Nearly a month after its ultramarathon of a markup began, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions panel has finally blessed us with a Dodd-given, committee-approved, almost-ready-for-floor-action health reform bill. Yes friends, at approximately 10:16 a.m. EST this morning, HELP became the first congressional committee to cross the first health reform finish line and report health care overhaul legislation -- comprehensive legislation that will help all Americans get affordable quality health care -- to the full Senate.

As you may have guessed, the committee approved the “Affordable Health Choices Act” in typical 13-10 party-line vote fashion. It will eventually be merged with the Senate Finance Committee bill, which that panel hopes to release in the coming days.

“This is the bill that we’ve been waiting for and fighting for, for a long time,” Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) said just before the vote. “It makes quality care affordable and accessible to every American family.”

The $600 billion bill would expand coverage to nearly all Americans and require individuals to purchase insurance and employers to contribute to the cost. It would provide subsidies to help purchase insurance for families and individuals making less than four times the federal poverty level (about $88,000 for a family of four).

President Obama praised the committee's progress on one of his administration's signature efforts (full text here).

"Today, thanks to the unyielding passion and inspiration provided by Senator Edward Kennedy, the HELP committee he chairs has produced a proposal that will finally lower health care costs, provide better care for patients, and ensure fair treatment of consumers by the insurance industry."

HELP’s approval comes on the heels of yesterday’s release of the House’s health reform bill. From BNA:

House Democratic leaders at a briefing said the three committees with jurisdiction over the measure will begin marking up the bill in the next few days, with the House Ways and Means Committee scheduled to start July 16. House leaders said they are on track to pass reform legislation before they adjourn for the August congressional recess July 31. The bill will be marked up by Ways and Means, as well as the Energy and Commerce and Education and Labor committees.

 The momentum is building.