President Obama today said “millions of Americans whose lives will change” when health care reform finally becomes law are grateful to the House for passing a sweeping overhaul bill late last night.
“Given the heated and often misleading rhetoric,” Obama said during a brief statement in the Rose Garden, he wanted to recognize the “courageous vote” and add his own gratitude to the House “for taking us this far.”
Obama, who spent the night at the Camp David presidential retreat, said he’d called a Montana woman this morning to thank her for telling him about her health care struggle, telling her that the bill pass in part because of her willingness to share her story.
He lauded “extraordinary activism” of those fighting for health care, as his campaign arm Organizing for America put together thank-you welcoming parties for supportive lawmakers as they arrived at their home airports today.
“For years we’ve been told that this couldn’t be done,” Obama said, lauding the House bill as something that would provide “stability and security” for Americans with insurance along with bringing down health care costs for families, businesses and government.
Obama said the vote 220-215 vote, brings the U.S. “closer than we have ever been,” and said it’s “moments like this are why [voters] sent us here.”
“Now it falls to the United States Senate to take the baton and take us to the finish line,” Obama said, adding he is “absolutely confident” they will.
“When I sign [the bill] into law they will be able to join their House colleagues and say this was their finest moment in American service,” he said.
Obama did not single out any particular lawmaker in his remarks. Reporters had expected he would thank Rep. Joseph Cao (R-LA), the lone Republican to vote for the bill. The rest of the Republicans and 39 Democrats voted “No.”
Late update: Obama also talked about political progress in Iraq. Read his full remarks here.
Later update: The White House told reporters that after the bill passed last night, he made some calls:
Tonight the President called Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Democratic House leaders to thank them for their hard work and to congratulate them on the historic passage of the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The President also called Barry Rand, CEO of AARP; Rebecca Patton, President of the American Nurses Association; and Rebecca Patchin, chair of the Board of Trustees of AMA, to thank them for their support, which was critical to passage of this landmark legislation.
