Republicans delayed the vote until the morning of Christmas Eve, but just after 7 o'clock today, the Senate passed its version of healthcare reform with a bare 60 votes and promptly recessed until next year. President Obama called it a "historic… landmark," the most important piece of social legislation since the Social Security Act of the 1930's; Republicans called it "a lump of coal in the Christmas stocking of every American." Liberal Democrats are divided over the next step: to help reconcile the Senate and House versions or kill both bills and start over again. Republicans say the fight is not over for them, either. We look at what's next.
After Months of Bitter Debate, Senate Passes Landmark Health Bill
Credits
Guests:
- Adriel Bettelheim - White House Correspondent, CQPolitics.com
- Darcy Burner - Executive Director, American Progressive Caucus Policy Foundation
- Jonathan Chait - political columnist for New York Magazine - @jonathanchait
- Emily Friedman - independent health policy and ethics analyst
- Norman Ornstein - American Enterprise Institute / Atlantic - @NormOrnstein