The $3.4 trillion 2010 budget proposed by U.S. President Barack Obama, which the U.S. House of Representatives passed on Wednesday, will focus on reforming the U.S. Health Care system. The passage of the budget, which came as a victory for the Obama administration, was approved by only Democrats in the House—no Republican lawmakers voted in favor of the measure. The Senate will vote on the measure Wednesday afternoon. The budget's approval does serve to be a step forward in Obama's goal of providing health care coverage for all Americans. The approved budget plan would give Democrats the capability to advance Obama's health care initiative in the coming months by allowing it to go forward without Republicans threatening its progression in the Senate. “The budget also allows us ... an up-or-down vote on reforming health care — not as an option of first resort, but as a fallback if partisanship blocks progress,” said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, (Democrat from Maryland). Though the budget accounts for health care reform, it avoids outlining how Obama's health care plan would be paid for. The plan is expected to cost more than $1 trillion over the next 10 years. It allows Obama's signature $400 tax credit for most workers to expire in 20 months — but devotes $512 billion over five years to extend tax cuts passed during former President George W. Bush's first term for middle-class workers, investors and families with children. But, there are widespread concerns that with the economy already in a steep recession, deficits would rocket to $1.7 trillion for the ongoing budget year, dipping to $1.2 trillion in 2010. The national debt would rise from today's $11.2 trillion level to $17 trillion at the end of 2014.
