Tonight, the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed America's Affordable Health Choices Act by a vote of 31-28:
This is the third, and final committee, to pass the bill before coming to the House floor in September – the House Ways and Means Committee and Education and Labor Committee approved the bill earlier this month. In the coming weeks, the Tri-Committee Members will work together to prepare the legislation for the House floor, ensuring that the principles of reducing health care costs, protecting and increasing consumers’ choices, and guaranteeing access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans are met.
Speaker Pelosi on tonight’s passage:
For more than 60 years, we have tried as a nation to make quality, affordable health insurance coverage available to all Americans. Tonight's vote marks the next step in the most successful effort in our history.
All three House committees with jurisdiction over health care have now passed health insurance reform legislation. The reforms now advancing to a vote in the full House of Representatives reflect the diversity of our Members. Our legislation includes the best ideas to build on what works and fix what's broken in our health care system.
Our reforms will hold insurance companies accountable, offering stable coverage and lower costs–even if you get sick, have a pre-existing condition such as diabetes or cancer, or lose or change your job. Americans deserve no less.
In the coming weeks, we will work to produce a strong piece of legislation that the House will approve in September.
Chairman Waxman:
Today is a historic moment for the House of Representatives and a defining moment for our country. It is a significant victory that all three committees in the House have worked together to pass comprehensive health reform legislation for all Americans. This bill will deliver the results the nation's health care system so desperately needs: lower costs, better quality, and broader coverage. I hope that when we return from recess, the House will act expeditiously to enact this bill into law.
Chairmen Rangel and Miller, the chairmen of the House Committees on Ways and Means and Education and Labor, congratulated Chairman Waxman and the members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee on passage:
We congratulate Chairman Waxman and the members of the Energy and Commerce Committee for taking the next step in this historic process. Now all three committees in the House have said 'yes' to health insurance reform that reflects the principles that President Obama has set forth and delivers on the change American families, businesses and local economies need. We look forward to continuing to work together over the coming weeks to reconcile the differences between these three bills and prepare to bring unified legislation to the House floor in September that lowers health costs, protects patients' choices of doctors and plans, and ensures access to quality, affordable health insurance for all Americans.
Learn more about what America's Affordable Health Choices Act will mean for you>>