The U.S. House of Representatives is likely to pass the overhaul health care reform bill on Saturday, said a congressional Democratic leader on Thursday.
House Democratic leader Steny Hoyer told reporters that House leaders are still working through some details at the last minute and would take the final version to the whole floor on Saturday.
The bill was expected to be passed with a majority of support from Democrats, but the vote is "going to be close," he said.
Last week, House Democrats, led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have offered a 1,990-page bill, combining different versions drafted by three House committees, which would cost 894 billion U.S. dollars over next 10 years and cover 96 percent of Americans.
The Senate, which has also unveiled its unified health care reform legislation, is also expecting debates over the bill at the whole floor, but Senate Democratic leaders have warned that it might not be passed by the end of the year.