Expedient Van Lines

Despite the approval of the House, the health care reform faces uphill battle

narrow passage of a bill of health by scanning the House of Representatives portends a tough fight remains for President Obama and Democratic colleagues to get a bill through the Senate and law.

The House voted 220-215 on Saturday night, with 39 democrats opposed and one Republican in favor, to approve what would be the biggest expansion of coverage of health care since Medicare was established over 40 years.

Affordable Health Care for America Act, or HR 3962, restricts insurance companies from denying coverage to anyone with a pre-existing condition or higher premiums based on gender or medical history. It also provides federal subsidies to those that can not afford it. And it ensures coverage of 96 percent of Americans, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

But turn the bill into law remains uncertain. The Senate must now pass its own version of a bill of health, and Senate Majority Harry Reid of Nevada Leader last week reported uncertainty as to whether this will happen this year.

Once both chambers have passed a bill, a conference committee of Congress will merge the two proposals into a consensus version that would require final approval of each House and signed by Obama.

On Sunday, Mr. Obama praised the "historic" vote of the House to pass the bill and urged the Senate to "take over" and finish its work.

"For years, we were told that this could be done," said Obama, citing the decades of effort have no health care reform. "Last night, the House turned out differently."

The Chair drew support from members of the Chamber of many "brave" against "inflammatory rhetoric and often misleading about this bill."

"Now it falls on the U.S. Senate to take over and make this effort to the finish line, on behalf of the American people," Obama said. "And I'm absolutely convinced they will."

However, the Republicans and one independent senator who caucuses with the Democratic headquarters reported Sunday that difficulties remain for Obama on his top national priority.

Senator Joseph Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut, has reiterated that he would join the obstruction against a Republican bill of health if it contains an option Run government public health insurance after the procedure amendment of the House.

Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," Lieberman called the controversial option of the public, which is in the House bill and the Senate version being developed by Reid, an unnecessary provision designed to provide assurance disease managed by the government in the future.

"If the public option is there, as a matter of conscience, I will not allow the bill to come to a final vote," said Lieberman. He has said he will not oppose opening the Senate debate on the bill despite the public option, and he maintained the position that Sunday.

Lieberman's position is crucial because the Democratic caucus has a minimum of 60 votes to overcome Republican obstruction. Senate Republicans unanimously opposing the public option, if Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine has launched the idea of a possible compromise that would trigger a mandatory public option in the future if the thresholds for greater coverage and reduce costs are not met.

The only Republican who supported the House bill, Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao told CNN on Sunday he has put the needs of its constituency on the will of his party.

Many of my constituents are not insured. ... It was the right decision for the people of my district.
- Rep. Anh "Joseph" Cao, R-Louisiana

Cao vote "yes" ended up being useless for House Democrats, but he gave the House Nancy Pelosi license.