House Passes Senate's Version Of Historic Healthcare Reforms Crafted By President Barack Obama, With Support From Pelosi, Fudge And Kucinich
U.S. President Barack Obama
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi(D-Cal.)
Congresswoman Marcia Fudge of the 11th Congressional District of Ohio
Congressman Dennis Kucinich of the Tenth Congressional District of Ohio
By Kathy Wray Coleman, Editor of the Determiner Weekly.Com and
the Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog and Media Network
After allegedly dodging the N-Word and acts of spitting by the Republican bound anti-health insurance reform Tea Party movement, members of the Congressional Black Caucus joined other members of the House of Representatives to pass the Senate's version of healthcare reforms crafted by Democratic President Barack Obama, the first Black president of the United States of America.
With a vote of 219 to 212, where each and every Republican voted no, the House passed the historic bill, which awaits Obama's signature to become law, late Sunday night. No other president of the 21st century has achieved such a milestone, political pundits said.
"This is change," Obama said during a press conference at 11:45 p m, the night of the bill's passage. "We did not fear the future, we shaped it. Today's vote answers the dream of so many who have fought for reform."
The former junior Senator from Illinois made healthcare reform a central focus during his climb to president.
"“Generally systems as a whole aren't treating folks with the same degree of care, so what we need to do is get that information and start teaching,” Obama told African American Journalist Kathy Wray Coleman during the Democratic primary for president via an article published in the Call and Post Newspaper, Ohio's Black press. That's just "one more reason as to why this is a critical election,” he added. “We have been long overdue in creating a healthcare system that works for all Americans.”
Obama silenced critics who said the healthcare reform measures that he pushed did not have a chance of adoption, though he had help from an array of people including Democratic colleagues such as Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Oh.), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Cal.), the first woman to hold the post.
"It's personal for women" said Pelosi, shortly before the House vote was taken. "After we pass this bill, being a woman will no longer be a pre-medical condition."
Pelosi also reminded her colleagues that it was the late U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts who had championed universal healthcare for decades. In a campaign speech in Cleveland, Oh. where he stopped in 2008 in support of Obama as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president Kennedy said that America was "one of the few industrialized nations that lacks universal healthcare." The elder of the famous Kennedy clan, and the younger brother to the late former president John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert Kennedy, both assassinated, he died last year of brain cancer.
Fudge announced her support of the bill at the twilight hour on Friday saying she was answering the calling of her constituents and that she had been undecided until she could thoroughly access all aspects of it.
“I've found it to be a strong first step towards providing healthcare for all Americans," Fudge said, who represents Ohio's 11th Congressional District, which includes parts of Cleveland and its eastern suburbs. "Small businesses will receive tax credits to help them maintain quality insurance.The unfair practice of denying folks coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions is also ended. Medicaid is expanded to cover additional youth in need—America’s foster youth who have aged out care."
Kucinich announced his support of the bill on Thursday, after voting and campaigning against it previously. In addition to being branded a "flip-flop" legislator, protesters rallied outside of Kucinich's Lakewood, Oh. office on Friday saying that the former presidential candidate had betrayed them, while some held signs saying "down with Dennis."
Kucinich, however, told reporters and his constituents that the current version of universal heathcare is better than nothing at all.
Highlights of the universal healthcare reforms include insuring people with pre-existing conditions, allowing young people to stay on their parents insurance plan until the age of 26, reducing high insurance premiums, and providing access to quality healthcare to 32 million uninsured Americans across the United States.
A handful of Democratic holdouts came aboard with Obama on Saturday after he assured that the healthcare reform bill does not allocate federal funds for abortion, a controversial disposition that some say could be later challenged as sexist and unconstitutional pursuant to Roe v. Wade, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that made abortion legal.
Obama's work is said to be cut out for him as he prepares to tour the country to remind Americans of the purported benefits of the reform initiatives. Republicans, who were handily defeated around the measure, have complained about its $371 billion price tag and what they deem as "a government takeover of healthcare," though Obama says that healthcare reforms will ultimately minimize costs to taxpayers. He also dismissed the gripes of Republicans as what he called grumblings initiated as a cover for big business. According to news reports, over 1000 lobbyists swarmed Capital Hill in the weeks leading up to the landmark vote at a tune of some $450 million in combined salaries.
