Health Care Reform Passes the House 220-215

How did your representative vote?

On Saturday, November 7, 2009, health care reform legislation passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, making it further than other effort to-date.

From the AFL-CIO Blog:

Last night, 220 members of Congress showed they're on the side of working families, not big insurance companies. They've earned our thanks for keeping their promises and passing landmark health care reform.

Voting for the Affordable Health Care for America Act - H.R. 3962 from North Carolina were representatives G.K. Butterfield (D-1st), Bob Etheridge (D-2nd), David Price (D-4th), Mel Watt (D-12th), and Brad Miller (D-13th).

Unfortunately, the 'No' votes included representatives Mike McIntyre (D-7th), Larry Kissell (D-8th), and Heath Shuler (D-11th), as well as every Republican member of our Congressional delegation.

Please take a moment to find out how your representative voted and give your thanks for supporting reform (or your rebuke if they did not) by clicking here.

Next stop the U.S. Senate

The senate is expected to take up it's version of health care and insurance reform legislation in the coming days and weeks. Hopefully, the senators will pass their bill soon. Following that, both chambers of Congress will have to agree to a conference report where differences between the two bills are hammered out. A final vote is expected by years end.

Keep up the pressure with phone calls and letters

North Carolina is the only state so far to reach its goal of getting 10% of union members to make phone calls and write letters on health care. The real goal is passing reform, so we need to keep up the pressure on the Senate.

Call 1-877-3AFL-CIO (1-877-323-5246) and ask to speak to Senator Kay Hagan. Tell the person who answers the phone you're counting on Sen. Hagan to follow up on the House's historic vote for reform with action in the Senate.