House Votes to Override Bush Medicare Veto

The House has just voted overwhelmingly, 383 to 41, to override the President's veto of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act, H.R. 6331. This legislation prevents the pending 10 percent payment reduction for physicians in Medicare, enhances Medicare preventive and mental health benefits, improves and extends programs for low-income Medicare beneficiaries, and extends expiring provisions for rural and other providers. On July 15, the President vetoed this legislation, and the House voted to override the President's veto and pass the Medicare Improvements Act.

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Speaker Pelosi: "We witnessed last week a real profile in courage when Senator Ted Kennedy returned to the well of the Senate to cast his vote in favor of health care for seniors. The whole country was jubilant and applauded when Senator Kennedy came to the floor. He is a fighter for America's seniors, a fighter for people with disabilities, a fighter for our children, a fighter for working families in America, and he left his own physical challenge behind to come to the floor of the Senate, all the way from Massachusetts, to be the 60th vote. It was such a historic moment, and then nine Republican senators changed their votes on the strength of Senator Kennedy's vote. It was 59 until he voted. He became the 60th vote, and then it became 69. And it was pretty exciting. People cheered and everyone was tear-filled and happy that this happened. Affordable, reliable health care for America's seniors and those with disabilities passed."