WASHINGTON - It was the most ambitious legislation passed by the House of Representatives in a generation. But it's fate in the Senate remains unclear.

"The House bill is dead on arrival in the Senate," said South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. "It cuts Medicare about $500 billion. It's over $1 trillion in new spending. It does have the public option. So the House bill is a non-starter in the Senate." 

The Affordable Health Care for America Act cleared the House by two votes, 220-215. Only one Republican, Louisiana's Ahn Cao, voted for the bill. Thirty-nine Democrats voted against it.

"This bill steals freedom," said Arizona Republican John Shadegg . "And those of us who believe in freedom have contempt for those who would steal freedom and I have contempt for this bill!"

"I think that when you look at this bill, you look at the mandates, you look at the cost, you look at the government intrusion, there's a lot for Americans to be concerned about," added Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele.

"Now it falls on the United States Senate to take the baton and bring this effort to the finish line on behalf of the American people," President Obama said. "And I'm absolutely confident that they will."

The $1.1 trillion bill would:

• Extend health care coverage to an estimated 36 million Americans over the next 10 years
• Require everyone to have health insurance
• Require all employers to provide it or pay penalties.
• Give subsidies to help those with lower incomes to buy insurance

 Many residents ABC 7 spoke with were impatient with the pace of debate.

"I think they need to hurry it up and get it done," said Alvis David, a Waldorf resident.

"They should have had it done by now," added Daria Gordon, an Arlington resident.

"You know, they've had so many years. I don't see why they need to wait any longer," said Julia Famularo, a Georgetown graduate student. 

The White House hopes to have a bill to sign by the end of the year. But the Senate requires 60 votes of the chamber's 100 lawmakers to end debate on the bill. Senate leaders have yet to even schedule a vote on its version of health care reform. Any version passed by the Senate would have to be reconciled with the House version and put up for another vote.

Meantime abortion opponents in the Senate want tough restrictions in the health care overhaul bill, similar to the limits passed by the House this past weekend.

The issue could roil an already shaky Democratic effort to pass a health care bill by year's end for President Barack Obama (web | news | bio) .

Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska said Monday it's highly unlikely he would support a bill that doesn't clearly prohibit federal dollars from going to pay for abortions. His spokesman said Nelson is weighing options, including offering an amendment similar to the one passed by the House.

The limits in the House bill have angered liberals, some of whom are now threatening to vote against health care legislation if the curbs stay in.

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