US senate approves healthcare overhaul

WITH support from a lone Republican, a key Senate committee yesterday approved a middle-of-the-road healthcare plan that moves President Barack Obama’s goal of wider and affordable coverage a giant step closer to becoming law.

Maine Republican Olympia Snowe said she was laying aside misgivings for now and voting to advance the bill, a sweeping $829 billion (€558bn), 10-year health care remake that would help most Americans get coverage without creating a new government insurance plan.

“When history calls, history calls,” said Snowe.