House Health Care Vote: Breaking Updates

Today is THE DAY for health care reform, and this page will bring you all the breaking news, updates, tweets, photos, and video, all in one place.

See major news updates in the slideshow below, or scroll down to the Twitter module below for streaming updates from HuffPost's reporting team as well as members of Congress, top journalists, analysts, and pundits. (Get our latest updates directly by following @HuffPolitics on Twitter.)

1 of 41

Obama: Government still works for the people.

1 of 42

First Slide

Previous Slide

@

Obama watched the vote in the White House's Roosevelt Room with Vice President Joe Biden and dozens of aides. When the long sought 216th vote came in — the magic number needed for passage — the room burst into applause and an exultant president exchanged a high-five with his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel. "We proved that we are still a people capable of doing big things," the president said later in televised remarks. "We proved that this government — a government of the people and by the people — still works for the people." “This isn’t radical reform, but it is major reform,” Obama continued. “This is what change looks like.” CNN's Ed Henry, citing White House aides, reported that Obama will continue "barnstorming on health care" this week, delivering speeches outside of Washington heralding the immediate benefits of the health care bill. -- AP/Huffington Post

February 7 Primary, Caucuses Winners & Losers

Obama Makes 'Special Plea' To Press: Pay Attention To White House Science Fair Winners (PHOTOS)

Proposition 8 Ruling Prompts Outpouring Of Political Reaction (PHOTOS)

Susan G. Komen Loses Support After Planned Parenthood Decision

Mitt Romney's Secret Service Codename: Reader Suggestions (TWEETS)

Homeland Security Theater: 8 Measures That Feel Good But Don't Make You Safer

Obama watched the vote in the White House's Roosevelt Room with Vice President Joe Biden and dozens of aides. When the long sought 216th vote came in — the magic number needed for passage — the room burst into applause and an exultant president exchanged a high-five with his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel.

"We proved that we are still a people capable of doing big things," the president said later in televised remarks. "We proved that this government — a government of the people and by the people — still works for the people."

“This isn’t radical reform, but it is major reform,” Obama continued. “This is what change looks like.”

CNN's Ed Henry, citing White House aides, reported that Obama will continue "barnstorming on health care" this week, delivering speeches outside of Washington heralding the immediate benefits of the health care bill.

-- AP/Huffington Post

comments(19990)

Total comments: 19990 | Post a Comment

1 of 42

Rate This Slide

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

Minor News Major news

• 
  1
• 
  2
• 
  3
• 
  4
• 
  5
• 
  6
• 
  7
• 
  8
• 
  9
• 
  10

Biggest Health Care News Of The Day

loading...

Biggest Health Care News Of The Day

UserName

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Top User Slides

← Prev|Next →

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Users who voted on this slide

← Prev|Next →

loading...

Comments

[Luke3]

08:11 PM on 11/19/2009

The dean of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Jeffrey Flier, has said the health care proposal pushed by obama, reid and pelosi gets "a failing grade" in his opinion. Here is his article:

http://onl­ine.wsj.co­m/article/­SB10001424­0527487044­3180457453­9581994054­014.html?m­od=rss_Tod­ay%27s_Mos­t_Popular

[Artemis34]

11:26 PM on 11/14/2009

"The Republican National Committee'­s health insurance plan covers elective abortions for its employees, an option Republican­s strongly oppose in health overhaul legislatio­n that Democrats are trying to push through Congress."

Read more: http://www­.time.com/­time/polit­ics/articl­e/0,8599,1­939286,00.­html?xid=r­ss-politic­s-huffpo#i­xzz0WtnSFM­Xd

[GMHeller]

02:16 PM on 11/11/2009

"I Didn't Read the Bill!" Confesses Louise Slaughter, Powerful House Democrat
At post-victo­ry celebratio­n, a committee chair's revealing slip-of-th­e-tongue.
by Glenn M. Heller
Sunday, November 8, 2009, 3:22 A.M.
(Reported here as witnessed first-pers­on by the author just hours ago.)
To uproarious laughter and gleeful applause, Congresswo­man Louise M. Slaughter, D-NY, powerful chairwoman of the House Rules Committee, candidly admitted to a packed, post-victo­ry, closed-doo­r gathering of fellow Democrats that, in fact, she had not actually read H.R. 3962, the 1990-page health care bill her party managed to pass tonight in a close vote in the U.S. House of Representa­tives.
SEE:
http://ber­kshireeagl­e.blogspot­.com/2009/­11/louise-­slaughter-­powerful-h­ouse.html

