From NBC's Athena Jones and Alicia Jennings
Here's a bit of color before President Obama's bill signing:

The president will be introduced by Vice President Biden. The White House says Obama will be using 20 pens to sign the bill.

Some of the attendees at the bill signing aside from the members of Congress: Vicki Kennedy, Connie Anderson, Ryan Smith, Marcelas Owens,

Per the White House, here are bios for Anderson, Smith, and Owens:

Connie Anderson (Seville, OH)
Connie Anderson is Natoma Canfields sister. On December 29, 2009, Natoma Canfield wrote the President a letter describing her struggles with the rising cost of health insurance and how she could no longer afford her health insurance policy because of a recent exorbitant rate hike by her insurance company. In 2009, her insurance company increased her premiums by over 25 percent. When she learned that her monthly premiums in 2010 would again increase, this time by 40 percent, she could no longer afford her health insurance and had to drop her coverage altogether. Natoma wrote that because she would be uninsured, she was afraid that she would now be one unexpected health emergency away from losing her family home, which her parents built in 1958. She urged the President to stay focused on health reform because she and others are in desperate need of help. The President read and personally responded to Natomas letter, and he shared her letter during a recent meeting with the heads of the nations largest insurance companies, where Secretary Sebelius asked them to justify their recent rate increases. Two weeks ago, Natoma collapsed, was takento an emergency room, and has since been diagnosed with Leukemia. Natoma and her family are struggling to determine how they will afford Natomas medical treatment now that she no longer has insurance, which she dropped in January 2010 because of the rate hike. Under health reform, insurance companies will be held accountable to prevent insurance industry abuses, and Natoma could have access this year to a temporary subsidized high-risk pool for uninsured Americans with premiums that would not be based on her health condition. As well, under reform, Natoma will have access to affordable health insurance through Medicaid or in the new health insurance exchange, where she could qualify for tax credits to help her purchase coverage.Her insurance will also include important consumer protections such as no annual or lifetime limits and no rescissions. Unlike todays insurance market, under health reform insurance companies will not be able to deny Natoma coverage based on a pre-existing condition.

Marcelas Owens (Seattle, WA)
In the past couple weeks, Seattle 5th grader Marcelas has become a nationally recognized spokesperson for health care reform in honor of his mother. She died because she didn't get the health care she needed after she got sick, lost her job and her health insurance. The day after his 11th birthday, Marcelas headlined a press conference in Washington, DC with Senate leaders. Marcelas' message to Congress was simple: "Finish health care reform. No other kid should lose their mom because they don't have health care." Marcelas' mom, Tifanny, worked as a restaurant manager and had health insurance. In September of 2006, she got really sick. Her doctors struggled to diagnose her illness, and Tifanny worked as long as she could while getting more and more sick. She would sometimes miss work because she was too sick and eventually, she had lost so much work that she lost her job, and along with her job went her health insurance. Without health insurance, Tifanny faced a barbaric choice - put food on the table for her kids or go to expensive doctors appointments that, without her job, she could no longer afford. At one hospital stay, Tifanny was diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension, but because she no longer had health insurance she was not able to afford the ongoing proactive treatment that she needed to go to battle with a tough disease. According to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, while many Pulmonary Hypertension patients go too long without an accurate diagnosis, some receive prompt, effective treatment and are able to manage their disease for 20+ years. In June of 2007, Tifanny died at the age of 27, leaving Marcelas and his two younger sisters without a mom. Marcelas shares his story as a way to continue his mother's fight for health care reform and to ensure that no other kid loses their mom or someone they love because they don't have affordable health care.

Ryan Smith (Turlock, CA)
On January 27, 2010, Ryan emailed a letter to the President. Ryan is a small business owner with five employees. He currently provides health insurance to his employees, but he is struggling with rising health care costs. Health care is currently his second largest expense after his payroll, and although he wants to provide health insurance to his employees, he anticipates having to drop his health insurance due to increased cost. Under health reform, Ryan could be eligible this year to receive a small business tax credit to help him offset the cost of providing health insurance to his employees. In addition, he will have access to many new affordable options in the new health insurance exchange.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
A Republican running for governor of New York thinks the passing of health reform is the same as 9/11. Per the New York Daily News:

" 'The day that that bill was passed will be remembered just as 9/11 was remembered in history,' Carl Paladino, a Buffalo businessman seeking the Republican and Conservative Party lines, told host Curtis Sliwa on AM 970 The Apple this morning. 'It was an attempt by these people in Washington to defy the Constitution. It is clearly in conflict with all of the basic precepts of the Constitution.'"

(Hat tip: Ben Smith.)

Rice endorses Fiorina
Condi Rice will endorse Carly Fiorina, the L.A. Times reports:

"California needs a representative in the U.S. Senate who is prepared to make the tough decisions necessary to address our most pressing challenges, including job creation and national security. Based on my personal experience, I know Carly is the best person to send to Washington to advocate for the people of our great state in the Senate," Rice said in a written statement. "Carly is an experienced and respected leader who has delivered results for those she has served in the midst of immense challenges. I am proud to endorse her today."

The connection? "Fiorina worked with Rice when she served on the State Department's Advisory Committee on Transformational Diplomacy." Rice helped Fiorina raise money last week "and plans to raise more money for her next month."

Rice is the former provost of Stanford.

Pataki still leads Gillbrand
In New York, George Pataki would lead Kirsten Gillibrand 45%-39%, according to a new Siena poll. That margin is unchanged from a month ago. Gillibrand had led back in December, but the tide turned in mid-January. Pataki, though, has not declared an intention to run -- despite national Republicans' efforts to recruit him.

