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Signed, Sealed And Delivered
By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 23, 2010
Modified Mar 24, 2010
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By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 23, 2010
Modified Mar 24, 2010
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The White House released photographs of President Obama's historic day signing the $940 billion health care reform bill into law. Obama used 22 commemorative pens to sign the bill; according to The Washington Scene, "As he methodically signed the landmark bill one letter at a time, the left-handed president looked up at the crowd and said, 'I hadn't practiced this.'"
Rep. John Dingell (D-Michigan), the 83-year-old who has served since 1955 and introduced health care legislation every year since 1957, said, "You're doing fine, Mr. President." The pens are being given to various lawmakers—like Dingell, Vice President Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid—and some civilians, including Ted Kennedy's widow Victoria Kennedy, plus two are kept in the archives.
The Senate is debating the reconciliation package and then votes will be taken on the amendments tomorrow, with the process ending Friday, possibly Thursday night. and. Also tomorrow: Obama will sign the executive order that "reaffirms" the ban on federal funding for abortion —but this event is closed to the press.
Tagged
bill signing
health care
health care reform
president obama
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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