Shuler votes against health care reform

Rep. Heath Shuler bucked the leadership of the Democratic Party on Saturday night and voted against a landmark health care overhaul bill.

Shuler was among a handful of Democrats who opposed the bill which passed Saturday night.

“This legislation costs $1.055 trillion and fails to include sufficient cost-containment and deficit reduction measures,” Shuler said in a written statement. “This bill will not reduce the federal government's spending on health care over the long term. Any reform that does not control long-term costs will be shortsighted and unwise.”

Shuler said the legislation does not do enough to root out waste, fraud and abuse in existing federal health programs. He said reform should reward healthy lifestyles and prevent excessive medical procedures.

SOURCE: Asheville Citizen-Times

Landmark health bill passes House on close vote

WASHINGTON – The Democratic-controlled House has narrowly passed landmark health care reform legislation, handing President Barack Obama a hard won victory on his signature domestic priority.

Republicans were nearly unanimous in opposing the plan that would expand coverage to tens of millions of Americans who lack it and place tough new restrictions on the insurance industry.

The 220-215 vote late Saturday cleared the way for the Senate to begin a long-delayed debate on the issue that has come to overshadow all others in Congress.

Roll Call Vote: http://www.opencongress.org/vote/2009/h/887

SOURCE: Associated Press > Yahoo News