Obama signs Senate health-care bill into law at 11:15 am ET… After that, the political world shifts its attention to other issues, like financial reform… On the reconciliation bill, the Senate parliamentarian makes his first ruling -- in favor of the Democrats… McCain vows not to work with the White House or Democrats for the rest of the year… The GOP's dilemma on what do now that health care has passed… NBC's Pete Williams breaks down the legal challenges to health care… And Meg Whitman has already spent $46 million on her race.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Moving on: At 11:15 am ET, President Obama will sign the Senate health-care bill into law. And later this afternoon, the Senate will begin its debate on the reconciliation fixes to the health bill. But beyond the drama over whether Senate Republicans can stymie those fixes -- and they failed in their first attempt -- the political world now begins to move on to other issues. Financial reform (the Senate Banking Committee moved its bill to the Senate floor). Immigration reform (after Sunday's march in DC). Middle East peace (with Obama's closed-door meeting at 5:30 pm with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu). The economy. Afghanistan. Iraq. Energy. And the upcoming midterm elections.

*** Dodd's push: Turning to financial reform, the Senate Banking Committee approved Chris Dodd's (D) bill on a party-line vote, sending the legislation to the Senate floor. "All 10 Senate Banking Committee Republicans opposed the measure proposed by Dodd," BusinessWeek says. "The 13-10 vote in Washington yesterday means negotiations will continue as the bill moves to the Senate floor." Why did Dodd force the legislation through committee? Answer: to get this on senate floor and find a few more Republicans to possibly support the bill, like Bob Corker and Judd Gregg. MSNBC's "Daily Rundown" interviews Gregg this morning. Neither Corker nor Gregg seemed thrilled with Dodd's decision to simply get the bill out of committee, but both issued optimistic statements saying they could make the changes they wanted on the floor. Even some Committee Democrats aren't happy with what Dodd pushed through, but everyone seems on the "fix it on the floor" page.

*** The parliamentarian makes his first ruling: The latest guidance, according to NBC's Ken Strickland, is that the Senate won't take up the reconciliation bill until after 2:15 pm ET. But Roll Call reports that Senate Democrats already scored their first victory with the parliamentarian. "Senate Parliamentarian Alan Frumin late Monday ruled against a Republican challenge to the health care reconciliation package, a Senate aide confirmed. Senate Republicans Monday afternoon argued to Frumin that a provision of the reconciliation package approved by the House violated Section 310g of the Budget Act. Had Frumin ruled in the Republicans' favor, the bill would have been stripped of its reconciliation status." By the way, both the White House and House Dems seem to doing everything they can to ignore the show in the Senate, simply expressing confidence that the Senate will approve MOST of the fixes. Steny Hoyer said on "Hardball" last night that the House was willing to re-take up a fixes bill if the Senate had to make some "minor" changes.

*** McCain vs. the White House: On the issue of immigration, we've long wondered whether John McCain -- who is facing a primary challenge this year from the right -- would end up working with the White House. Well, we got an answer yesterday. "There will be no cooperation for the rest of the year," McCain told an Arizona radio station, per the Washington Post. "They have poisoned the well in what they've done [on health care] and how they've done it." That remark prompted this response from White House adviser David Axelrod: "You know, that's okay on the sandlot, but that's not really okay when you're trying to govern a country and move a country forward. It's a disappointing attitude." And that drew this blistering comment from McCain's spokeswoman: "Sen. John McCain will always stand on the side of the American people. Get used to it, Mr. Axelrod, that's what strong, independent members do -- you'd know that if you had ever worked for one."

*** The GOP's dilemma: The Republican responses to health care's passage -- including McCain's above -- present the GOP with this question: What do they do now they've lost? Launch a full repeal campaign (as many Republicans like McCain are advocating), or steer a more pragmatic course (as David Frum is arguing)? "In political terms, Republicans face strong crosscurrents," the New York Times' Nagourney writes. "Polls suggest that a sizable part of the nation is unenthusiastic about the bill or opposed to it. Conservatives see it as a strike at the heart of their small-government principles… But at the same time, many provisions of the bill that go into effect this year … are broadly popular with the public… And in a week when Democrats are celebrating the passage of a historic piece of legislation, Republicans find themselves again being portrayed as the party of no, associated with being on the losing side of an often acrid debate and failing to offer a persuasive alternative agenda." The Paul Ryan solution is "Repeal and Reform"; can the GOP strike that compromise?

*** Breaking down the legal challenges: NBC's Pete Williams has a good explainer on the legal challenges that at least nine GOP state attorneys general are mounting against the health care legislation. They claim that the bill's "individual mandate," designed to push the uninsured into buying health insurance, is unconstitutional. Here's the issue, Williams says: The Constitution gives Congress authority "to regulate commerce." In general, once someone engages in commerce, the government can regulate it. But opponents say that does not include the power to require an individual to buy something -- like health insurance. Supporters of the bill, however, say Congress does have the power to regulate activities that have a cumulative effect on the economy -- like health care. Our question: Can these lawsuits be filed BEFORE the mandates go into effect? Or do they have to wait until 2014?

*** Midterm news: In California, Meg Whitman has already spent $46 million on her gubernatorial campaign, putting her well on pace to spend more than $100 million if she's the GOP nominee… In Illinois, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Laura Washington says Alexi Giannoulias is a "dead man walking"… And in Utah, today is the first round of narrowing the candidate fields as the neighborhood caucuses take place.

Countdown to IN, NC, and OH primaries: 42 days
Countdown to NE and WV primaries: 49 days
Countdown to AR, KY, OR and PA primaries: 56 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 224 days

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The Washington Post is the latest to look at how Democrats rescued health care after Scott Brown's victory two months ago. "The remarkable change in political fortunes thrust Obama into a period of uncertainty and demonstrated the ability of one person to control the balance of power in Washington. On Jan. 19, that person seemed to be Brown. But as the next 61 days would show, culminating in Sunday night's historic vote, the fate of the legislation ultimately rested in the hands of Obama."

