Local leaders disagree on health care bill

The health care reform bill squeaked through the House of Representatives on Saturday and now it's on to the U.S. Senate. 

It wasn't easy, though -- the debate was so heated one South Carolina Congressman declared it dead on arrival.

The House version of the bill includes the controversial government-controlled public option.  The bill will require most Americans to have health insurance.  It provides subsidies to those who can't afford it and large companies would have to offer coverage to employees.

So what do local leaders have to say about the health care reform bill?

Congressman Scott Murphy was one of 39 house Democrats who voted against the bill after receiving more than 100 phone calls at his Washington D.C. office Saturday.

"The part that scares people is if we are acxtually fixing those ever rising costs of health insurance, it might be worth it, but if we aren't getting this right then it's scary about where those numbers could go over time," said Murphy at a press conference outside his Saratoga office Monday.

The health care bill would cost an estimated $1.2 trillion over ten years as it stands right now.

Congressman Paul Tonko expects those costs to go down which is why he voted for the bill on Saturday. "It provides for our elderly and provides affordability for our middle income families" says Tonko on Sunday.

President Obama wants to sign the health care bill by the end of the year.