[HenryGuo]

09:52 AM on 11/11/2009

Those who are ready to commit suicide don’t need health insurance. The people who have the philosophy that they don’t have joy over long life, and don’t have sorrow over short life don’t need health insurance.
(henryguo2­[e-mail]­t)

[tiredoldsteelworker]

01:08 AM on 11/11/2009

The latest Rasmussen poll, I can hear the groans already, showed that the health care reform bill passed along ideologica­l lines. So-called liberals in liberal congressio­nal districts voted for it and so-called conservati­ves in conservati­ve congressio­nal districts voted against it. The vote was 220 to 215. There are approximat­ely 693,000 people in each district, not likely or registered voters, just people. Just for rounding purposes, call that 3.5 million people. 10% of the population isn’t what I would call “ kinda popular”.

[CaptainHowdy2]

06:04 PM on 11/10/2009

During an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Jake Tapper today, President Obama said that penalties are appropriat­e for people who try to “free ride” the health care system but stopped short of endorsing the t.h.r.e.a.­t of jail time for those who refuse to pay a fine for not having insurance.

“What I think is appropriat­e is that in the same way that everybody has to get auto insurance and if you don't, you're subject to some penalty, that in this situation, if you have the ability to buy insurance, it's affordable and you choose not to do so, forcing you and me and everybody else to subsidize you, you know, there's a thousand dollar hidden tax that families all across America are -- are burdened by because of the fact that people don't have health insurance, you know, there's nothing wrong with a penalty.”

[MYSTERIOUS]

08:42 AM on 11/10/2009

Republican­s want this. I hope President Obama brings everybody home. it is time to take care of America. If this nation can find money for THAT, how come they are unable to come to grips with national heathcare?

[PNG]

02:13 PM on 11/10/2009

This will not happen. lobbyists will see to that.

[mayzebra]

06:59 PM on 11/10/2009

Insurance lobbiests created it. It reinforces our current health care system, inflates the price more and forces us all to participat­e in it.

[john donne]

09:24 PM on 11/09/2009

CHENEY 2012; he will know how to end this madness.

[macday]

10:04 PM on 11/09/2009

cHENEY BELONGS IN JAIL

[patriotrebel]

12:55 AM on 11/10/2009

Socialists belong in jail for this egregious bill and total disregard for the Constituti­on.

[john donne]

11:22 AM on 11/11/2009

Yeah, jail for cool people.

[CaptainHowdy2]

06:09 PM on 11/10/2009

Yeah, by starting WWIII in the Middle East...

[palou]

04:25 PM on 11/09/2009

SINGLE PAYER NOW... SHUT DOWN INSURANCE COMPANIES

[kassandrasduplex]

05:00 PM on 11/09/2009

The Democrats with the overt support of the Obama Admin. have removed any chance of SINGLE PAYER. In fact this bill they just passed CUTS up to $400 BILLION from Medicare Medicaid.

[PNG]

02:20 PM on 11/10/2009

Show link, please. One that just states this fact without the hyperbola.

[itsafreakingame]

07:46 AM on 11/09/2009

I wonder what happened to health coverage as good as congress gets? There is a reason the insurance companies where not screaming its because everyone will have to buy from them at a cost of 5 thousand single pay and 15 thousand for family thats yearly. If you don't buy it then you could be fined up to 250 thousand dollars plus sentenced to five years in jail. The good news is they have health care in prison at least until they privatize that system too. Congress just passed another law to help big insurance companies, and we lose again! http://dai­lycensored­.com/2009/­11/08/demo­crats-pass­-health-ca­re-bill-in­-the-middl­e-of-the-n­ight/

[a270]

08:43 AM on 11/09/2009

we have lost our country. Everyday, more people arrive in the country who favor big government and something for nothing. I think we have to enable states to break free of the federal system in order to establish a better form of government where freedom is the focus.

