U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) tonight made the following comments regarding the House passage of health insurance reform legislation:

“Tonight we are one important step closer to achieving meaningful health insurance reform which will bring down the costs of health care for American families and small businesses. I commend my colleagues in the House for their efforts and I pledge to work for the bill's swift passage in the Senate so we can put an end to the insurance industry’s abusive practices and cover millions of individuals now not insured."