In the Senate, independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont joined Democrats in voting for the bill. After reiterating his support of a single-payer, Medicare-for-all system, Sanders praised the healthcare reform legislation, saying it would revolutionize primary healthcare in America.

Sen. Bernie Sanders: “This legislation provides enough funding so that we are going to create over the next five years 8,000 new health center sites, more than doubling the number that now exists. We are going to increase access for primary healthcare, dental care, mental health counseling, and low-cost prescription drugs to an additional 20 million Americans in every state, in every region of this country. That is a huge step forward in providing basic healthcare to millions of Americans who today cannot access that care.”