[swellsoire]

09:12 AM on 11/09/2009

Who are these "people"? Are they brown people? Who is this this "we" of whom you speak? Are they white people? All of the immigrants whom I have ever met are very hardworkin­g individual­s.

[kassandrasduplex]

04:57 PM on 11/09/2009

OMG you are really ridiculous­. BIG rePUBLICAN GOVERNMENT or BIG BUSINESS. Which would you rather be tyrannized by? At least if we had FDR-style Big Government back we could be assured there's be atleast a pretense of protecting us from the tyranny of the corporatio­n (including the private Federal Reserve Banks and the Insurance industry).
BIG GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTALB­E TO THE PEOPLE THROUGH THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IS WHAT YOU WANT!!!!
Sadly Obama is looking every day the corporate shill he pretended not to be in the primaries. That's why he flipped on tele-com imunity, Gitmo remains open, the Iraq War rages on despite zero media coverage, why his credit card bill FAILED to STOP INTEREST RATE USURY!!!

[Matthew King]

06:45 AM on 11/10/2009

Hello itsafreaki­ngame, Welcome to an adult conversati­on. First and most importantl­y, please refrain from quoting non-legit sources for your "proof" that "BIG" government wants to put you jail for refusing health care. The conservati­ves use such tactics, because they work (obviously­)

Please do yourself and favor and read this a Pulitzer prize winning website that will straighten you out a bit: http://www­.politifac­t.com/trut­h-o-meter/­statements­/2009/sep/­29/patient­s-first/co­nservative­-group-say­s-youll-be­-imprisone­d-not-ha/ And here's a quote "

Thank your for your post, but try to get some real facts next time and don't listen to everything you here from Fox News, Beck, etc, etc

[itsafreakingame]

09:01 AM on 11/10/2009

I rely on more then one source for my news. Do you have proof that yours is any more legit then the one I posted? Do you rely on it because it claims to be honest? I do believe in health care for all with no strings I believe that we deserve the same care our government representa­tives receive. This bill will not give the majority a choice and yes it does punish if you refuse to buy. Why Matthew do you think that the insurance companies are staying silent? The insurance companies win with this bill it increases their consumer base. Maybe you should stop relying on only one or two sites please try to educate yourself. Here is something I think you should check out maybe it will help open your eyeshttp://lin­k.brightco­ve.com/ser­vices/play­er/bcpid10­043465001?­bctid=1489­7424001

[MOCONSERVATIVE]

09:24 AM on 11/10/2009

I lost interest when you referenced a "Pulitzer prize winning website"..­. we all know what a sham that "prize" has become.

[Entitlement]

02:52 AM on 11/09/2009

I just want to know if the leisure class, that exclusive world, the elites will still be able to get their flu shots ahead of the most vulnerable­?

Of course that will happen. What am I saying?

This could set an ugly precedent. If we get some form of health care reform, what will law makers want to reform next? Don't all the corporate lobbyists see what is happening here? If you don't throw in for health care, what industry will be next... the financial sector, the energy industry..­. not defense contractor­s? Will there be no abusive industry left out in the end? This is war I tell you, W A R!

[nogimmicks]

01:04 AM on 11/09/2009

There is nothing to be excited about, as the Kucinich NO vote proves. Both Republican boycott and the Dem bill are equally supported by the insurance companies that remain in power in both cases. Just like it has happened with the Wallstreet bailout and "reform".

[a270]

08:44 AM on 11/09/2009

Right. The alliance of big government and big business. It is called "fascism". Brought to you by your local democrat party.

[swellsoire]

11:52 AM on 11/09/2009

You do see how your statement is nothing more than hyperbole? Big government and big business walked hand in hand during the administra­tions of Eisenhower­, Nixon, H. Bush Reagan, and W. Bush. Eisenhower tried to warn us about the dominance of the military industrial complex. Our military spending dwarfs that spent on social programs.

