And it’s about time.

The Senate voted to move ahead with a floor debate on the $848 billion bill by a vote of 60-39.

All 58 Senate Democrats supported bringing the measure to the floor, as did independent Sens. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

Here are some of the comments from the pros and the cons:

Tonight’s historic vote brings us one step closer to ending insurance company abuses, reining in spiraling health care costs, providing stability and security to those with health insurance and extending quality health coverage to those who lack it.”

-White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

Today we decide whether to even discuss one of the greatest issues of our generation. Whether this nation will finally guarantee its people the right to live free from fear of illness and death, which can be prevented by decent health care for all.”

-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

The Republicans are frightening people. Now is not the time to go wobbly in the knees. Now is the time to stand strong … and move this country forward.”

- Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa

This bill… is a massive monument to bureaucracy and spending. It imposes punishing taxes on almost everyone. … A vote in favor of proceeding to this bill is a vote in favor of adding to the tax burden of the American people in the midst of double digit unemployment.”

-Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell

The bill does worse than nothing. It threatens the economic recovery. … Changes to the health care system must be responsible and not break the backs of the taxpayers.”

-Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa

Letting the debate go to the floor was the absolute right thing to do. Get it out there and then let the gloves come off. Nobody wants to bankrupt the country for health care reform, but the current system is bankrupting the average “Joe”, and it’s getting worse by the day. It’s time to take the profit motive out of health care and restore it to taking care of people because it’s the right thing to do.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has projected that Reid’s 2,074-page bill would extend health insurance coverage to 31 million additional Americans.

The CBO also estimates that the bill would reduce the federal deficit by $130 billion over the next 10 years, through 2019. Any effect on the deficit in the following decade would be “subject to substantial uncertainty,” but probably would result in “small reductions in federal budget deficits,” according to budget office analysts.

That doesn’t sound like a bankrupting plan to me…

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