Some advice from Dem pollster Stan Greenberg: "One closing suggestion for President Obama. I worry that he is tempted to talk about how 'America waited a hundred years' for this moment, as he did Sunday night, just as Republicans are talking about the dawn of socialism and the Europeanization of America. The health care reform victory was hard politics. The president should learn the bread-and-butter lesson of the last month: focus on telling voters what the insurance companies won't be doing to you any more. And then, create some jobs — that would be a true game changer."

The Globe looks at the substance of the bill and that most of the major changes won't go into effect until 2014. "The law will take effect gradually. A series of modest changes kicks in this year -- tax credits to help small businesses purchase insurance for their employees, a $250 prescription drug rebate for seniors on Medicare who have hit a gap in their coverage, and a ban on excluding children from coverage because of preexisting conditions," the paper writes. "Insurers won't be able to impose lifetime coverage limits or cancel policies unless an enrollee commits fraud, and within six months, the government will set up a high-risk pool to help people with preexisting conditions get coverage."

The New York Daily News: "Obama basks in glow of health care victory, but now comes the hard part: selling it to the people."

The Boston Globe: "Buoyed by a historic victory, President Obama and the Democrats hope to quickly tap the momentum from passage of their big health care bill to advance other initiatives on their political agenda, including curbing greenhouse gases, imposing new rules on Wall Street, and overhauling immigration laws." But Republican pollster Bill McInturff (the GOP half of the NBC/WSJ poll) says "My own view is there's only so many 'profile in courage' votes that the average House or Senate member wants to take. This health care bill has used up enormous political capital." And: "The safer bet for Democrats, in this view, would be to focus on smaller, job-producing spending bills in the months before the 2010 mid-term elections."

"Democrats sent a massive Wall Street regulation bill to the full Senate on a party-line vote yesterday that left the bill's chances for bipartisan passage in doubt," AP writes, adding, "Despite a conciliatory tone struck by the committee's Democratic and Republican leaders, the development adds more uncertainty about Congress's ability to pass a sweeping rewrite of financial regulations this year. The Senate would not take up the bill until next month, at the earliest."

Climate change next? "A group of 22 Democratic Senators urged Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) Monday to take up comprehensive climate legislation this year, making the case that reform would be a boost for the economy. ... Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.), Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) are expected to brief a bipartisan group of Members Tuesday on the climate proposal they have been developing for weeks." As of now, what's on the docket are more jobs packages and financial reform.

Democratic political strategist Mark Siegel said this about Nancy Pelosi: "She's Lyndon Johnson in a skirt." The New York Daily News notes that Pelosi is a "San Francisco grandmother, who turns 70 Friday. Siegel continued, "She was patient, tireless, persistent and cajoling -- and she pulled off what no one else could." 
 
"You probably couldn't pick him out of a lineup of two, and for years, he has toiled in obscurity. But this week's Senate debate over a health care reconciliation bill is likely to come down to one mustachioed man -- Parliamentarian Alan Frumin," Roll Call writes. 
 
"Frumin late Monday ruled against a Republican challenge to the health care reconciliation package, a Senate aide confirmed," Roll Call reports. "One down, many more to go," a GOP aide said Monday evening.

Ben Nelson says he'll vote no on the reconciliation package.

The Hill reports that John McCain told an Arizona radio show: "There will be no cooperation for the rest of the year. They have poisoned the well in what they've done and how they've done it."
 
Jim Manley, Harry Reid's spokesman responded: "For someone who campaigned on 'Country First' and claims to take great pride in bipartisanship, it's absolutely bizarre for Senator McCain to tell the American people he is going to take his ball and go home until the next election.  He must be living in some parallel universe because the fact is, with very few exceptions, we've gotten very little cooperation from Senate Republicans in recent years. At a time when our economy is suffering and we're fighting two wars, the American people need Senator McCain and his fellow Republicans to start working with us to confront the challenges facing our country -- not reiterating their constant opposition to helping working families when they need it most."

Per Politico, "The only thing worse than winning ugly is losing uglier. The Democrats' ungainly march toward a victory on health care reform Sunday night provoked a graceless response from angry House Republicans, who shouted insults across the chamber, encouraged outbursts from the galleries, brandished 'Kill the bill' placards from the Speaker's Balcony and, apparently, left veiled threats of electoral retribution on the benches of undecided Democrats. And that all came before Texas Republican Rep. Randy Neugebauer shouted 'baby killer!' as anti-abortion Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) spoke on the House floor."

Jim Clyburn says Randy Neugebauer should apologize on the House floor for his "baby killer" outburst.

'Satisfied with the tone of the debate? Rep. Randy "Neugebauer's outburst reminded many of when Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) shouted, 'You lie!' at President Barack Obama during a joint address to Congress on healthcare last September," The Hill writes. "In the days following, Wilson's website crashed as it overloaded with correspondence and he raised thousands of dollars from supporters. On Monday, parts of Neugebauer's website were also not loading, perhaps because they were overloading with traffic.
 
Minority Leader John Boehner's (R-Ohio) office did not comment on Neugebauer's remarks, but a spokesman on Monday said Boehner was pleased with his conference's conduct. 'My impression is that he was satisfied with the tone of the debate, which focused on the serious factual arguments against the Democrats' job-killing government takeover bill,' said Michael Steel, a spokesman for Boehner."

Jim DeMint's Senate Conservatives Fund PAC already has a repeal pledge Web site. It names conservative candidates who have pledged to fight to repeal "ObamaCare" (and raises money).