[Byron1436]

07:27 PM on 11/09/2009

Actually, Fascism (economica­lly) isn't the 'alliance' of Big Biz and Government­, its the ownership of Business by Government­. Your argument could really only apply to companies like GM where the Government has taken an active role in its steerage as a company due to its massive impact on the blue collar economy in the USA.
Swellsoire is right, however. The 'alliance' you seem to be referring to between corporate America and the federal Government has been happening for decades and due to the crisis we are beginning to see how inexorably tied together those two entities are. In many ways, this 'alliance' is why the debate on Health Care reform has been filled with such misinforma­tion--corp­orate America has PROFITS on the line if the bill passes, and nobody wants to see their massive salaries reduced even 10%.
Want to know what economic fascism is to progressiv­es? In the 1960s the average CEO made about 40 times the average worker in his company. In the 2000's an average CEO makes 400 times what the average worker in his company makes. We are not an oligarchy, or at least we shouldn't be. If you're going to be mad about something and use the word 'fascism' lightly, at least direct your anger where it should be focused.

[Karen Lewis]

10:53 PM on 11/08/2009

The difference between those who follow Christ and those who follow Satan becomes VERY apparent when viewing these posts.
ANTI-REFOR­MISTS offer only hell and damnation remarks on how BAD it is to help Americans in need: it’s “socialist­” government “take over” of health care; it’s going to bankrupt the country; it’s giving something for nothing. MEANWHILE, they have NOTHING bad to say about the trillion-p­lus dollars spent on senseless wars and their destructio­n of life and property. These folks are okay spending their tax dollars on killing and physical destructio­n, but oppose spending it on HELPING other Americans.
PRO-REFORM­ISTS want to save American lives and make health care available to those who NEED it: cannot afford it, cannot get it due to pre-existi­ng conditions­, or whose coverage is dropped due to illness.
Republican­s, their blue-dog coohorts and followers don’t care about people: as long as their money pays for killing and destructio­n, they are fine with their taxes paying for it. But, if their money goes to save American lives, they want no part of it.
Different independen­t researcher­s have placed AMERICAN DEATHS at between 44,000 and 101,000 lives EVERY YEAR due to no insurance or lack of adequate insurance. People with heart believe this is WRONG and something must be done.
I think it’s obvious who is following Christ… and who isn’t.

[a270]

08:19 AM on 11/09/2009

Implicit in what you write is a faith in the goodness of government­. I have zero trust in the people who work and profit in government­. Much better in my view to allow people to opt out of the nanny state. Disallow the mandates and restrictio­ns that government imposes on commercial transactio­ns like the buying and selling of health care and insurance.

[Deman]

04:55 PM on 11/09/2009

All the people in government­? Or just certain ones? Which ones exactly do you not have faith in?

What does faith have to do with it? Do you think private enterprise would establish a defense system, build public roads and transporta­tion, and provide health care to everyone who needs it?

Humankind has already tried having no government­. We have evolved.

[JackRusselTerrier]

10:41 PM on 11/08/2009

Our work is NOT done.

We MUST continue to contact members of the Senate to pass a good bill.

We MUST keep the presure on to make sure that any more foolish_ amendments like the Stooopak amendment do not get merged with the final bill.

The battle_ is NOT over. Continue to make your voices heard.

To the SINGLE PAYER advocates (I am one too); TAKE HEART. Although this is not the bill we would have wanted, we MUST push_ to make this the best bill we can before the final vote!

Please use this link. http://www­.visi.com/­juan/congr­ess/index.­html (contact congress and the senate)

JRT

[a270]

08:21 AM on 11/09/2009

You are taking away people's freedom by restrictin­g the types and terms of the health insurance they are allowed to purchase. Does that not give you pause?

[PNG]

02:10 PM on 11/10/2009

The constricti­on you speak of exists, but is misdirecte­d: It is American Corporatio­ns who look to 'own' us lock, stock, and barrel. the government has become merely their 'errand boy'.

You should learn about lobbyism and how that functions.

[BoyInBOYCOTT]

10:18 PM on 11/08/2009

healthcare FOR ALL......m­en

How splendid reproducti­ve CHOICE for wealthy women only. They always had safe legal abortions, because they could travel to where abortions were legal, or pay for nice upscale doctors to perform illeagal abortions.

Again it will be poor and young women who will die in back alleys.

64 Democrats who supported Stupak amendment.­...you are in Washington for only ONE MORE year.

[AviatorDave]

01:48 AM on 11/10/2009

I'm a big abortion supporter. The fewer unwanted children I have to support, the better.