Health Care Reform Will Reduce The Deficit, Claims Former CBO Official

According to a former official from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the health care reform legislation signed into law by President Obama last week will not increase the nation's deficit, despite GOP warnings to the contrary.

"CBO estimates that health reform will reduce the deficit by $143 billion over its first 10 years," Paul Van De Water, a former CBO Assistant Director for Budget Analysis, told reporters Monday in a conference call held by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.

De Water rejected Republican claims that Congressional Democrats manipulated the legislation to show short-term deficit reduction followed by an increase.

"When CBO looks at the legislation as a whole, it finds that health reform reduces the deficit by far more in its second 10 years than its first 10 years," De Water explained. "CBO projects the bill will continue to reduce the deficit in later years as well."

Middle Class Will Benefit Most From Health Care Reform, Say Top Democrats

By Antonia Aguilar
University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Senate Democrats on Thursday highlighted key benefits that middle class Americans will obtain through health care reform.

“We’ll see significant reforms this year, including young people being able to stay on their parents' insurance until age 26 [and] significant investment in community health centers across the country to be able to make health care available to every family,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.).

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) said in addition to improving health care, the new law will also reform the way students obtain loans to help pay for college, with more direct borrowing from the government, increased access to pell grants and greater funding for non-profits to help students stay in college.

“For middle class America this is a two-fer, both on the healthcare side but also on the education side,” Harkin said.

Obama Signs Historic Health Care Bill Into Law

President Barack Obama signed sweeping health care reform legislation into law Tuesday, capping a year long debate over the future of health insurance in the U.S.

"Today, after all the votes have been tallied, health insurance reform becomes law in the United States of America," Obama said before signing the bill.

Obama's remarks were met with numerous rounds of applause from the various members of Congress and reform advocates gathered in the White House's East Room.

The legislation, passed through the House late Sunday night with a 219-212 vote, was accompanied by a number of key amendments included in a reconciliation bill. The second bill will now go to the Senate, where the president expressed confidence that it will be addressed soon.

"While the Senate still has the last round of improvements to make on this historic legislation, these are improvements I'm sure they will make swiftly."

The president acknowledged that many in Congress took considerable risk by passing the bill.

"Yes we did," responded one individual in the crowd, an apparent play on Obama's signature motto from the campaign.

House Democrats Heckled En Route To Health Care Vote

House Democrats came face to face with conservative protestors Sunday afternoon, mere hours before the House votes on sweeping health care reform legislation.

Approximately three tea party activists vocally interrupted a statement being delivered by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) following a meeting with the Democratic caucus in the Cannon House Office Building. Capitol police then ushered members of Congress and the press to the building's entrance.

The short walk from the Cannon building to the Capitol left Democratic leaders surrounded by protestors who have been in Washington, D.C. since Saturday to stage a last-minute rally against reform legislation. The Democrats present, which included Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), were met with loud jeers such as "socialists," "See you in November," and "kill the bill."

A small group of health care supporters appeared as well, and received a thumbs up from Hoyer.

The heckles seemed to reach a crescendo as the members of Congress and their staff ascended the U.S. Capitol steps.

House Approaches Historic Health Care Vote

The year-long debate over health care reform could enter its final stages Sunday as the House prepares to vote on the reform legislation passed by the Senate in December, coupled with a reconciliation bill to add key amendments.

Democrats expressed optimism Saturday that they will have the 216 votes needed to pass the legislation, despite wariness exhibited by a number of those within the party and virtually no Republican backing.

"We’re on the threshold," President Barack Obama told the Democratic Caucus during an afternoon trip to the Capitol to shore up support. "After a year of debate, after every argument has been made, by just about everybody, we’re 24 hours away." 

However, some Republicans are less convinced that Sunday's vote will favor Democrats.

"We still have yet to see an official whip count that they have the 216 needed to pass," a senior Republican aide told Talk Radio News. "Until [Democratic] leadership confirms the vote and/or the vote happens, it is still losing."

Republican Conference Chair Mike Pence (R-Ind.) conceded that the majority party may pass the controversial legislation, but argued that Republicans could still ultimately benefit.

"I don't know ... whether victory will come on the third Sunday in March or on the first Tuesday in November, but victory will come," Pence said, referencing November's mid-term elections.

If the legislation passes, the Senate health care legislation will become law. The upper-chamber will then hold a vote to approve the reconciliation bill.