Title: Obama calls Senate panel vote a "critical milestone"

" Good afternoon. Today we reached a critical milestone. In efforts to reform our elders. After many months of thoughtful deliberation. The fifth and final committee responsible for health care reform. Has passed proposal that has both democratic and Republican support. This effort was made possible by the tireless efforts of chairman Max Baucus and the other members of the Senate Finance Committee. It's a product of vigorous debate and difficult negotiations. After the consideration of hundreds of amendments and includes ideas from both Democrats and Republicans which is -- enjoys. The support of people from both parties. How are particularly thank senator Olympia -- for both the political courage. And the seriousness of purpose but she's demonstrated throughout this process. Now this bill is not perfect and we have a lot of difficult work ahead of us. There's still significant details disagreements to be worked out over. The next several weeks is the five separate bills from the Senate and the house are merged into one proposal. But I do believe the work. Of the Senate Finance Committee has brought us significantly closer to achieving core objectives I've laid out early in September. Most importantly this bill goes a long way towards offering security to those who have insurance. And affordable options for those who don't. It rains and some of the worst practices of the insurance industry like the denial of coverage due to preexisting conditions. It also sets up an insurance exchange that will make coverage affordable for those who don't currently have. And as the nonpartisan. Congressional Budget Office has certified. It will slow the growth of healthcare -- in the long term. And it will not add a heading toward depths. The committee's progress over the past several weeks the culmination. Of work by all five committees and numerous members of congress over the better part of this year. We've reached out to stakeholders. Across the spectrum. Doctors and nurses. Businesses and workers hospitals. And even drug companies. We consider a wide variety of ideas and proposals in an effort to find come program. As a result of these efforts. We are now closer than ever before to -- and help. We're not there yet. Now about the -- pat ourselves on the back now's not the time. To. Offer ourselves congratulations now's the time to dig him and work even harder to get this done. And in this final phase I hope that we will continue to engage each other. With the spirit of stability and seriousness. That has brought us this far and this subject deserves. I commend the chairman and the committee's members for their achievement and the example -- that look forward to continue to work with congress in the weeks ahead. We are gonna get this thank you very much -- Are you upset the insurance company."