Shailagh Murray and Lori Montgomery, The Washington Post, Friday, October 2, 2009: "The long quest to reform the nation's health-care system entered uncharted legislative territory early Friday when a key Senate panel wrapped up work on its bill and House and Senate leaders prepared for historic floor debates.

"The Senate Finance Committee, the fifth and final congressional panel to contribute to the legislation, dispensed with its last amendment at 2:08 a.m., sending President Obama's top domestic policy initiative to a threshold that has eluded presidents since Harry S. Truman. As the panel completed the measure that is expected to form the backbone of health-insurance reform legislation, a political consensus large enough to carry the plan to final passage appeared to emerge.

"In a statement issued early Friday, Obama hailed the bill authored by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, calling it 'another milestone in our effort to pass health insurance reform.' As a result of lawmakers' work, 'we are now closer than ever before to finally passing reform that will offer security to those who have coverage and affordable insurance to those who don't,' he said.

"'We have a long way to go,' Obama said, but he expressed confidence that Congress would pass a reform package 'this year.'

"Baucus (D-Mont.) delayed a committee vote on the overall bill until next week, though he said he has enough support to pass the package out of committee. The bill, which Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) will merge with a Senate health committee measure, appears to meet the reform criteria Obama laid out last month in an address to Congress." [Continued]