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US president acknowledges toughest part of the process may lie ahead, melding the House and Senate versions of the sweeping1 health care reform bill into one.
Paula Wolfson | White House 24 December 2009
Photo: AP
President Barack Obama, accompanied by Vice2 President Joe Biden, speaks in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington after the Senate passed the health-care reform bill, 24 Dec 2009
"With today's vote we are now incredibly close to making health insurance reform a reality in this country. Our challenge now is to finish the job," said President Barack Obama.
U.S. President Barack Obama has hailed the Senate vote on health-care reform, calling it a landmark3 piece of legislation. The measure is a top priority for the Obama administration.
On Christmas Eve, the Senate gave President Barack Obama a very welcome gift.
"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," President Obama said.
It was a big victory for the president. In brief remarks at the White House about an hour after the Senate vote, he spoke4 of the impact reform will have on the American people.
"With today's vote we are now incredibly close to making health insurance reform a reality in this country," said Mr. Obama. "Our challenge now is to finish the job."
He acknowledged the toughest part of the process may lie ahead; melding the House and Senate versions of the sweeping health care reform bill into one.
"Having passed reform bills in both the House and the Senate we now to have to take up the last and most important step and reach an agreement on a final reform bill that I can sign into law," he said. "I look forward to working with members of Congress in both chambers5 over the coming weeks to do exactly that."
The House and Senate versions agree on core principles. In a country where most medical care is provided by the private sector6, both mandate7 health insurance for all. They also set new rules for insurance companies and provide subsidies8 to some Americans to help cover the cost of coverage9.
But while both the House and Senate bills aim to help the roughly 30 million Americans with no health care insurance, there are big differences in legislative10 language. The House wants a government-run health insurance plan to compete with private insurers. The Senate does not.
Negotiations11 on compromise legislation will begin in January after Congress and the president return to Washington after the holiday break.
The Obama family will be spending Christmas in Hawaii - the president's home state. They left the White House shortly after the Senate vote, and plan to return to Washington on January 3.
1 sweeping | |
adj.范围广大的,一扫无遗的 | |
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2 vice | |
n.坏事;恶习;[pl.]台钳,老虎钳;adj.副的 | |
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3 landmark | |
n.陆标,划时代的事,地界标 | |
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4 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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5 chambers | |
n.房间( chamber的名词复数 );(议会的)议院;卧室;会议厅 | |
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6 sector | |
n.部门,部分;防御地段,防区;扇形 | |
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7 mandate | |
n.托管地;命令,指示 | |
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8 subsidies | |
n.补贴,津贴,补助金( subsidy的名词复数 ) | |
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9 coverage | |
n.报导,保险范围,保险额,范围,覆盖 | |
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10 legislative | |
n.立法机构,立法权;adj.立法的,有立法权的 | |
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11 negotiations | |
协商( negotiation的名词复数 ); 谈判; 完成(难事); 通过 | |
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