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Donna Brazile, a CNN contributor, Democratic strategist, vice chair for voter registration and participation at the Democratic National Committee, nationally syndicated columnist and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University:
Sunday night, the House passed a historic bill to reform our nation's health care system. This is a bill with ideas from both major political parties that will provide access to quality, affordable health care and reduce the federal budget deficit.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has projected that the bill will reduce the deficit by $138 billion in the first decade and will reduce the deficit by as much as $1.3 trillion in the second decade. In addition, the CBO confirms the bill both reins in wasteful spending to extend the solvency of Medicare for almost 10 years and closes the prescription drug "doughnut" hole for seniors.
If my mother were here today, Mom Jean would be proud. She died at 52. She worked every day but couldn't afford health insurance. Her employer did not offer it. When she became ill, she waited until she couldn't wait any longer, then went to the emergency room. Three days later, she was dead.
Growing up, my mom would tell her nine kids that we could not afford to get sick. She was right. We didn't have money for medicine or doctors' visits, so the only choice was to stay well. It's the same "choice" millions of families face: Stay well or else.
But not anymore. It's a day Mom Jean would love to have seen.
Thanks to Nancy Pelosi and a majority of Congress, millions of moms and dads will have access to quality, affordable health care for themselves and their children. An estimated 32 million people will be able to rest comfortably knowing that they are no longer a flu away from foreclosure because they lack health insurance. All of us can sleep a little better knowing that pre-existing conditions no longer preclude affordable health insurance. These are major victories.
This was a tough vote and an emotional debate. We can't let our exhaustion limit our celebration. We haven't had a major health care reform in nearly 50 years. What Congress accomplished this week is worth celebrating.
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