Democrats in the House of Representatives narrowly passed sweeping health care reform legislation Saturday night, with only one Republican joining in the vote and the minority party nearly unanimous in its opposition.
“Oh what a night!” Speaker Nancy Pelosi proudly proclaimed at a press conference immediately following passage of the health care bill.

The vote passed 220-215 with 39 Democrats voting against the bill, and one Republican supporting the sweeping plan, Rep. Joseph Cao, a first-term Republican who holds an overwhelmingly Democratic seat in New Orleans. A whoop went up in the Democratic side of the chamber when the vote exceeded the necessary 218 majority needed to pass and when the final tally was read. As the remaining vote time ticked down, Democrats counted down the last few seconds in unison as Pelosi banged the gavel and boomed the standard line with added emphasis, “the bill is passed!”