Roll Call looks at Democrats running against Washington this fall. 
 
ARKANSAS: The Hill looks at how 27-year-old Sarah Huckabee came to be Rep. John Boozman's campaign manager. Boozman's running for Senate. "Huckabee's upcoming wedding, showers and related events were enough to give her pause. After all, her dad had already paid for the wedding and the invitations had been sent. 'I said, 'John, I don't think you understand -- literally one week after the primary, I'm getting married, and then I'm going on my honeymoon,'' she recalls. Boozman replied that 'the most important thing you'll do all year is get married' and reassured her that they would work around whatever other wedding-related events she needed to attend, she says. Boozman's first campaign crisis was averted. Huckabee accepted the job." 
 
GEORGIA: A special election to replace Rep. Nathan Deal will take place April 27. 
 
ILLINOIS: Democratic Senate candidate Alexi "Giannoulias is a dead man walking," Chicago Sun-Times columnist Laura Washington writes. "Once President Obama's operatives finish sweeping up their sloppy health-care reform effort, they will turn their attention to holding on to the party's congressional majorities. A key agenda item: finding a new nominee to preserve Obama's Senate seat." 
 
MICHIGAN: A Marketing Resource Group poll shows Republican gubernatorial candidate Pete Hoekstra tied at 21% with his Democratic opponent Mike Cox, with Republican Rick Snyder trailing by only one point at 20%. 
 
NEW YORK: Andrew Cuomo still tops all comers: In a new Siena poll, he leads "newly announced Democrat-turned-Republican gubernatorial hopeful Steve Levy, the Suffolk County executive, by an even bigger margin in the race for governor than he'd crush GOP front-runner Rick Lazio." He beats Lazio 59%-21% and Levy 63%-16%. And his popularity is "unchanged with the voters -- 63 percent favorable to 22 percent unfavorable -- from a Siena survey two weeks ago, a markedly different finding than a recent Marist College poll suggesting Cuomo's rating dropped sharply as he probed alleged misconduct by Gov. Paterson." 
 
PENNSYLVANIA: Rep. Jason Altmire may face a challenge from a Pennsylvania labor leader "irate" over his vote against health care reform: "Jack Shea, the president of the Allegheny County Labor Council, said he is considering a challenge to the McCandless Democrat in either the primary or general elections."   
 
UTAH: Today is the first round of narrowing the Democratic and Republican candidate fields as neighborhood caucuses take place. "It is a particularly important day for three-term Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, and the seven conservatives who are challenging him from the right," Deseret News reports. "They report frenetic efforts to ensure their supporters attend the caucuses and are elected. Democrats also have two candidates in that Senate race."

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
A financial reform package made it out of the Senate Banking committee today by a 13-10 vote.

Reuters: "The U.S. Senate Banking Committee on Monday backed a bill to plug gaps in financial regulation and safeguard the country's financial system from future crises." The bill "includes new rules for banks, consumer financial products, derivatives and hedge funds."

Here's the actual bill.

And here's a summary of the bill from the Banking Committee.

From NBC's Athena Jones
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the president is expected to sign the Senate health-care bill tomorrow. The bill was passed by the House last night.

Gibbs said the White Hosue is still working out logistics, but it will likely be some time in late morning and probably on the South Lawn -- weather-permitting.

The Washington Post: "White House officials said Obama intends to sign the bill during an event that will include a diverse group of guests, some of whom the president has showcased before to promote his health-care plans. He is hoping to do so on the South Lawn, aides said, but that could change if the weather is bad. Invitees will include doctors and nurses, citizens who will benefit from some of the bill's provisions, and members of Congress instrumental in passing it." And there's this: "Obama will travel Thursday to Iowa City, Iowa, to underscore the bill's immediate effects."

*** UPDATE *** Gibbs added that the President will speak and sign the bill tomorrow in the East Room -- right now scheduled to begin at 11:15 a.m. ET. This will be open press. Obama will then go to the Department of Interior to deliver remarks on the bill.

From NBC's Courtney Kube
After the State Department announced that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at State at 2:45 p.m. today, the meeting was just moved to the nearby Mayflower Hotel.

And, despite the fact the meeting was open to the media, now only "official" media are allowed to cover it.

Asked about the last-minute decision, State Department spokesperson P.J. Crowley said the change in location was the "Israeli's prerogative," and that he "doesn't know why the shift was made."

Crowley warned "not to read too much into" the move, and side-stepped a question about whether the change had anything to do with Clinton's speech to the AIPAC Conference this morning.

At the speech, Clinton condemned new settlements in Jerusalem saying, "New construction in East Jerusalem or the West Bank undermines that mutual trust and endangers the proximity talks," and "it exposes daylight between Israel and the United States that others in the region hope to exploit."

Making these statements to the powerful Israeli lobbying group, Clinton said that "as Israel's friend, it is our responsibility to give credit when it is due and to tell the truth when it is needed."

While Crowley denied that Clinton's strong statements impacted the Israeli's decision on today's meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State, Crowley did admit that the Israelis did NOT receive a copy of Clinton's speech before this morning's event. They did not know what she would say about settlements.

From NBC's Luke Russert
Texas Rep. Randy Neugebauer (pronounced NAH-guh-bower) was the member who made the "baby killer" comment last night, according to his office.

"Last night was the climax of weeks and months of debate on a health care bill that my constituents fear and do not support," Neugebauer said in a statement. "In the heat and emotion of the debate, I exclaimed the phrase 'it's a baby killer' in reference to the agreement reached by the Democratic leadership. While I remain heartbroken over the passage of this bill and the tragic consequences it will have for the unborn, I deeply regret that my actions were mistakenly interpreted as a direct reference to Congressman Stupak himself.

