US Senate passes landmark healthcare bill

US Senate Democrats passed a landmark health care bill on Thursday. The reforms will introduce near-universal health coverage for the first time in US history. A move that could define Barack Obama's presidency.

US President Barack Obama praised the Senate for passing a sweeping overhaul of the nation's healthcare system, and called on Congress to finish the job.

Barack Obama, US President, said, "With today's vote, we are now incredibly close to making health insurance reform a reality in this country. Our challenge then, is to finish the job. We can't doom another generation of Americans to soaring costs and eroding coverage and exploding deficits. Instead, we need to do what we were sent here to do and improve the lives of the people we serve. For the sake of our citizens, our economy and our future, let's make 2010 the year we finally reform health care in the United States of America."

US President Barack Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden, speaks in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 24, 2009, after the Senate passed the health care reform bill.(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)