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi(D-Cal.)
Congresswoman Marcia Fudge of the 11th Congressional District of Ohio
Congressman Dennis Kucinich of the Tenth Congressional District of Ohio
By Kathy Wray Coleman, Editor of the Determiner Weekly.Com and
the Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog and Media Network
After allegedly dodging the N-Word and acts of spitting by the Republican bound anti-health insurance reform Tea Party movement, members of the Congressional Black Caucus joined other members of the House of Representatives to pass the Senate's version of healthcare reforms crafted by Democratic President Barack Obama, the first Black president of the United States of America.
With a vote of 219 to 212, where each and every Republican voted no, the House passed the historic bill, which awaits Obama's signature to become law, late Sunday night. No other president of the 21st century has achieved such a milestone, political pundits said.
"This is change," Obama said during a press conference at 11:45 p m, the night of the bill's passage. "We did not fear the future, we shaped it. Today's vote answers the dream of so many who have fought for reform."
The former junior Senator from Illinois made healthcare reform a central focus during his climb to president.
"“Generally systems as a whole aren't treating folks with the same degree of care, so what we need to do is get that information and start teaching,” Obama told African American Journalist Kathy Wray Coleman during the Democratic primary for president via an article published in the Call and Post Newspaper, Ohio's Black press. That's just "one more reason as to why this is a critical election,” he added. “We have been long overdue in creating a healthcare system that works for all Americans.”
Obama silenced critics who said the healthcare reform measures that he pushed did not have a chance of adoption, though he had help from an array of people including Democratic colleagues such as Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Oh.), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Cal.), the first woman to hold the post.
"It's personal for women" said Pelosi, shortly before the House vote was taken. "After we pass this bill, being a woman will no longer be a pre-medical condition."
Pelosi also reminded her colleagues that it was the late U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts who had championed universal healthcare for decades. In a campaign speech in Cleveland, Oh. where he stopped in 2008 in support of Obama as a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president Kennedy said that America was "one of the few industrialized nations that lacks universal healthcare." The elder of the famous Kennedy clan, and the younger brother to the late former president John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert Kennedy, both assassinated, he died last year of brain cancer.
Fudge announced her support of the bill at the twilight hour on Friday saying she was answering the calling of her constituents and that she had been undecided until she could thoroughly access all aspects of it.
“I've found it to be a strong first step towards providing healthcare for all Americans," Fudge said, who represents Ohio's 11th Congressional District, which includes parts of Cleveland and its eastern suburbs. "Small businesses will receive tax credits to help them maintain quality insurance.The unfair practice of denying folks coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions is also ended. Medicaid is expanded to cover additional youth in need—America’s foster youth who have aged out care."
Kucinich announced his support of the bill on Thursday, after voting and campaigning against it previously. In addition to being branded a "flip-flop" legislator, protesters rallied outside of Kucinich's Lakewood, Oh. office on Friday saying that the former presidential candidate had betrayed them, while some held signs saying "down with Dennis."
Kucinich, however, told reporters and his constituents that the current version of universal heathcare is better than nothing at all.
Highlights of the universal healthcare reforms include insuring people with pre-existing conditions, allowing young people to stay on their parents insurance plan until the age of 26, reducing high insurance premiums, and providing access to quality healthcare to 32 million uninsured Americans across the United States.
A handful of Democratic holdouts came aboard with Obama on Saturday after he assured that the healthcare reform bill does not allocate federal funds for abortion, a controversial disposition that some say could be later challenged as sexist and unconstitutional pursuant to Roe v. Wade, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that made abortion legal.
Obama's work is said to be cut out for him as he prepares to tour the country to remind Americans of the purported benefits of the reform initiatives. Republicans, who were handily defeated around the measure, have complained about its $371 billion price tag and what they deem as "a government takeover of healthcare," though Obama says that healthcare reforms will ultimately minimize costs to taxpayers. He also dismissed the gripes of Republicans as what he called grumblings initiated as a cover for big business. According to news reports, over 1000 lobbyists swarmed Capital Hill in the weeks leading up to the landmark vote at a tune of some $450 million in combined salaries.
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