"I have apologized to Mr. Stupak and also apologize to my colleagues for the manner in which I expressed my disappointment about the bill. The House Chamber is a place of decorum and respect. The timing and tone of my comment last night was inappropriate."

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell
Senior Senate aides from both parties say there is a closed-door bipartisan meeting today with the Senate parliamentarian.

The focus of the meeting is a Republican claim that the entire House reconciliation bill "is out of order" because Republicans say the bill violates a requirement for use of reconciliation under the Budget Act. That requirement states the measure cannot affect Social Security revenue. Republicans say the bill does. The Parliamentarian would make the call.

Looking for a process primer? And who is Alan Frumin? Click here.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Other "rolling meetings" are expected about various provisions within the House package to determine if they meet the criteria for use of the reconciliation voting method. The parliamentarian is a civil servant appointed by the majority who advises the Senate and interprets rules and procedures.

The parliamentarian has been meeting with both parties separately for weeks as they prepared for this next phase of the debate.

Democratic aides say they expect to offer few, if any, amendments. Democrats will strongly encourage their members to vote down any GOP amendments -- even those that may be crafted to appeal to Democrats. Aides say that's why Senate Democrats wanted the president to postpone his trip and not leave after a victory in the House. They say the president may be needed to work the phones on the Senate side, too.

This will be a chess game with Democrats saying they are "comfortable where they are," but ready to use the rule book to blunt GOP attempts. Aides say they expect something "politically mischievous" from Republicans -- like an amendment adding a "public option" government-run insurance. That would be a hard "no" vote for some Democrats. Aides say they will urge their members to resist what could be amendments "crafted for 30-second attack ads."

Republicans are keeping their strategy "close to the vest," but say they expect at least one change to the bill, which would require another House vote. Republicans say the process of repeated votes is arduous, and Democrats might find themselves having to vote no on "the puppy protection act." 

The Senate cannot act until the president signs the bill, which is expected tomorrow. Some aides hope to complete the process by the end of the week which could spill into the weekend. The Senate is due to take a two week recess for Passover/Easter Friday.

From NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro
In a pointed statement, Republican Mitt Romney -- who as Massachusetts governor signed a very similar health-care legislation into law -- is calling for repeal of the legislation that the House passed last night.

How Romney balances supporting what he did in Massachusetts and opposing Obama's plan will be one of the more interesting stories between now and 2012, if Romney runs for president.

Romney's statement:

[Obama] calls his accomplishment "historic" — in this he is correct, although not for the reason he intends. Rather, it is an historic usurpation of the legislative process — he unleashed the nuclear option, enlisted not a single Republican vote in either chamber, bribed reluctant members of his own party, paid-off his union backers, scapegoated insurers, and justified his act with patently fraudulent accounting. What Barack Obama has ushered into the American political landscape is not good for our country; in the words of an ancient maxim, "what starts twisted, ends twisted."

His health-care bill is unhealthy for America. It raises taxes, slashes the more private side of Medicare, installs price controls, and puts a new federal bureaucracy in charge of health care. It will create a new entitlement even as the ones we already have are bankrupt. For these reasons and more, the act should be repealed. That campaign begins today."

From NBC's Mark Murray
Last night's House votes didn't stop the TV ads on health care.

Indeed, the P.R. battle over the legislation has really only begun. (Remember that after the stimulus passed last year, Republicans were largely successful in defining that legislation on their terms.)

Health Care for America Now (HCAN) and the union group AFSCME say they are launching a $1 million TV ad campaign to thank 14 vulnerable or potentially vulnerable House Democrats who voted for the legislation. Here's a sample of one of the ads:

[Youtube:9CGgNzUkegg]

Those 14 members: Alan Mollohan (WV), Mary Jo Kilroy (OH), Chris Carney (PA), Allen Boyd (FL), Suzanne Kosmas (FL), Carol Shea-Porter (NH), Mark Schauer (MI), Gary Peters (MI), Bill Foster (IL), Brad Ellsworth (IN), Baron Hill (IN), Gerry Connolly (VA), Paul Kanjorski (PA), and Debbie Halvorson (IL).

Meanwhile, Americans United for Change has a TV ad (at a $100,000 buy) blasting controversial GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann for voting against the legislation.

[Youtube:KvAcDOhxgao]

From NBC's Wendy Jones
Earlier this morning, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered a sympathetic, but subtly tough, message to Israel in her 47 minute-long speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's (AIPAC) conference in DC. Two topics received emphasis: 1) preventing Iran from becoming a state with nuclear weapons, and 2) encouraging peace and moderation in the Middle East.

Clinton stressed the United States' long history of support for Israel. "The relationship between the U.S. and Israel has never been more important," she said. "The U.S. has long recognized that a strong Israel is vital to our own strategic interests... The forces that threaten Israel also threaten the United States."

She also said this: "As Israel's friend it is our responsibility to give credit when it is due and to tell the truth when needed."

And: "This Administration will always stand up for Israel's right to defend itself... And for Israel there is no greater strategic threat than the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran."

