Unions celebrate Obama health Bill

A century-long quest for universal health-care coverage moved one step closer, the 219-212 vote handing President Barack Obama a huge victory with the passing of the most progressive social legislation in the US since the civil rights laws of the 1960s.

Republicans had hoped that by blocking the legislation they would be able to thwart the president's ambitious domestic agenda, including immigration reform and climate change legislation, but now Mr Obama's health-care success is set to reshape US politics in the run-up to mid-term elections in November.

"I want to thank every member of Congress who stood up tonight with courage and conviction to make health-care reform a reality," Mr Obama declared.

"I know this wasn't an easy vote for a lot of people - but it was the right vote."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi emphasised that Democrats could be proud of the achievement.

Representative Jim Clyburn added that "this is the civil rights act of the 21st century."

The measure represents the biggest expansion of the social safety net since Medicare and Medicaid were enacted in 1965 during President Lyndon B Johnson's administration to provide government-funded health-care coverage to the elderly and poor.

"Health care isn't only a civil right, it's a moral issue," said Democratic Rep Patrick Kennedy.

AFL-CIO union confederation president Richard Trumka added that the law was a "momentous step toward comprehensive health care" that had survived a multimillion-dollar "lie and distortion campaign" by Republicans determined to protect the profits of wealthy insurance companies from taking a hit.

"Although the law will not be perfect, we are realistic enough to know that we've made progress," he said.

"Throughout the health-care battle the AFL-CIO mobilised thousands of union members to counter propaganda from the insurance giants and now we've made history," he added.