Pelosi releases statement after President Obama signs Senate health insurance reform legislation into law

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today after President Barack Obama signed the Senate health insurance reform legislation into law.  The House passed the Senate bill on Sunday by a vote of 219 to 212.

“On Sunday night, the House of Representatives made history for our country and progress for the American people.  Today, with the stroke of his pen, President Obama completed what the late Senator Edward Kennedy called ‘the great unfinished business of our society’ by signing historic health insurance reform into law.

“For our country, these acts mark one more step forward in our drive to realize the promise of ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’ enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.  For America’s families, this means greater access to more affordable care; greater accountability to end the worst practices of the insurance industry; greater innovation and competitiveness in our economy; and greater stability and security for seniors, students, workers, and entrepreneurs and small business owners.

“Health insurance reform will stand alongside Social Security and Medicare in the annals of American history.  But our fight is not over yet.  In passing this legislation, the House took action to improve and strengthen the bill.  I look forward to the Senate vote on these changes in the coming days and to finishing the work of reform for all Americans.”