Obama and Democrats go big -- and score… Comparing the long health-care debate to the long Democratic presidential nomination fight… What worked for Obama and what didn't… Gotta give Nancy Pelosi her due… Boehner vs. Frum on the GOP's opposition… Breaking down last night's votes… The impact on the upcoming midterms… Few were happy with the abortion compromise with Stupak… And Hillary speaks to AIPAC this morning.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Going big: No Drama Obama has proved to provide nothing but drama. Late last night after hours of debate, the U.S. House of Representatives passed historic health-care legislation by a 219-212 vote, sending it to President Obama's desk for his signature. The House also passed a reconciliation bill with fixes to the legislation (as well as a student loan overhaul) by a 220-211 vote, which the Senate will take up this week. "We proved that we are still a people capable of doing big things and tackling our biggest challenges," Obama said after the House passed both pieces of legislation, adding later: "This is what change looks like." Going big is consistent with his stated desire during the presidential campaign to change the trajectory of America (remember when he said he wanted to be more Reagan than Clinton during the primary campaign?) It also countered Sen. Lamar Alexander's argument at last month's bipartisan health summit that Congress doesn't do big well -- passing comprehensive health, energy, and immigration changes. "We don't do comprehensive well," he said back then. "Our country is too big, too complicated, too decentralized." And now we'll find out.

*** Shades of June 2008? Are we alone in seeing comparisons between the long health-care debate and the long Democratic nomination fight of 2008? Both were extended due to the opposition's political victories (Scott Brown's win vs. Hillary's wins in OH and PA). Both resulted in tough news cycles for Obama (the narrative about his disappointing first year in office vs. the Wright/"bitter"/"why has he been unable to seal the deal?" stories). Both saw a lot of overheated rhetoric (the Tea Party protests vs. the PUMA ones). And on both, Obama was ultimately victorious due to the math (the Dems' congressional majorities vs. the delegate count) and due to his perseverance to simply outlast his opponents. Ultimately, the long Democratic nomination made Obama a stronger general-election candidate, because it forced him to focus more on the economy, it gave him additional opportunities for one-on-one debates, and it ended up putting IN and NC in play. And that long fight also gave him the confidence that eventually he can wear down his opposition. That said: What lessons did he learn from the health debate? 

*** What worked, what didn't: What DIDN'T prove to work for Obama and the Democrats was allowing the Senate (and especially the Senate Finance Committee) to take as long as it did; losing Olympia Snowe (and her public-option trigger); enabling process to dominate the debate; allowing much of the debate, for months, to center on the public option -- a topic Obama never discussed during the presidential campaign; and underestimating, early last year as the White House embarked on health care, how bad the economy turned out to be. But what DID work was going big rather than small; tying the fate of his presidency to the bill's success; holding that bipartisan health-care summit, which served to rally Democrats behind the legislation; trusting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to get 216 votes; becoming Candidate Obama again; and allowing Congress to steer much of the legislative work before taking control of the wheel. Indeed, his approach -- hands off at first, all hands on deck at the end -- worked.

*** Give Pelosi her due: Of course, last night's passage wasn't Obama's success alone. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her lieutenants were able to get the votes needed to pass the legislation -- something that many thought was unlikely after Scott Brown's win two months ago. As the New York Times wrote on Sunday in a piece detailing how Democrats saved health care after Massachusetts: "It is the story of how a struggling president partnered with a pair of experienced legislators -- Ms. Pelosi and, to a lesser extent, Mr. Reid -- to reach for a goal that Mr. Obama has often said had eluded his predecessors going back to Theodore Roosevelt. Their journey over the last two months, interviews with White House aides, lawmakers, outside advisers, lobbyists and political strategists show, involved tensions, resolve, political spadework -- and a little bit of luck." Also, the DNC's issue arm, OFA, also seemed to work closer to the "an intended" model than they have so far. As the Tea Party movement gained more prominence, the White House needed OFA to work and it appears, while not as prominent, it did. The biggest example may be the flips of No voters to Yes.  
 
*** Boehner vs. Frum: As for the Republicans, House Minority Leader John Boehner gave a fiery speech before the votes, in which he argued that Democrats would pay a political price for passing the legislation. "Shame on us. Shame on this body. Shame on each and every one of you who substitutes your will and your desires above those of your fellow countrymen," he said. "If we pass this bill, there will be no turning back. It will be the last straw for the American people. In a democracy, you can only ignore the will of the people for so long and get away with it. If we defy the will of our fellow citizens and pass this bill, we will be held to account by those who have placed their trust in us." On the other hand, conservative writer David Frum contended that last night was the GOP's "most crushing legislative defeat since the 1960s." His reason: "At the beginning of this process we made a strategic decision: unlike, say, Democrats in 2001 when President Bush proposed his first tax cut, we would make no deal with the administration. No negotiations, no compromise, nothing. We were going for all the marbles. This would be Obama's Waterloo -- just as healthcare was Clinton's in 1994… This time, when we went for all the marbles, we ended with none." This debate will dominate the conservative blogosphere. Check out today's DAILY RUNDOWN; former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist seems to walk the line of "they'll run on repeal" but doesn't seem enthusiastic that it's the right call.

*** Breaking down the vote(s): In last night's 219-212 vote approving the Senate health bill, 34 Democrats voted no, while no Republican voted yes. The 34 Dems voting no: Adler (NJ), Altmire (PA), Arcuri (NY), Barrow (GA), Berry (AR), Boren (OK), Boucher (VA), Bright (AL), Chandler (KY), Childers (MS), Davis (AL), Davis (TN), Edwards (TX), Herseth Sandlin (SD), Holden (MO), Kissell (NC), Kratovil (MD), Lipinski (IL), Lynch (MA), Marshall (GA), Matheson (UT), McIntyre (NC), McMahon (NY), Melancon (LA), Minnick (ID), Nye (VA), Peterson (MN), Ross (AR), Shuler (NC), Skelton (MO), Space (OH), Tanner (TN), Taylor (MS), and Teague (NM). The 220-211 vote approving the reconciliation fixes was pretty similar, but there were a few differences. Lynch (MA) and Lipinski (IL) voted FOR it, while Jim Cooper (TN) -- who voted for the Senate bill -- voted AGAINST the reconciliation bill.

