Obama in 11th-hour appeal for health bill

November 08, 2009 09:59:11 AM

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US President Barack Obama made a last-minute appeal to lawmakers debating a mammoth health care bill Saturday, urging them to "answer the call of history" and vote for the most ambitious overhaul of its kind in half a century.

Speaking at the White House shortly after a meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Obama said approval of the landmark bill could "bring us one step closer to making real the promise of quality affordable health care for the American people."

The president's 11th-hour appeal is aimed at wooing enough swing-vote Democrats to secure the 218 votes needed to prevail in the House of Representatives, which was expected to vote on the bill later Saturday.

The House Republican leadership has already vowed a united front against the 10-year, 900-billion-dollar measure aimed in part at securing health care coverage for tens of millions of Americans who currently do without.

"This is our moment to deliver. I urge members of Congress to rise to this moment," Obama said.

"Answer the call of history and vote 'Yes' for health insurance reform for America."

Even if Democrats squeeze the measure through, it must still clear the Senate, where Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid faces more daunting obstacles and has hinted any action could slip to 2010.