The President called it "historic", Republicans called it "unconstitutional".

Saturay night the Democratic-controlled House passed a far-reaching health care reform bill.

Now the issue goes on to the Senate.

President Obama hailed the passage of the bill and praised those who supported it: "Given the heated and often misleading rhetoric surrounding this legislation, I know that this was a courageous vote for many members of Congress.

The measure passed the house late Saturday by a narrow margin.

Only one Republican voted for the measure - Joseph Cao, from an overwhelmingly Democratic district in New Orleans.

The House bill requires everyone to have health insurance. Individuals will be required to buy it, employers will be required to provide it or pay a penalty.

The bill offers tax credits to allow low and middle income people to afford insurance and the plan will be paid for in two ways. First, with a surtax on people making more than 500-thousand dollars, and families making more than a million dollars. Second, with about 400 billion dollars in Medicare cuts.

In addition, the bill says that a person can't lose their insurance if they lose their job, and that someone can't be denied health insurance for a pre-existing condition.

But to get all that, Democratic leaders had to yield to conservatives from both parties and accept an amendment that imposes tough new restrictions on abortion coverage in insurance policies.

The house action now clears the way for the Senate to begin debating its own health care bill.

Lindsey Graham, Republican Senator from South Carolina, says the bill is "dead on arrival".

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