The House Makes History: A Strong First Step Toward Health Care for All

The votes Sunday in the House on health care reform represents a historic accomplishment!

The first House vote passes the Senate health care bill. The second on Sunday night passes the reconciliation fix and get the Senate to vote for the House's improvements.

Congratulations to all our allies joined together as Health Care for America Now -- and, as the President said, "every unsung American who took the time to sit down and write a letter or type out an e-mail hoping your voice would be heard ... the untold numbers who knocked on doors and made phone calls, who organized and mobilized" or organized an accountability session demanding that our representatives act for health reform. We know how to make democracy work.

We must all keep watch on the insurance and drug industry—to make sure that this is just the beginning of reform. And someday soon we must pass a strong public option. The American people should demand that we monitor this reform.

Some wanted to cut back health reform even more, and tonight we should all thank House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who rejected that advice and passed this bill with 220 votes. Now on to the Senate!

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