To the Point
After Months of Bitter Debate, Senate Passes Landmark Health Bill
Republicans delayed the vote until the morning of Christmas Eve, but just after 7 o'clock today, the Senate passed its version of healthcare reform with a bare 60 votes and promptly recessed until next year.
Republicans delayed the vote until the morning of Christmas Eve, but just after 7 o'clock today, the Senate passed its version of healthcare reform with a bare 60 votes and promptly recessed until next year. President Obama called it a "historic… landmark," the most important piece of social legislation since the Social Security Act of the 1930's; Republicans called it "a lump of coal in the Christmas stocking of every American." Liberal Democrats are divided over the next step: to help reconcile the Senate and House versions or kill both bills and start over again. Republicans say the fight is not over for them, either. We look at what's next.