*** The 2010 impact: Of course, last night's activity will certainly have an impact on the November midterm elections. One obvious person to watch is Indiana Rep. Brad Ellsworth, who voted "yes" and is now running for the Senate. Some other vulnerable House Dems who voted yes include John Boccieri (OH), Betsy Markey (CO), and Scott Murphy (NY) -- all three of whom voted "no" last year but switched their votes last night. Then again, there were vulnerable Dems who voted "no" who are still going to face tough GOP challenges: Frank Kratovil (MD), Zack Space (OH), and Harry Teague (NM). 

*** You know what they say when no one is happy…: As it turned out, the agreement that the White House/Dem leaders reached with Bart Stupak on abortion yesterday made neither the pro-choice or anti-abortion interest groups happy. Said National Right to Life: "A lawmaker who votes for this bill is voting to require federal agencies to subsidize and administer health plans that will pay for elective abortion." The Susan B. Anthony List stripped Stupak of his "Defender of Life" award. On the other hand, pro-choice were angry – but  Said NARAL: "On a day when Americans are expected to see passage of legislation that will make health care more affordable for more than 30 million citizens, it is deeply disappointing that Bart Stupak and other anti-choice politicians would demand the restatement of the Hyde amendment." Added Planned Parenthood: "We regret that a pro-choice president of a pro-choice nation was forced to sign an Executive Order that further codifies the proposed anti-choice language in the health care reform bill." 

*** Besides health care…: In non-health care news today, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addresses AIPAC at 9:00 am; other speakers include Steny Hoyer (D), Eric Cantor (R), Lindsey Graham (R), Chuck Schumer (D), and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Also today, Geithner speaks on financial reform at 4:30 pm ET before the American Enterprise Institute.

Countdown to IN, NC, and OH primaries: 43 days
Countdown to NE and WV primaries: 50 days
Countdown to AR, KY, OR and PA primaries: 57 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 225 days

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"Congress completed action Sunday night on the major portion of President Obama's top priority, a historic restructuring of the nation's health care system that has eluded his predecessors for more than a century," USA Today writes. "The 219-212 House vote, coming after a tumultuous day of protests and rancorous debate, paves the way for Obama to sign into law most of his 10-year, $940 billion plan within the next few days. The House also approved a package of changes to the bill by a 220-211 vote shortly before midnight and sent it to the Senate for final action, perhaps later this week." 

The Washington Post: "The bill will affect virtually every man, woman and child in the United States in some way, from the 20-somethings who constitute one of the largest uninsured groups to poor, childless adults who don't qualify for Medicaid in most states to well-paid professionals who could see their benefits shrink. The health-care debate touched on many highly charged moral issues in American life, and a handful of antiabortion Democrats held up a final deal until late Sunday afternoon, before reaching a breakthrough with the White House."

Dana Milbank focuses on the Tea Party protests outside the Capitol. "Thousands of conservative "tea party" activists had massed on the south side of the Capitol, pushing to within about 50 feet of the building. Some Democrats worried aloud about the risk of violence, and police tried to keep the crowd away from the building. But rather than calm the demonstrators, Republican congressmen whipped the masses into a frenzy. There on the House balcony, the GOP lawmakers' legislative dissent and the tea-party protest merged into one. Some lawmakers waved handwritten signs and led the crowd in chants of 'Kill the bill.' A few waved the yellow 'Don't Tread on Me' flag of the tea-party movement. Still others fired up the demonstrators with campaign-style signs mocking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi." 

The Hill gives Nancy Pelosi her due: "Nancy Pelosi showed Sunday why she is one of the most powerful Speakers in history. In shepherding one of the most controversial bills through the House, Pelosi achieved what some thought what was impossible after Scott Brown's victory in Massachusetts two months ago."

"No Republicans voted for the legislation. Representative Stephen F. Lynch, a South Boston Democrat, was one of 34 Democrats -- and the only member of the Massachusetts delegation -- who voted against the overall bill. But he then cast an 'aye' in support of the compromise repairs that are going to the Senate," The Boston Globe writes. Lynch said, "Once it's passed, it's my job to try to improve it. I think it did."

By the way, after all that, Rep. Nathan Deal has resigned from the House -- effective last night after the vote. He had planned on resigning last month but was lobbied by Rep. Eric Cantor to stay for his vote on health care.

Roll Call on what comes next: "Senate Democrats on Monday are set to pick up the battle over health care reform where the House left off, but the path forward remains uncertain as Republicans comb the reconciliation package for weaknesses and Democrats hunker down in an attempt to preserve the integrity of the bill."

NBC's Ken Strickland adds: "And if history is any guide, [Republicans] are likely to force the House to vote on health care again before Easter. 'Anybody that thinks that this is only going to be a one-time deal today in the House, I think, is grossly mistaken,' said Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch on CNN's 'State of the Union.'" More from Strickland: "In the 22 times reconciliation that has been used, only once has the Senate bill not been changed and sent back to the House."

The New York Daily News looks at the timing and impact of the legislation: "Champagne corks popped Sunday night when Congress passed historic health care reform, but here's a sobering reality: It will take years for much of the new law to take hold. In the meantime, health care for some Americans could get worse before it gets better, experts say -- with more Americans losing their insurance in the recession, and little to curb health care spending and premiums."

The Daily News also does its winners and losers. Winners: President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, labor unions, drug companies. Losers: John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, Harry Reid, Sarah Palin, Tea Partiers, Fox News.

The AP's Sidoti: "The initial blush of President Barack Obama's health care triumph immediately gives way to a sober political reality -- he must sell the landmark legislation to an angry and unpredictable electorate, still reeling from the recession." Democrats are unlikely to see a short-term political gain from health care, but rather, "Obama's political boost may come later. 'There's a bump for the history books,' said Fred Greenstein, a Princeton University presidential scholar. 'When historians ask if this is a kind of squandered presidency, there will be health care to point to.'"

