WASHINGTON -- The House has acted. Now it’s up to the Senate to hash out health care legislation.
With near unanimous Republican opposition, the House passed the landmark overhaul that seeks to cover millions more Americans while ending some insurance industry practices.
How Central Florida Voted
| U.S. Rep. | Party | District | Vote |
|---|
| Corinne Brown | D | 3 (Map) | YES |
| Ginny Brown-Waite | R | 5 (Map) | NO |
| Alan Grayson | D | 8 (Map) | YES |
| Suzanne Kosmas | D | 24 (Map) | NO |
| John Mica | R | 7 (Map) | NO |
| Bill Posey | R | 15 (Map) | NO |
| Adam Putnam | R | 12 (Map) | NO |
| Cliff Stearns | R | 6 (Map) | NO |
Florida Sen. George LeMieux issued a statement Sunday, saying the bill was not would only lead to more trouble:
“The House bill that passed last night is not a solution but a new set of problems and unfortunately, we will all pay the price.
“The Senate majority is currently crafting a similar bill behind closed doors that will cut Medicare, raise taxes, increase insurance premiums, and create a trillion-dollar new federal program. This so-called reform will hurt our state because it cuts Medicare benefits for nearly a million Floridians and raises taxes.
“Instead, we should reform the programs we already have instead of creating new programs that will funnel health care through the bureaucracy of government.
“We should start over, have a full and open debate, and take this step by step.”
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said his chamber is “energized” after the pivotal vote, saying lawmakers “stand closer than ever to” overhauling health care.
President Barack Obama said he expects the Senate to act in the next few weeks, and send him a bill before ringing in the new year.
He said he is “absolutely confident” the Senate will follow the House’s lead.
Republicans deride it as “a jobs-killing, tax-hiking, deficit-exploding” bill.
The House version of the bill includes a provision for the government to sell insurance. It would require most Americans to carry insurance and provide subsidies to those who can’t afford it.
Large companies would have to offer coverage to their employees.
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