected against discrimination on the basis of medical history.

Uninsured Americans with pre-existing conditions can join a special high-risk pool to get the coverage they need, starting in just 90 days.

Insured Americans will be protected from seeing their insurance revoked when they get sick, or facing restrictive annual limits on the care they receive.

All Americans will benefit from significant new investments to train primary care doctors, nurses, and public health professionals, and the creation of state-level consumer assistance programs to help all patients understand and defend our new rights.

If the Republicans plan to base their 2010 campaign on repealing the law, and thereby withdrawing these benefits from the people--well, as the President says, that's a fight we'll be happy join.

Thanks to Heather Maddox for sharing the letter.

Law of the Land

Here is the entire signing ceremony which makes health care reform the law of the land. There is other interesting material on the White House webpage.

Indiana Democrats Come Through

Salon.com lists the "yes" votes Reps. Brad Ellsworth and Baron Hill among its 10 most courageous votes for health care. Their measurement is based on the relative strength of Republicans in their districts derived from Charlie Cook's Partisan Vote Index. Ellsworth is Number 5 and Hill is Number 8. You can read more here.

Rep. Andre Carson voted "yes" after walking through a crowd of angry white Tea Party protesters outside the Capitol with Rep. John Lewis. The protesters spewed racial epithets at them. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver was spat upon. Afterward the entire Democratic delegation opted to walk that same path, through that same mob, to the Capitol.

Rep. Joe Donnelly, who only a few days ago was indicating that he would vote against the bill because of abortion concerns, was apparently satisfied by the arrangement negotiated with Rep. Bart Stupak for the President to issue an executive order indicating that no federal money will be expended to pay for abortions. You can read more about Donnelly's change of heart here.

Rep. Pete Visclosky also voted in favor of the bill.

This Is What Change Looks Like

Speaking last night after the historic vote in the House, President Obama said, "This isn’t radical reform. But it is major reform. This legislation will not fix everything that ails our health care system. But it moves us decisively in the right direction. This is what change looks like." This is also what victory looks like. You can read the entire text of the President's remarks here.

Some Disagreement on Vote Count

The Hill reports some disagreement on whether the Democrats have the 216 House votes needed to pass the reform bill later today. Democratic caucus leader John Larson says they have the votes "as we speak," but deputy whip Debbie Wasserman Schultz says, "We don’t have a hard 216 right now," but adds "I firmly believe we will have 216." House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told NBC’s "Meet the Press" that “there are still members who are looking at it and making up their mind, but we still think there are going to be 216-plus votes when we call the roll.” Read more here.

President Negotiating with Abortion Opponents

The Hill is reporting that Rep. Bart Stupak has said that his supporters are close to an agreement on abortion that may involve the President issuing an executive order banning the use of federal funds for abortions. Appraently the negotiations have involved eight potential "No" vote among Democrats. Read more here.

Ellsworth and Hill Will Vote "Yes"

The Louisville Courier Journal is reporting that both Reps. Brad Ellsworth and Baron Hill will vote in favor of the health care reform bill. Hill said the current system has "failed hardworking Hoosiers," and that he chooses “to stand with those that have been shortchanged for far too long.” They cite Joe Donnelly as undecided. You can read more here.

Gibbs Predicts Successful Vote--This Week!

On yesterday's Fox News Sunday White House press secretary Robert Gibbs predicted a successful House vote on health care reform very soon: "We'll have the votes when the House votes, I think, within the next week." Gibbs added that those on next week's Sunday talk shows "will be talking about healthcare not as a presidential proposal but I think as the law of the land." You can read more here.

Joe Donnelly Will Vote "No"

Rep. Joe Donnelly, Democrat of Indiana's 2nd District, said in a statement today that he will vote against the Senate health care reform bill in the House:

If I’m asked to vote on the Senate health care reform bill as is, I will vote no. The process over the past few months has been frustrating, including the cutting of unacceptable special deals to assure a few senators’ votes. Also, the Senate version of health care reform does not meet my standards for assuring that no federal funds are used for abortion-related services.

Donnelly voted in favor of the House bill. You can read more about Donnelly here.