LIVE COVERAGE: President Obama's visit to Iowa City today

IOWA CITY - President Barack Obama came to Iowa City today to tout health care reform and warned Republicans who want to “repeal and replace” it that he welcomes the fight.

“If they want to have that fight, I welcome that fight,” Obama said. “Because I don't believe the American people are going to put the insurance industry back in the driver's seat. We've been there already and we're not going back. This country is ready to move forward.”

Obama spoke to a capacity crowd at the University of Iowa Field House telling them that health care reform was their victory.

“ . . . This is your victory. Because when the special interests sent an army of lobbyists to Congress and blanketed the airwaves with millions in negative ads, you mobilized and organized and refused to give up,” Obama said.

Obama first announced his healthcare plan on the campaign trail in Iowa City in May 2007. This visit is seen as Obama working to overcome public doubts and political opposition.

Photos and video of Air Force One landing at the Eastern Iowa Airport

"Three years ago, I came here to make a promise. Just a few months into our campaign, I stood at the University of Iowa hospital right around the corner and promised that by the end of my first term in office, I would sign a health insurance reform bill,” Obama said. “On Tuesday, after a year of debate and a century of trying, after so many of you shared your stories and your heartaches and your hopes, that promise was finally fulfilled.  And today, health insurance reform is the law of the land."

According to Reuters, the health care bill will extend health insurance to 32 million Americans who currently don't have it. It bars practices like insurers' refusing coverage to people with pre-existing medical conditions, expand the Medicaid government health insurance program for the poor and impose new taxes on the wealthy.

“What this reform does is build on the system of private health insurance that we already have,” Obama said. “Will it solve every health care problem we have? No. But it finally tells the insurance companies that in exchange for all the new customers they're about to get, they have to start playing by a new set of rules that treat everyone fairly and honestly.”

People lined up in Iowa City throughout the morning to see Obama speak.

Reaction inside the Field House

Dr. Francois Abboud, 79, the director of the Cardiovascular Research Center at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, came with his wife to see Obama speak. He supports the idea of preventative care.

“There are some very good things in (the bill,” Abboud said. “The concern is whether we'll have enough money to pay for it. “

Obama mentions flood recovery

“I also want to start off by telling the folks here how inspired I've been by your continued resilience in the wake of the floods that devastated this region a few years back.  I know the rebuilding has been difficult, but you should know that you always have a committed partner in this Administration to support you on the road to recovery.”

UNI Panthers

“I also feel your pain. In my bracket, I had Kansas winning the entire championship, so I'm a little bit bitter too. But I want to congratulate all the Northern Iowa fans in this part of the state on their big win.”

Back in Iowa

“It is so good to be back in the great state of Iowa. This is the state that believed in our campaign when all the pundits had written us off.  This is the state that inspired us to keep going, even when the path was uncertain. And because of you, this is the place where change began.”

Todd Dorman live chat

Photos by Brian Ray

Photos by KCRG/Gazette staff