The Washington Post reports:

Hours after President Obama exhorted Democratic lawmakers to “answer the call of history,” the House hit an unprecedented milestone on the path to health-care reform, approving a trillion-dollar package late Saturday that seeks to overhaul private insurance practices and guarantee comprehensive and affordable coverage to almost every American.

Attention will now shift back to the Senate. If the Senate acts, negotiations to iron out differences between the two chambers could be wrenching. Among the toughest issues: whether the public option should include an “opt out” clause for states, as Reid has proposed; whether to require employers to provide coverage to their workers or take the less punitive approach preferred by Senate moderates; and whether to tax the rich or tax high-cost health-care policies, as the Senate proposed — a provision economists call the most important provisions in either bill for reining in costs.

5 simple things you can do to help pass health care reform:

1. write to your Representative and Senators,
2. write to your hometown U.S.A. newspaper,
3. sign the President’s petition,
4. forward the President’s comments on health care, and
5. let five friends know.

Click here for more details.

Fellow Democrats in Sweden!

Please take 5 minutes this weekend to write a quick message to your Senators and Representative – use the text below as a template and ask them to support President Obama’s health care reform plan when they get back from the August recess.

The White House has asked us to show our support for the President and his 8 Guarantees for Health Insurance Reform by writing our members of Congress. Ask your Senators and Representative to support the President’s principles on Health Insurance Reform.

President Obama has laid out three Guiding Principles regarding Health Insurance Reform:

For your Representative’s details, click here.

For your Senators details, click here.

This key legislation directly affects not only Americans in the US, but also us living abroad – especially those who are refused health care coverage when they return to the US and those who are eligible for Medicare but are refused coverage because they are living outside the US.

SAMPLE MESSAGE:

I am a constituent of Sen/Rep X from , living in . I am writing in reference to real health insurance reform.
As an American citizen living overseas, I look forward to returning to the US one day. This legislation must provide for the following 3 principles: reducing costs, the freedom to choose your doctor and your plan, and to make certain everyone has quality affordable care. These principles will benefit every American.

As your constituent, I strongly urge you to vote for this bill, and encourage other members to do the same.

Sincerely,

XXXXXXX

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Thank you for supporting this critical initiative for all Americans!

Peter R. Dahlen
Chair, Democrats Abroad Sweden