(08 Nov 09 - RV) US President Barack Obama has hailed as "historic" the approval of a health bill by the House of Representatives.


Passed late yesterday evening in a narrow 220-215 vote by the House, the bill aims to extend coverage to 36 million more Americans and provide affordable healthcare to 96%.


One key amendment to get the bill through was the USCCB backed Stupak-Ellsworth Amendment against federal funding of abortion.


Emer McCarthy spoke to the director of Insidecatholic .com, Deal Hudson about the bill and the US churches concerns: