Senate approves health-care reform on party-line vote

December 24, 2009

The US Senate has passed a sweeping an controversial health-care reform bill, on a 60- 39 vote. The final vote on the legislation, taken on Christmas Eve, broke down on party lines; not one Republican lawmaker voted in favor of the bill.

Because the Senate version differs from the bill that had been approved earlier in the House of Representatives, the legislation will now go to a conference committee, which will be charged with reconciling the differences. That reconciled version will then face new votes in each chamber of Congress.

The sharp differences among lawmakers on several provisions of the bill—notably the treatment of funding for abortion—will make reconciliation a delicate matter. Congressman Bart Stupak, who successfully added a pro-life amendment to the House version, has said that he and other House members will not accept legislation without strong pro-life language. Other liberal Democrats have threatened to withdraw their support if the Stupak amendment is included in the final bill. “Something’s going to have to give,” Stupak observed.

 

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Further information:

• Senate OKs health care measure, reaching milestone (AP)
• Abortion looms as possible block to health bill (AP)