Update: In historic vote, Senate approves health care reform bill

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

In the Senate's first Christmas Eve vote since 1895, the Senate approved the health care reform bill early this morning on a 60-39 vote.

There were moments of high drama. Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV), who had to be wheeled into the Senate chamber to cast a vote for the fourth time this week at an irregular hour due to Republican parliamentary obstruction, raised his hand when his name was called on the roll and said in a booming voice, "Mr. President, this is for my friend Ted Kennedy – AYE."

Kennedy's widow Victoria, watching from the Senate gallery above, was overcome by emotion and buried her head in her hands and cried.

Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) the longest-serving House member and a champion of universal health care his entire career (since 1957) also watched from the Senate gallery. Said Dingell: "This is for me, this is for my dad, this is for the country."

The occasion also moved the man who followed Kennedy in the Senate. "He's having a merry Christmas in Heaven," said Sen. Paul Kirk (D-MA), appointed to fill Kennedy's seat.

The Senate's bill must still be merged with legislation passed by the House before the president can sign a final bill in the new year. There are significant differences between the two measures but Democrats say they've come too far now to fail. The rallying cry today was a quote from Ted Kennedy, "Let's get it done," which hangs in the Senate cloakroom of the Democratic caucus. The caucus is reported to have taken a group photograph and each Senator signed it as a gift to Victoria Kennedy.

"This morning isn't the end of the process, it's merely the beginning. We'll continue to build on this success to improve our health system even more," Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), said before the vote. "But that process cannot begin unless we start today … there may not be a next time."

At a news conference a few moments later, Reid said the vote "brings us one step closer to making Ted Kennedy's dream a reality." Senate passes historic health care legislation

There was a moment of humor when Sen. Reid voted nay before the clerk gave him an opportunity to correct himself and vote aye.

President Obama delivered a short speech praising Senate passage of the health care bill, calling the health care bill one of the most important piece of social legislation since Social Security in the 1930's and Medicare in the 1960's. Obama: Health Care Bill Most Important Social Legislation Since Social Security And Medicare

"In a historic vote that took place this morning, members of the Senate joined their colleagues in the House of Representatives to pass a landmark health insurance reform package, legislation that brings us toward the end of a nearly century long struggle to reform America's health care system," said Obama. "Ever since Teddy Roosevelt first called for reform in 1912, seven presidents, Democrats and Republicans alike, have taken up the cause of health care reform. Time and time again, such efforts have been blocked by special interest lobbyists who have perpetuated a status quo that works betters for the insurance industry than it does for the American people. With passage of reform bills in both the House and the Senate, we are now finally poised to deliver on the promise of real, meaningful health insurance that will bring additional security and stability to the American people."

"As I've said before, these are not small reforms, these are big reforms," said Obama. "If passed, this will be the most important piece of social legislation since the Social Security Act passed in the 1930s, and the most important reform of our health care system since Medicare passed in the 1960s."

Negotiations between the House and Senate to reconcile differences between the two bills are expected to begin as soon as next week (and are already underway). Estimates are that a final bill can be passed with a White House rose garden signing ceremony sometime around February 10, 2010.