Obama on healthcare reform bill

US President Barack Obama has welcomed the Senate health committee\'s vote to approve a healthcare reform bill.



He has also described the move as a major milestone.



However he wants the Congress to pass the bill by the beginning of August.



The committee\'s bill should expand coverage to 97 per cent of Americans, at a cost of some $600 billion.



The Senate health committee\'s bill will require that all Americans take out health insurance.



It will also provide subsidies to poorer families to help them pay for their coverage.



Its estimated that some 46 million Americans do not have health insurance, and a further 25 million are thought to have inadequate insurance.