The Comeback Kid? The Boston Globe says, "President Obama scored a stunning political and legislative victory on health care last night that not only will earn him a place in history books, but promises to establish him as a stronger leader of the Democratic Party after a tumultuous first year… But once the unexpected election of GOP Senator Scott Brown in January's Massachusetts special election left Democrats dispirited and groping for a new strategy, Obama rallied. The president displayed fresh political acumen that brought momentum back to the Democrats and resurrected their centerpiece domestic issue, lawmakers and political specialists said, helping the House pass a broad overhaul measure last night. Just two months ago his administration appeared to be struggling. Now, in the face of intense adversity, he is about to achieve a goal that has eluded presidents for decades."

The New York Times' Sanger: "Whether it was a historic achievement or political suicide for his party -- perhaps both -- he succeeded where President Bill Clinton failed in trying to remake American health care. President George W. Bush also failed to enact a landmark change in a domestic program, his second-term effort to create private accounts in the Social Security system." 

The New York Daily News' cover is simply: "Historic!" The paper's story: "It's not just change to believe in -- it's change that's real after the U.S. House of Representatives voted Sunday night for a sweeping overhaul of American health care. Making the nation's medical system work better and cover Americans was the signature issue of President Obama's campaign. In his second year, he has won a historic reform that some rank with such milestone achievements as civil rights acts and the creation of Social Security."

"Tens of thousands of immigrants and activists rallied here on Sunday, calling for legislation this year to give legal status to millions of illegal immigrants and seeking to pressure President Obama to keep working on the contentious issue once the health care debate is behind him," the New York Times reports.

"Demonstrators filled five lengthy blocks of the Washington Mall, down the hill from the Capitol where last-minute negotiations were under way on the health care bill. The immigrant activists, chanting Mr. Obama's campaign slogan of 'Yes we can' in Spanish and English, tried to compete with their numbers for public and media attention which were mainly focused on the climactic health care events in the House of Representatives."

CALIFORNIA: An independent expenditure group, made up of labor unions and Democratic consultants, has created a new ad attacking Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, the New York Times reports. The spot features "a technically impressive avatar of the candidate [Meg-a-Tar], talking trash about herself." 

And Whitman's primary opponent Steve Poizner "is promising to end taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal immigrants in a TV commercial that blames liberals for 'doing too much for too many,' the San Jose Mercury News reports.

KENTUCKY: Attorney General and Senate candidate Jack Conway released a new ad on Friday focusing on his work combating cyber crime.  
 
NEVADA: The Las Vegas Review-Journal writes that Tea Party Senate contender Jon Ashjian may face a lawsuit challenging his candidacy on the basis that he was a registered Republican when he filed to run as a Tea Party candidate.

From NBC's Mark Murray
At 11:30 pm ET, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the reconciliation legislation that "fixes" the just-passed Senate bill. *** UPDATE *** The final vote was 220-211.

The Senate then must also pass those fixes -- with a simple 51-vote majority -- in order for it to be signed into law.

The Senate is expected to take up that task in the next week.

From NBC's Mark Murray and Shawna Thomas
In a historic vote, the U.S. House of Representatives late this evening passed the Senate health-care bill. After securing the needed 216 votes, Democrats broke out into a "Yes we can" chant.

*** UPDATE*** The final vote tally was 219-212. Thirty-four Democrats voted against the bill, and no Republicans -- including Joseph Cao -- voted for it.

Next, the House will consider a GOP effort to recommit the reconciliation "fixes" to the Senate bill.

Then -- about 25 minuts later -- the House will vote on those reconcilation fixes.

President Obama is expected to deliver remarks after that.

*** UPDATE II *** The GOP motion to recommit failed.

From NBC's Mark Murray
Flanked by half a dozen other anti-abortion congressional Democrats, Rep. Bart Stupak (D) announced he would vote for the health-care bill, after the White House said President Obama will sign -- after the bill becomes law -- an executive order affirming that no federal funds will be used for abortions under the legislation. 

The support from Stupak and the other pro-life Democrats all but ensures that the legislation will pass later tonight. "We are well past 216," Stupak said during the Q&A with reporters.

Right before Stupak's announcement, White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer issued a release, saying: "While the legislation as written maintains current law, the executive order provides additional safeguards to ensure that the status quo is upheld and enforced, and that the health care legislation's restrictions against the public funding of abortions cannot be circumvented."

From NBC's Betsy Cline
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi emerged from the last Democratic caucus meeting this afternoon wielding a sledgehammer-sized gavel. She promised to use it tonight when the House votes on health care.

"It was used in the enactment of the Medicare law," Pelosi told reporters, "I will use it this evening when we cast a very successful for this important legislation."

The gavel was lent to her by Rep. John Dingell (D), who used the same gavel when the House voted on Medicare in 1965.

From NBC's Mark Murray
Breaking News: Sources are telling NBC News that Rep. Bart Stupak WILL VOTE for the health-care bill.

*** UPDATE *** The AP adds: "A Democratic chairman says a leading abortion foe will back President Barack Obama's health care bill. But the office of Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak says no decision has been made. Rep. Henry Waxman says party leaders have been able to secure the support of Stupak. Waxman says they were able to win the promise of a "yes" vote on the health care bill by having Obama issue an executive order that reaffirms existing law barring federal dollars for abortions."

More: "Stupak had favored stronger language in the legislation restricting taxpayer money for abortion. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. said lawmakers who favor abortion rights shouldn't have a problem with the executive order."